This amazing 20 minute dairy free carbonara pasta recipe is great for tasty and quick dinners as a main course or a side dish. It is top 8 allergen friendly and gluten free. Sure to be a regular favourite on the meal plan.
This pasta recipe was born out of the need for an easy and fast dinner for the family. We love a quick meal that can feed everyone cheaply. There was a night where cooking was the last thing I wanted to do, come to think of it there are a lot of those nights some weeks. The kids needed dinner now and we had to get a couple of them to their extracurricular activities.It was a night we had planned for using leftovers but the kids were going through a growth spurt and all had seconds. This recipe was created and luckily I wrote it down as it was a huge hit and is now made regularly in our house.
Ingredients
- Dried gluten free spaghetti pasta noodles
- Vegan allergen friendly Margarine
- Onion
- Garlic
- Button mushrooms
- Bacon bits, cooked and crumbled bacon slices
- Oregano, dried
- Grape tomatoes
- Olive oil
- Salt and pepper
See recipe card for quantities.
Ingredient Details
Pasta
You can use whichever base of noodle is best suited for your allergies. Some brands have corn based or rice based noodles. We love the Pedon More Than Pasta Noodles. They are lentil ones that we find don’t stick as much as the rice ones and add a lot of protein to the meal. They are not always the best, though, for peanut allergy suffers as some lentils are closely related to peanuts. Long noodles like spaghetti, spaghettini, or linguine work best in this recipe. However, any other shape would work as well.
Vegan Margarine
Check that the brand used is free from soy, if top 8 free cooking is your goal some spreads contain soy. It is possible to use blocks of dairy free butter substitute, instead.
Oregano
We use dry herbs here for ease but we often use fresh herbs. The amount will vary 3-4 sprigs should be suitable. Strip the leaves from the stalk and only use the leaves in the pasta.
Mushrooms
We choose to use button mushrooms, however a variety of mushrooms can be used to give a different earthy flavour. If using Portabellos slice into bite size pieces.
Bacon
Use either bacon bits or crumbled bacon. Depending on what is safest for you and what you have on hand. The bacon bits are easiest as they do not need pre-cooking before adding to the recipe. Using bacon strips will add extra time to the cooking of the topping and sauce.
Tomatoes
We use a lot of grape tomatoes so they are always on hand in our home.for a suitable substitution replace with with field tomatoes, Romas, or beefsteaks cut into bite sized pieces. Cherry tomatoes also work well in this recipe.
Instructions/Directions and Tips
- Over high heat, put on a large pot of salted water to cook pasta.
- While waiting for the water to boil, mince garlic and dice onions. Cut mushrooms into 8 pieces and quarter tomatoes.
- Add pasta to boiling water and cook as per instructions on the box.
- In a large sauté pan of medium heat, melt the margarine. Add onion and garlic once the margarine is melted and sauté for 2 mins. Choose a pan with sides as deep as 2 inches or more. We sometimes use our wok as it has nice deep sides.
- Add mushrooms to the sauté pan, stirring to coat them with the margarine and cook for 1 minute. You want the mushrooms to be coated to cook well.
- Add bacon bits and oregano and cook for 4 mins. Stir often to get all the mushrooms cooked. You really want to turn the mushrooms so they all cook well.
- Reduce heat to low and add in the tomatoes and continue to stir. Cook for 2 mins.
- Drain the pasta. If a strainer is used return the pasta to the pot and stir in olive oil ensuring all pasta is coated with the oil.
- Add all the sautéed vegetables to the pot with the cooked pasta. Salt and pepper to taste.
- Stir well and serve.
Hint: Top with vegan, allergen safe parmesan-like cheese. We like Follow Your Heart/Earth Island or Violife dairy free parmesan style cheeses.
Substitutions
The only ingredient that needs changing is the bacon. It can easily be replaced with bacon meat substitution. Some simulated bacon bits are vegetarian and vegan but may contain top 8 allergens. Check the ingredients first.
If those aren’t suitable for you try ¼ C canned chickpeas, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika and ¼ teaspoon salt in place of bacon bits. The chickpeas can be roasted first with the paprika and salt. We have a roasted chickpea recipe here or the chickpeas can be cooked until softer or left as they are in the dish.
It absolutely can be replaced but the dairy free carbonara pasta absorbs the oil so extra is needed. We have done this a few times and prefer the spread as it is less dry.
Any pasta can be made without cheese. This quick and dairy free version of carbonara pasta is made without cheese but it isn't a true carbonara or creamy pasta. It is a dairy free carbonara inspired pasta. You could use dairy free vegan cheeses but they do no melt the same as milk cheese and can make a pasta very oily.
