Creamy Vegan Carbonara

Ingredients

• 5.3 ounces uncooked spaghetti
• 1 tbsp oil
• 1/2 cup vegan bacon bits
• 3 tbsp vegan butter
• 2 cloves of garlic (minced)
• 2 tbsp nutritional yeast
• 1 tbsp ketchup
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1/2 cup plant-based cream
• 1/2 cup vegetable broth
• 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
• 1/8 tsp kala namak salt
• 1 tsp cornstarch ((diluted in 2 tsp water))
• 1/8 to 1/4 tsp salt (adjust to taste)

Instructions

1. 1

   Cook the pasta. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Once boiling, add the spaghetti and cook according to the package instructions. In the meantime, prepare the bacon bits and the sauce.

2. 2

   Sauté the bacon bits. Heat the oil in a non-stick pan over medium heat. Once hot, add the bacon bits and sauté for 2-3 minutes or until the edges are golden brown and crispy. Remove from the heat and set aside.

3. 3

   Sauté the garlic. Heat the butter in a deep non-stick skillet. Once melted, add the garlic and sauté for about 2 minutes.

4. 4

   Add the remaining ingredients. Then, add the nutritional yeast, ketchup, Dijon mustard, plant-based cream, vegetable broth, ground black pepper, kala namak salt, and diluted cornstarch. Cook the sauce for 2 minutes, stirring regularly, until it has slightly thickened. At this point, taste the sauce and add more salt if needed. I ended up adding a bit more than 1/8 tsp salt.

5. 5

   Combine. Drain the spaghetti and add it to the sauce along with the sautéed bacon bits. Toss until well combined and serve immediately!