NEVER ENOUGH GARLIC

Carbonara is simply one of most delicious dishes ever, but almost none of the ingredients are vegan. So we changed that entirely and made a super easy and incredibly awesome vegan carbonara recipe with bacon-flavoured shiitake mushrooms. So if you're vegan, vegetarian, allergic to eggs or lactose intolerant and love carbonara, here is the perfect recipe for you.

Ingredients:

• 300 g (11 oz) of pasta 
  

• 200 ml (7 fl. oz) plant-based cream* - save the carton
• 600 ml (2.5 cups) water
• 200 g (7 oz) brown button mushrooms
• 1 cube of vegetable stock
• 20 g (0.7 oz) nutritional yeast (maybe more to drizzle on top)
• 2 tbsp. lemon juice
• 1 tbsp. vegan bacon spice (we used Deliciou)
• 1 tbsp. smoked paprika
• 1 tsp. ground pepper
• 1 onion
• 5 cloves of garlic
• 30 g (1.1 oz) shiitake mushrooms, dried
• Olive oil for frying

* We used Organic Oat Cream with 9.8% fat (see picture), but soy or rice based alternatives work just as well.

Instructions:

1. Soak the shiitake mushrooms in cold water for at least half an hour. Meanwhile, go to step 2.
2. While the shiitake is soaking, clean the button mushrooms, chop them in halves, and toss them in a pan with olive oil. Set the pan to medium heat.
3. Finely chop the onion and toss it in the pan with the button mushrooms.
4. Crush the garlic cloves and toss them in the pan.
5. When everything in the pan is golden, add the plant-based cream. Fill the cream carton with water and shake, then pour the water in the pan. Repeat until you have you 600 ml (2.5 cups) of water.
6. Add the lemon juice, nutritional yeast, pepper, and the cube of vegetable stock and bring it all to a boil. Let it simmer on low to medium heat while you get on with the next steps.
7. Drain the shiitake mushrooms, cut them in slices, and toss them in a new frying pan with olive oil. Make sure to cut off any hard stems. 
8. Add the "bacon" spice mix and the smoked paprika to the shiitake mushrooms and set the pan to medium heat. Stir well.
9. Boil the pasta (which usually takes about 10-12 minutes). Meanwhile, remember to stir the shiitake bacon so it doesn't burn.
10. By the time your pasta is done, your sauce should be creamy but not too thick, and the shiitake should be crispy.
11. Mix the pasta and the sauce together and serve immediately with the shiitake bacon mixed in or drizzled on top.
12. Enjoy. You'll love it.