Creamy Miso Pasta

A plate of miso pasta on the white background with a fork in it.

5 from 1 vote

Whip up creamy, dreamy miso pasta in just 15 minutes with a juicy flavour-packed sauce and optional mushrooms for extra umami goodness.

Prep Time5

Cook Time10

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American, Italian, Japanese

Diet: Vegetarian

Servings:

Calories: 680kcal

Author: Helen

Ingredients

20 mushrooms (optional) sliced (Note 1)
2 tbsp butter
4 cloves garlic minced
½ cup white wine (Note 2)
¾ cup pouring cream (Note 3)
¾ cup finely grated Parmesan
3 tbsp white miso paste (Note 4)
salt & black pepper to taste
14 oz spaghetti or linguine (Note 5)
reserved pasta water

To finish (optioanl)

Furikake/Sesame seeds

Instructions

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the spaghetti or linguine and cook according to the package instructions until al dente. Before draining, reserve about ½ cup of the pasta cooking water.
Optional: In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the sliced mushrooms and cook until they are tender and browned, about 5-7 minutes.
Add the minced garlic and sauté for about 1 minute until fragrant.
Pouring in the white wine. Let it simmer for a minute until reduced by half.
Combine the miso paste with a couple of tablespoons of pasta water to form a smooth paste and add to the skillet.
Add the pouring cream and stir to combine. Simmer the sauce for 2-3 minutes, allowing it to thicken slightly.
Add the Parmesan and stir in salt and pepper to taste.
Remove the skillet from the heat. Add the cooked and drained spaghetti or linguine and toss to coat evenly, adding a little pasta water a tablespoon at a time until the pasta is moist and juicy.
Serve immediately, topped with optional furikake/sesame seeds.

Notes

Mushrooms: I usually opt for common button mushrooms. Their mild flavour complements the delicate taste of the sauce rather than overpowering it, but you can choose other varieties if you prefer the mushrooms to be the more dominant flavour in the dish.
White wine: Choose a dry white wine with good acidity, such as Sauvignon Blanc or Chardonnay. Avoid sweet wines that will make the flavours in the dish unbalanced. Vermouth also has high acidity and a complex flavour profile that can add depth and flavour to the dish. For a non-alcoholic option, you can switch the white wine for the same volume of chicken stock. But note that it won't add the same acidity and depth of flavour to the dish.
Pouring cream/single cream. You can swap this for crème fraîche. Heavy cream is also an option, although you'll probably want to add a little more pasta water to bring the sauce to the right consistency.
Miso paste: While the recipe was initially tested with white miso paste, feel free to use yellow miso. It's recommended to steer clear of red miso, as it can overpower the sauce's flavour.
Pasta: I find long pasta works best with the creamy miso sauce, but feel free to use another type if you prefer.

Storage:

Serve straight away for the best taste and texture. But leftovers will stay good in the fridge for up to three days. Simply reheat the pasta on the stove or in the microwave. And it's good to store some starchy pasta water too in case the sauce needs extra moisture.

Nutrition