Vegan Carbonara Ramen

So we all know and love a classic carbonara, and let’s be honest… instant ramen noodles also have a very special place in most of our cupboards. So it only felt right to combine the two and make carbonara noodles. And obviously we’re doing it fully plant based. So here it is: creamy, smoky, cheesy vegan carbonara ramen made with instant noodles. Yes, it’s as good as it sounds.

This carbonara ramen vegan recipe is one of those meals that feels a little bit fancy but actually takes hardly any effort at all. The best part? It’s made with the standard cheap instant noodles style ramen packets you can pick up pretty much anywhere. There’s a very good chance you already have a pack sitting in the back of your cupboard right now just waiting to be turned into something amazing.

The sauce is where the magic happens. Instead of the traditional dairy-heavy sauce, we’re making a super creamy version using cashews. Once blended with a little plant milk it becomes ridiculously smooth, rich, and perfect for coating those noodles. It gives you that comforting carbonara vibe but completely dairy free.

To bring in that classic smoky carbonara flavour, we’re adding vegan bacon, which takes this dish to the next level. It adds the perfect salty, smoky bite that works so well with the creamy sauce.

The funny thing about this recipe is that most of the ingredients are probably things you already have lying around. Instant noodles? Check. Cashews in the cupboard? Probably. Plant milk in the fridge? Very likely. So realistically you’re only a few minutes away from a bowl of Vegan carbonara goodness.

Once you try these carbonara noodles, don’t be surprised if they become one of those meals you make on repeat. They’re quick, cheap, ridiculously creamy, and exactly the kind of comfort food you want when you need something easy but still really satisfying.

Ramen noodles carbonara ingredients and substitutes-

• Noodles- For this recipe I didn’t use the flavour sachet that comes in instant noodles so I bought the cheapest basic instant noodles. You can use any noodles you like, just make sure to cook the noodles to packet instructions first.
• Vegan bacon- The bacon pieces on top should be crispy so choose a vegan bacon that can be made into lardons and taste good when cooked until crispy. I used the brand ‘THIS’ in the UK. You can substitute the fake meat bacon with smoked tofu bacon or tempeh if you prefer a less processed ‘bacon’.
• Nutritional yeast- Nutritional yeast gives the cheesey, savoury flavour that a traditional carbonara gets from parmesan. You can replace the nutritional yeast with vegan parmesan but it has to be a strong, sharp flavoured cheese.
• Cashew nuts- Cashew nuts when soaked and blended make the best creamy sauce without using actual cream or processed dairy free cream. I love to use cashews because they’re a store cupboard ingredient giving me a vegan cream on demand. You can of course use you favourite non dairy cream in place of this. Or a nut free version that is unprocessed would be to use soaked sunflower seeds.
• Kala namak- Kala namak or black salt is a type of salt that smells and tastes like egg. Traditionally carbonara is made from egg yolks so this helps to add the subtle egg taste. You can buy this in Indian supermarkets or online. Feel free to omit this if you wish.
• Black pepper- Personally I love a black pepper heavy carbonara sauce so I add a whole teaspoon of freshly cracked black pepper. Add as much or as little as you like.
• Garlic-  Roasted garlic works best in this sauce however it can be time consuming so you can use minced garlic or garlic granules.
• Soy milk- Soy milk is used to loosen the sauce so add according to how thick you’d like the sauce. Any plant milk will work here.

FAQ-

• Can I add more protein to this?- Absolutely! I recommend adding some silken tofu to the cashews after blending- you may need to add some more soy milk to loosen the mixture but this will give the sauce a creamy protein boost.
• Can I make this nut free?- Yes just replace the cashew nuts with sunflower seeds to make this nut free.

Vegan carbonara ramen

Noodles cooked in a creamy, cheesy carbonara sauce topped with crispy bacon bits

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Total Time 15 minutes mins

Course Snack

Cuisine Chinese, Italian

Servings 1

Ingredients

  

• 90 g Instant noodles dry weight
• 60 g Vegan bacon
• 4 tbsp Nutritional yeast
• 50 g Cashew nuts raw
• 1 tsp Kala namak black salt
• 1/2 tsp Garlic granules
• 50 g Vegan parmesan
• 3 tbsp Soy milk unsweetened

Instructions

 

• Add the cashew nuts to a bowl and soak in boiling water for at least 15 minutes.
• If you don’t have pre bought bacon lardons cut the bacon into lardons and fry until crispy. Set this aside.
• Drain the cashews and add to the blender cup with the rest of the sauce ingredients. Blend until completely smooth, add more soy milk if needed.
• Cook the noodles to packet instructions, drain and add to a saucepan.
• Pour the sauce onto the noodles and heat through on medium low heat until the sauce is hot.
• Serve up the noodles with the bacon topping and some fresh parsley.
• Enjoy!

Notes

Sticky noodles- to avoid the noodles sticking together you can rinse them in cold water after cooking to remove the starches or leave them in a big bowl of cold water whilst preparing the sauce.

Cheesy sauce- The flavour of the sauce is what makes this dish so be sure not to skip the nutritional yeast or you can also use vegan parmesan.

Video

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If you love noodles check out some of my other noodle recipes!

• Vegan Buldak Carbonara Ramen Noodles
• Tofu and Broccoli Udon Noodle Stir Fry
• Vegan Takeaway Style Chow Mein

• 
  Greek Gyros Tofu Bowl
• 
  Vegan Burrito Bowl
• 
  Vegan French Onion Dip
• 
  Vegan Mince and Cheese Pie
• 
  Vegan Italian Sausage Kale Pasta
• 
  Red Curry Thai Udon