Ultimate Carbonara Macaroni Bake
I love Carbonara, that creamy texture with the sulfuric pop of “egg” and smokey flavorful bits of bacon throughout make it a very satisfying meal. This variation is straightforward using a creamy bechamel sauce for a base and then adding some pops of flavor to it with the cheesy nutritional yeast and umami laden miso. Vegan Mac and Cheese has been done, am I right? Take the beloved elbow shaped macaroni a step further with this dish and you will have everyone asking you for this recipe by the end of the party.
Ingredients
- 1 pound gluten free elbow macaroni
- ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons canola oil
- ¼ couple purpose flour
- 6 cups plain unsweetened non dairy milk
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 1 tablespoons white miso
- 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon kala namak himalayan black salt
- 2 cups vegan bacon cooked and roughly chopped
- ⅓ cup panko bread crumbs
- Chopped fresh parsley optional
- Vegan parmesan optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 F, lightly grease a 9 X 13 inch baking dish.
- Cook the pasta according to package directions just a minute shy of al dente, drain and set aside until sauce is ready.
- Heat the ¼ cup of canola oil in a large pot over medium-low heat. Add the flour and whisk in until the flour is fully incorporated in the oil. Continue to whisk 1-2 minutes until the flour starts to turn golden brown.
- Slowly whisk in the milk. Increase the heat to medium-high, whisking frequently to avoid lumps and prevent the mixture from burning. Simmer the sauce for about 10 minutes, until it is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Add the lemon juice, miso, nutritional yeast, smoked paprika, kala namak and whisk until everything has dissolved and it is smooth and creamy.
- Add the breadcrumbs and remaining 2 tablespoons of canola oil to a bowl and mix until all of the breadcrumbs are coated.
- Add the bacon and pasta to the sauce and mix until all of the pasta is coated and bacon is evenly dispersed. Transfer the pasta to the prepared baking dish and sprinkle with breadcrumb mixture.
- Bake for 24-26 minutes until the top is golden brown. Remove and let set for 5 minutes before serving. Garnish with parsley and parmesan, if using.
Notes
TIP: Use Quinoa Bacon Bits in place of the store bought vegan bacon. Mix together 2 cups cooked quinoa, 2 tablespoons tamari, 2 tablespoon olive oil, 1 tablespoon ketchup, 2 teaspoons smoked paprika, 1 teaspoon sea salt and 1 teaspoon black pepper until well combined. Spread into one layer on a hot skillet and let cook for three minutes over medium heat. Stir the mixture to flip the quinoa and cook for an additional three minutes over medium heat without touching it. The end result will be crispy bacon bits. Mix into the macaroni with the sauce as directed.
ALLERGY SWAPS: Use gluten free elbow pasta. Omit the all purpose flour, use brown rice flour in its place. The sauce wont get as thick but the end result after it bakes will be just as good. Use Chickpea miso for a soy free miso. Omit the panko breadcrumbs and use gluten free panko breadcrumbs. Keep an eye out for the ingredient list to keep it vegan and avoid all other allergies. Ian’s Bread Crumbs make a great gluten free allergen friendly variation.
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