Name: Vegan Carbonara with Smoky Chickpeas
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 40 min
Cuisine: Vegan
Ingredients: 250g Spaghetti; 3 Tbsp chickpea flour (gram flour); A pinch of kala namak (black salt); 100ml dairy free cream; ¼ tsp black pepper; ¼ tsp turmeric powder; A little water; 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil; A handful of fresh parsley, chopped; 1 tin of chickpeas, drained; ¼ tsp sea salt; ½ tsp smoked paprika; 1 Tbsp liquid smoke; 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Proper ‘Italian-style’ Vegan Carbonara with Smoke Chickpeas – deliciously ‘egg-y’ and more-ish!

Who could say no to a delicious vegan Carbonara dinner? I know I certainly can’t! Before going vegan I definitely had a fair share of Carbonara – both the authentic Italian kind, which used to be my absolute favourite dish, as well as the creamy mess that the Bitish call a Carbonara 😉 After moving to the UK I have to say I was fairly surprised how much cream they used in their Carbonara recipe – and it’s been nothing like the Carbonara I grew up eating (my family was always huge on Italian foods!). It took a while getting used to, though I’m not entirely sure whether I actually ever got used to it.

Authentic Italian Carbonara is actually more egg-y than it is creamy and that’s exactly what I’ve tried to replicate with this Vegan Carbonara version.

Vegan Carbonara Sauce

To get the “egg-yness” just right in this recipe I’ve used chickpea flour and added so-called black salt to it. This black salt is also called ‘Kala Namak’ and it’s got a slightly sulphurous flavour to it, which makes it taste deliciously egg-y.

To get the colour just right, I like to add a little bit of turmeric to the mix. It also adds a healthy twist to the recipe and in combination with black pepper, the turmeric is easier absorbed by the body. For the liquid of the sauce I add vegan cream, this gives the sauce the perfect creaminess & thickness for the sauce. It also ensures that the sauce does not get too dry as soon as it hits the pan. In my opinion, it creates the perfect creamy but egg-y balance that I’m looking for in a Carbonara Sauce. And I hope you’ll enjoy this recipe just as much as I did!

Smoky & Crunchy Chickpeas

A traditional carbonara would usually have cooked ham chunks. In order to add more interest and also a salty smokiness to the recipe, I’ve added crunchy & smokey chickpeas to this recipe. It’s obviously not the same as ham/bacon, and it’s not pretending to be – but it adds a lovely element to the dish and gives it a delicious crunch.

The smoky chickpeas are super easy to create in just a few steps:

Drain the chickpeas.
Add them to a bowl and add the seasoning: sea salt, smoked paprika, liquid smoke and olive oil. Toss to evenly coat.
Add the chickpeas to a lined baking tray and bake at 160C until crispy.
After 10 minutes use a wooden spoon to move and turn them around on the tray.

You can enjoy the chickpeas hot and cold. If you’re a fan of savoury snacks (like me), they’re also a delicious crunchy treat 😉

This recipe is:

100% vegan
dairy free
egg free
delicious & more-ish
creamy & ‘egg-y’
inspired by the Italian original
pasta-licious
the perfect dinner to wow your friends & family
as authentic as you can get (whilst making it vegan)