Creamy Vegan Garlic Linguine with Crispy Vegan Bacon & Nooch Panko

This creamy vegan garlic linguine is pure comfort: a silky garlic cream sauce made from caramelized onions, lots of garlic, plant milk, and melty vegan cheese, tossed with linguine and topped with crispy, smoky vegan bacon and a golden nooch panko crunch. A shower of fresh dill and a squeeze of lemon keep it bright. It tastes like a cross between carbonara and garlic alfredo, but it's 100% plant-based, made without cream or cashews, nut-free if you choose nut-free milk and cheese, and ready in about 30 minutes.

The star topping is Thrilling Bakon from Thrilling Foods, a salt-cured, smoked plant-based bacon with real fat streaks. It fries up crispy and chewy just like the real thing, and every bite of linguine gets a little smoky crunch.

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What is creamy vegan garlic linguine?

Quick answer: Creamy vegan garlic linguine is a dairy-free pasta made by caramelizing onion and garlic, whisking in flour and plant milk to make a creamy roux-based sauce, and melting in vegan cheese. The linguine is tossed in the garlic cream sauce and topped with crispy vegan bacon, panko toasted with nutritional yeast, chopped dill, and fresh lemon. It takes about 30 minutes and serves 4.

At a glance

• Total time: about 30 minutes
• Serves: 4
• Flavor: garlicky, creamy, smoky, cheesy, and bright
• Texture: silky sauce, crispy bacon, crunchy panko
• Diet: vegan, dairy-free, egg-free, and nut-free if you use nut-free milk and cheese

Why you'll love this recipe

• No cashews, no blender. The creamy sauce is a simple stovetop roux with plant milk and vegan cheese.
• So much garlic. Caramelized onions and garlic give the sauce deep, sweet, savory flavor.
• Crunch on crunch. Crispy vegan bacon plus golden nooch panko make every forkful exciting.
• Bright finish. Fresh dill and lemon cut through the richness so it never feels heavy.
• Weeknight-friendly. Everything comes together while the pasta boils.

Key ingredients

Linguine

Long, flat linguine holds onto creamy sauces beautifully. Spaghetti, fettuccine, or bucatini work too. Most dried pasta is egg-free, but check the label.

Onion and garlic

Slowly caramelizing the onion and garlic is the secret to a sauce with real depth. Use at least 6 cloves. This is a garlic lover's pasta.

Flour and plant milk

A spoonful of flour cooked in olive oil or vegan butter thickens the plant milk into a velvety cream sauce. Unsweetened oat milk or soy milk give the creamiest results.

Vegan cheese

Shredded vegan mozzarella or a vegan parmesan melts into the sauce for a cheesy, alfredo-style finish.

Thrilling Bakon (vegan bacon)

Thrilling Bakon is a plant-based bacon made from non-GMO soy milk and palm oil, salt-cured and smoked like traditional bacon. It's gluten-free and fries in its own fat, so you don't need any oil. Any vegan bacon works here.

Nooch panko crunch

Panko breadcrumbs toasted in olive oil with nutritional yeast taste like crispy, cheesy parmesan breadcrumbs. Don't skip it.

Dill and lemon

Fresh dill adds a bright, herby lift and lemon juice balances the creamy sauce.

How to make creamy vegan garlic linguine

Boil the pasta. Cook the linguine in well-salted water until al dente. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water before draining.

1. Crisp the vegan bacon. In a separate nonstick skillet, cook the Thrilling Bakon over medium to medium-low heat for about 5 to 7 minutes per side, until crispy. No oil needed. Transfer to a paper towel and chop or crumble.
2. Make the nooch panko. Wipe out the skillet, add a little olive oil, and toast the panko with nutritional yeast and a pinch of salt over medium heat, stirring, for 2 to 3 minutes until golden. Set aside.
3. Caramelize the aromatics. In a large pan, heat olive oil or vegan butter over medium heat. Cook the onion with a pinch of salt for 8 to 10 minutes until soft and golden, then add the garlic and cook 1 to 2 minutes more.
4. Add the flour. Sprinkle in the flour and stir for about 1 minute to cook out the raw taste.
5. Whisk in the plant milk. Slowly pour in the plant milk, whisking constantly to prevent lumps. Simmer 2 to 3 minutes until thickened.
6. Melt in the cheese. Lower the heat and stir in the vegan cheese until smooth. Season with salt and pepper.
7. Assemble. Toss the linguine into the sauce with a splash of pasta water until glossy and creamy.
8. Top and serve. Plate the pasta and top with crispy vegan bacon, nooch panko, chopped dill, and a squeeze of lemon.

