I decided to make this smokey mushroom carbonara on a whim. I wanted to try a new pasta dish with what we had in the pantry and it came together super fast, and was incredibly delicious! It was so delicious, that we immediately made more because well, we wanted more and I didn’t make a large portion the first time. This will become a regular on our menu because it’s too delicious and easy to make to not make it more often!
This smokey mushroom carbonara is super easy to make. It’s a delicious vegetarian spin on the classic carbonara dish and if you like pasta, you’ll love this dish!
Tips for making this Smokey Mushroom Carbonara!
- To make the smokey mushrooms in this pasta, you only need a few things. Liquid smoke is what gives these that smokey flavour, while tamari and maple syrup add in the sweet and salty. With these mushrooms, you’ll want to fry them in a pan until they get a bit crispy. The smaller the mushroom is cut, the more pieces you’ll have to distribute through your pasta dish.
- It’s important to reserve some pasta water to thin the sauce if needed. I use a measuring cup to scoop out some water near the end of the cooking time.
- The pasta cooks the egg mixture. Make sure to use tongs to toss it around so the egg mixture coats the pasta evenly. Thin with pasta water if needed.
- Fresh grated parmesan cheese is important in this dish because it melts in with the pasta. Use a microplane grater to get the perfect parmesan for this pasta.
- Salt the water that you cook your pasta in. It adds a depth of flavour that takes this dish to the next level.
For my other pasta dish ideas, try my Spaghetti and Meatballs using Beyond Meat, and my Lemon Garlic Asparagus Penne!
Smokey Mushroom Carbonara
A vegetarian spin on the classic carbonara!
Servings 4
Ingredients
- 1 340g Linguine One box
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup parmesan cheese divided
- 2 cups mushrooms cut into small pieces
- 2 tsp oil
- 2 tsp tamari
- 1 tsp maple syrup
- 1/4 tsp liquid smoke
- 2 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a large bowl, whisk the eggs and 1/2 cup of parmesan cheese together. Set aside.
- In a non-stick frying pan, add the oil, liquid smoke, maple syrup, tamari and mushrooms. Mix the mushrooms into the sauce and continue to stir over medium-high heat until crispy. This takes about 10 minutes. Once mushrooms are crispy, stir in the garlic and cook until fragrant. Turn off the heat if pasta isn't ready yet.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta according to the directions. Once the pasta is done, scoop out a cup of pasta water and set aside. Strain the pasta and immediatly mix with the egg mixture. As soon as the pasta is fully covered in the egg, add in the mushrooms and continue to toss. If the sauce seems too thick, add a bit of pasta water.
- Add salt and pepper to taste.