Smoky Miso & Black Garlic Mushroom Carbonara

• vegan
• carbonara
• fusion
• italian-asian
• umami
• comfort-food
• plant-based
• miso
• pasta
• Isabella

Introduction

Ciao, amici! Today I’m bringing you a dish that feels like a warm, salty embrace—a true masterpiece of comfort. This isn't your traditional carbonara; it’s a soul-stirring fusion where the deep, salty umami of Japanese miso and black garlic meets the creamy, indulgent soul of Italian pasta. It’s rich, savory, and perfectly captures that 'umami' magic we all crave in a modern plant-based kitchen. Let’s create some magic together!

Ingredients

• 350g high-quality artisanal spaghetti or handmade linguine
• 200g fresh shiitake mushrooms, thinly sliced
• 100g smoked tempeh, finely diced into 'bacon' bits
• 1 cup raw cashews, soaked in hot water for 30 minutes and drained
• 1.5 cups warm vegetable broth
• 2 tablespoons white miso paste (shiro miso)
• 3 cloves fermented black garlic, mashed into a paste
• 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
• 1 tablespoon organic soy sauce or tamari
• 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper (plus more for serving)
• Fresh Italian parsley, finely chopped for garnish
• A drizzle of artisanal chili oil

Instructions

• Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a rolling boil. Cook your pasta until it is just shy of al dente. Very important: reserve at least 1 cup of the starchy pasta water before draining.
• While the pasta cooks, create the silky base by blending the soaked cashews, warm vegetable broth, white miso paste, mashed black garlic, and nutritional yeast in a high-speed blender until the mixture is completely smooth and ivory-colored.
• Heat the olive oil in a large deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sliced shiitake mushrooms and diced tempeh. Sauté until the mushrooms have released their moisture and everything is golden and crisp.
• Stir the soy sauce and smoked paprika into the mushroom mixture, allowing the flavors to caramelize for about 1 minute.
• Reduce the heat to low and pour the cashew-miso cream into the skillet. Stir gently to combine with the mushrooms and tempeh.
• Add the cooked pasta directly into the sauce. Toss vigorously, adding the reserved pasta water a tablespoon at a time until the sauce is glossy and clings perfectly to every strand.
• Season generously with the freshly cracked black pepper. The heat of the pepper balances the richness of the miso.
• Divide into warm bowls, garnishing with fresh parsley and a delicate drizzle of chili oil for that signature Asian-inspired heat.

There you have it—a bowl of pure, plant-based decadence that bridges the gap between Rome and Tokyo. The way the fermented black garlic melts into the miso cream creates a depth of flavor that is simply divine. I love serving this with a glass of crisp vegan Pinot Grigio and a side of charred broccolini. Enjoy the beautiful harmony of two worlds on one plate. Buon appetito!

Isabella