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

We’ve got mad love for these shiitake mushrooms, which are prepared like crispy bacon. The taste and texture of these mushrooms are amazing and work in a variety of dishes. Here, we’ve paired the mushrooms with pasta and pulled everything together with a decadent, creamy dairy-free sauce to create a wicked comforting dish! Grab your fork and hold on tight…this dish will blow your mind!

Prep time: 30 minutes

Cook time: 40 minutes

Vegan Shiitake Carbonara

Serves 4-6

Ingredients

Shiitake Bac’n:

• 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

Pasta and Sauce:

• 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. 

Options: To go all out, shave some fresh truffles on the pasta. Or drizzle on some truffle oil.

Nutritionals

Calories 736 | Total Fat 14.8g | Saturated Fat 2g | Cholesterol 83mg | Sodium 4496mg | Total Carbohydrates 120.6g | Dietary Fiber 7.2g | Total Sugars 24.8g | Protein 27.5g | Vitamin D 1mcg | Calcium 315mg | Iron 7mg | Potassium 554g |