In the Wicked Kitchen’s Creamy Vegan Carbonara Shiitake “Bacon”

Vegan Shiitake Carbonara

Ingredients

• 8 oz shiitake mushrooms
• 1 cup low-sodium soy sauce
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp granulated garlic
• 3/4 tsp smoked paprika
• 1/4 tsp fresh ground black pepper

• 5 Tbsp plant-based butter
• 1 medium onion
• 4 garlic cloves
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup white wine
• 3 cups unsweetened plant-based milk
• 1 Tbsp white miso paste
• 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
• 1/2 tsp granulated garlic
• 1 lb spaghetti
• 8 oz frozen peas
• 1 Tbsp drained capers
• Chopped fresh parsley

Instructions

1. For the shiitake bac’n, preheat the oven to 400ºF. Remove the shiitake stems (save them for another use) then slice the caps thin. Place the caps in a medium bowl and add the soy sauce, oil, garlic, paprika, and pepper. Mix well. Set aside to marinate for at least 15 minutes (overnight is even better).
2. Remove from marinade and spread shrooms in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake until crisp and brown but not burnt, turning halfway through cooking, 25-30 minutes total. Set aside to cool on the sheet.
3. For the pasta and sauce, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Dice the onion and mince the garlic. Heat the plant-based butter in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook until soft, about 4 minutes. Stir in the flour, cook a minute, then gradually pour in the wine, whisking until smooth (called a roux). Whisk in the milk, miso, smoked paprika, and garlic, then simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat, pour into in a blender and blitz until smooth, or use an immersion blender right in the saucepan. Transfer to a clean saucepan and keep warm over low heat, stirring now and then.
4. Meanwhile, cook the spaghetti in the salted boiling water until tender yet chewy, 10 to 12 minutes, adding the peas for the last 3 minutes. Drain the spaghetti and peas then return to the pot. Pour in the sauce, capers, and reserved shiitake bacon. Mix well, then serve right away sprinkled with chopped parsley.