Variations/Adaptations
We love this dairy free carbonara pasta as a mild dish. We find kids have a tough time with heat but to take this pasta up a notch try adding ½ teaspoon paprika, upto ¼ teaspoon cayenne, ¼-½ teaspoon red chilli flakes or ⅛ teaspoon black pepper to the toppings. They will make the pasta spicier with a bit of a kick to it. Use Chilli flavoured oil to coat the pasta to infuse a bit more heat, if desired.
For a meatier option - adding meat balls from our turkey meatball recipe to top this dish is a favourite way of varying this dish.
Equipment
This recipe for dairy free carbonara pasta only needs a few pieces of equipment. A large pot for the cooking of the noodles and mixing of pasta and toppings. A deep skillet for cooking the toppings. A noodle strainer, knife, a few stiring spoons ot spatuals, and a cutting board.
Storage and Reheating Instructions
Storage
Store dairy free carbonara pasta in a well sealed container.
-Fridge
This pasta recipe will keep well for up to 3 days in the fridge.
-Freezer
This recipe is not suitable for freezing.
Reheating
To reheat this pasta extra oil or vegan spread will be needed to keep the dish from drying out.
-Stove Top
In a deep sided frying pan over medium heat, heat 2 tsps of olive oil. Put 1-2 servings in the heated pan and stir to mix the oil to coat all the dairy free carbonara pasta. Add 2 tbsps of water to the pan and cover with a well fitting lid. Cook for 3-4 mins. Remove the lid and stir well, continue cooking until the water has cooked off, 1-2 mins. Stir well, check to see if all the gluten free carbonara pasta is evenly warmed. If not cook for 2 more mins stir to get the cold part on the pan.
- Microwave
On a microwave safe bowl or plate reheat one serving at a time. Add 2 tsps of water to the pasta by sprinkling it over the whole serving. Heat for 2 minutes, stir, and check if it has fully heated through. Heat again for 30 seconds, site and check heating, as needed.
Top Tip
Add smaller bits of oil to ensure it doesn't get too greasy. Adding more bit by bit and taste testing it is the best practice.
For an on the go or for lunch out and to keep the dairy free carbonara pasta warm – Use a thermos. Preheat the container by boiling water. Dump the water out. Add the pasta to the thermos.
What To Serve With
This dairy free carbonara pasta works well on its own or with a simple green salad. Another gread side for this dish is gluten free buns, like Little Northern Bakehouse, with plant based spread and garlic powder. Toasted in the oven for a few minutes, meanwhile under a careful watching eye.
Serve dairy free carbonara pasta as a side, itself with a steak or Eggless meatloaf. It works well instead of mashed potatoes when serving it as a side.
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📖 Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 Box dried gluten free spaghetti noodles
- 2 Tbsps Vegan allergen friendly Margarine
- ¼ of a medium onion medium diced
- 3 Large garlic cloves minced
- 7 Large button mushrooms cut in 8
- ¼ C bacon bits or 4-5 cooked and crumbled bacon slices
- 2 tsps Oregano dried
- 15 grape tomatoes quartered
- 2 Tbsps olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Over high heat, put on a large pot of salted water to cook pasta.
- While waiting for the water to boil, mince garlic and dice onions. Cut mushrooms into 8 pieces and quarter tomatoes.
- Add pasta to boiling water and cook as per instructions on the box.
- In a large sauté pan of medium heat, melt the margarine. Add onion and garlic once the margarine is melted and sauté for 2 mins
- Add mushrooms to the sauté pan, stirring to coat them with the margarine and cook for 1 minute.
- Add bacon bits and oregano and cook for 4 mins. Stir often to get all the mushrooms cooked.
- Reduce heat to low and add in the tomatoes and continue to stir. Cook for 2 mins.
- Drain the pasta. If a strainer is used return the pasta to the pot and stir in olive oil ensuring all pasta is coated with the oil.
- Add all the sautéed vegetables to the pot with the cooked pasta. Salt and pepper to taste.
- Stir well and serve.
Notes
Nutrition
Food Safety
- Always check that any products recommended are safe for you to use before buying
- Avoid cross contact between allergens and non allergen food
- Do not use the same utensils on food without allergens, that previously touched food with allergens
- Do not use the same utensils on cooked food, that previously touched raw meatWash hands after touching raw meat
- Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
- Use oils with high smoking point to avoid harmful compounds
- Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove
See more guidelines at USDA.gov.
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