Tips for the creamiest garlic sauce

• Whisk the milk in slowly. Adding it gradually keeps the sauce smooth and lump-free.
• Use unsweetened milk. Sweetened or vanilla plant milk will make the sauce taste off.
• Keep the heat low for the cheese. Vegan cheese melts best gently and can turn stringy or oily over high heat.
• Save pasta water. The starch helps the sauce cling and lets you loosen it right before serving.
• Add the panko last. Sprinkle it on right before eating so it stays crunchy.

Variations

• Add greens: stir in spinach, kale, or peas at the end.
• Mushroom version: sauté sliced mushrooms with the onions for extra umami.
• Spicy: add red pepper flakes or a spoonful of chili crisp.
• Extra protein: toss in white beans or chickpeas.
• Lemony: add lemon zest to the sauce along with the juice.

Substitutions

• Linguine: spaghetti, fettuccine, or gluten-free pasta.
• Flour: cornstarch or a gluten-free flour blend for a gluten-free sauce.
• Plant milk: oat, soy, or unsweetened almond milk. Use oat or soy for nut-free. For a richer sauce, swap 1 cup of the plant milk for canned coconut milk.
• Vegan cheese: 3 to 4 tablespoons of nutritional yeast for a cheese-free version.
• Thrilling Bakon: any vegan bacon, smoky tempeh, shiitake bacon, or crispy smoked tofu.
• Panko: gluten-free panko or crushed crackers.
• Dill: parsley, chives, or basil.

Storage and reheating

Store leftover pasta in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Keep the bacon and panko separate so they stay crispy. Reheat the pasta in a skillet with a splash of plant milk or water, stirring until creamy again, then add the toppings.

Frequently asked questions

Is Thrilling Bakon vegan?

Yes. Thrilling Bakon is a plant-based bacon made from non-GMO soy milk, palm oil, natural flavor, maple syrup, sea salt, and black pepper. It's salt-cured and smoked like traditional bacon but contains no animal products.

How do you cook Thrilling vegan bacon?

Fry it in a nonstick skillet over medium to medium-low heat for about 5 to 7 minutes per side, with no oil needed, or bake it at 350 to 375°F for 15 to 20 minutes.

How do you make a creamy vegan garlic sauce without cashews?

Cook onion and garlic in olive oil or vegan butter, stir in a little flour, then slowly whisk in unsweetened plant milk until thick. Melt in vegan cheese and season with salt and pepper.

What is the best plant milk for a creamy pasta sauce?

Unsweetened oat milk and soy milk make the creamiest, most neutral-tasting sauces. Avoid sweetened or vanilla milks.

Why is my vegan cream sauce lumpy?

Lumps happen when milk is added too fast. Whisk it in gradually after cooking the flour for a minute. If lumps form, whisk vigorously or blend the sauce briefly.

Can I make this pasta gluten-free?

Yes. Use gluten-free linguine, thicken the sauce with cornstarch or a gluten-free flour blend, and use gluten-free panko. Thrilling Bakon is labeled gluten-free.

What can I use instead of vegan bacon?

Smoky tempeh, shiitake mushroom bacon, crispy smoked tofu, or coconut bacon all add a similar smoky crunch.

Is this the same as vegan carbonara?

Not quite. Classic carbonara is an egg-and-cheese sauce, and vegan versions usually use silken tofu or cashews. This recipe is a garlic cream sauce made with a simple roux, plant milk, and vegan cheese. It has the same creamy, smoky, bacon-studded comfort, with a garlicky twist.

Can I make creamy garlic pasta without vegan cheese?

Yes. Skip the vegan cheese and stir 3 to 4 tablespoons of nutritional yeast into the sauce instead. It stays creamy from the roux and plant milk and still tastes cheesy.

Is this creamy pasta nut-free?

It can be. The sauce uses no cashews. Use oat or soy milk and a nut-free vegan cheese, and check your labels.

Can I make it ahead?

The sauce and toppings are best fresh, but leftovers keep for up to 3 days in the fridge. Reheat with a splash of plant milk and add the bacon and panko just before serving.

More creamy vegan pasta recipes

• Vegan Carbonara with Lupini Beans
• Vegan Bacon & Mushroom Pasta (No Cream)
• Vegan Creamy Cheesy Mushroom Penne (No Cashews)
• Vegan Cashew Cream & Mushroom Spaghetti
• Creamy Miso Butter Angel Hair with Caramelized Cabbage
• Caramelized Cabbage Spaghetti with Crispy Panko
• Spicy Beyond Sausage Pasta with Sriracha Mayo

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