The protein cooking time listed in this recipe has been updated.
As of December 2025, we’ve revised cooking times for all our proteins to reflect improved food safety guidance.
Check out the latest recommended times in our Cooking Guidelines.
Creamy Pasta Carbonara with Tempeh Bacon Pieces
Made from tempeh, sweet and smoky vegan ‘bacon’ gives depth of flavour to our creamy carbonara. We cut through the richness with a crisp side salad of peppery rocket, juicy tomatoes and sliced onion.
Ready in 20
1/3 daily fibre
Low sat fat
Serving size
Ingredients
- 1 onion
- 2 tsp Dijon mustard (Mustard) (Water, Mustard Seeds (Ground), Spirit Vinegar, Salt)
- 75g baby plum tomatoes
- 200ml cashew cream (Nuts) (water, cashew (7%), sunflower oil, stabiliser (arabic gum, xanthan gum), sea salt)
- 180g sizzling sweet & smoky rashers (Soya) (Tempeh 80% (Soya beans, water, tempeh culture (rice flour, inoculum)), water, rapeseed oil, spice mix (onion powder, paprika, tomato powder, smoked paprika, smoked salt, bay), non refined rice syrup, natural flavours, salt, cider vinegar, colour: red beetroot)
- 120g chestnut mushrooms
- 120g brown rice penne (Eggs)
- 2 tbsp nutritional yeast (Dried Inactive Yeast, Niacin, Pantothenic Acid, Thiamine, Vitamin B6, Riboflavin, Folic Acid, Biotin, Vitamin B12.)
- 2 tbsp tamari (Soya) (Water, Soybeans, Salt, Spirit Vinegar)
- 40g rocket
- 40g sundried tomatoes (Sun dried tomatoes, Sunflower oil, Wine vinegar, Salt, Capers, Garlic, Oregano, Chilli pepper, Parsley, Antioxidant: Ascorbic acid, Acidity regulator: citric acid)
- 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar (Sulphites) (Wine Vinegar, Concentrated Grape Must)
- 3 garlic clove
- 1 tbsp dried Italian herbs (Oregano, Parsley, Thyme,Sage, Basil, Black Pepper)
Nutritional Information
Calories: 645
Protein: 27g
Carbs: 69g
Fat: 27g
Creamy Pasta Carbonara with Tempeh Bacon Pieces
Made from tempeh, sweet and smoky vegan ‘bacon’ gives depth of flavour to our creamy carbonara. We cut through the richness with a crisp side salad of peppery rocket, juicy tomatoes and sliced onion.
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Cooking Instructions
- Boil a kettle. Heat a medium saucepan filled with salted boiling water on a high heat. Add the penne and boil for 7-8 mins, until cooked, then drain.
- Meanwhile, finely slice the onion. Finely chop or crush the garlic. Thinly slice the mushrooms. Halve the fresh tomatoes. Roughly chop the sundried tomatoes.
- Heat a large frying pan with 1 tsp oil on a medium heat. Add the mushrooms and three-quarters of the onion. Cook for 5 mins, then add the garlic, sundried tomatoes and herbs. Cook for 1 min, then add the mustard, cream, half the fresh tomatoes and half the tamari. Simmer for 5 mins, until thickening. Season with sea salt and black pepper.
- Meanwhile, cut the rashers into small pieces. Heat a small frying pan with 1 tsp oil on a medium-high heat. Add the rashers and cook for 3-4 mins, until golden, then add the remaining tamari. Cook for a further 30 seconds, until the tamari has been soaked up, then remove from the heat.
- Make the salad; place the rocket in a bowl with the remaining fresh tomatoes and onion.
- Stir the penne and yeast through the carbonara sauce. Serve with the tempeh bacon on top and the salad on the side, drizzled with the balsamic.
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