This Miso Pasta is an absolute flavor bomb and makes you want more with every bite! It's creamy and delicious, filled with umami flavors, and super easy to make with only 5 ingredients in 20 minutes!
Now I know you might be thinking, miso pasta? But yes you read right! This miso pasta is a fusion dish with a cross over between Italian and Asian cuisine. Two of my personal favorites! The miso paste itself is so full of flavor and umami goodness that pairs so well with the mushrooms and parmesan cheese….YUM! I'm not kidding when I say, it has quickly become one of our new favorite pastas at home.
The great part is, that it's so easy to make in 20 minutes with only 5 ingredients! The simple sauce is creamy and delicious, without heavy cream. You can easily make it vegan too, by substituting with a plant based cheese. If you love the flavors of miso, make sure to try my miso noodle soup and miso eggplant which has a tasty miso dressing.
This creamy miso pasta recipe is perfect for weeknight dinners or when you need a quick delicious meal that doesn't compromise on flavor. It also works great for a last minute catch up with family or friends. They’ll be so impressed and think you've been slaving in the kitchen for hours...hehe!
Some other quick pasta dishes to try are my spicy vodka pasta and pasta with peas.
Table of Contents
Why you'll love this recipe
- Quick & Easy: Made in 20 minutes with only 5 ingredients, anyone can make it!
- Flavor Bomb! It’s so delicious with a creamy sauce full of umami flavors
- Versatile: Perfect for busy weeknights or to impress friends and family, they'll all want the recipe!
- Customizable: You can add your favorite veggies, protein or also use a vegan cheese to make it a plant based meal
What is Miso Paste?
Miso paste is a traditional Japanese paste made from fermented soybeans, salt, and koji (a type of fungus/mold) with optional grains. The fermentation process creates a complex flavor profile that's both salty and savory, with a hint of sweetness. It brings a lovely depth and umami flavor to sauces, marinades, salad dressings and soups. I can never visit a Japanese restaurant without ordering a warm bowl of miso soup!
Not only does miso paste taste amazing, but it's so good for you too! It’s full of nutrients, vitamins and it contains probiotics which are great for digestion and gut health.
There are 3 different types of miso, from white miso, yellow miso and red miso. I usually prefer white miso paste which has a milder taste. Yellow and red miso have been fermented longer so the tastes are much stronger.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Miso paste is of course the heart of the dish. It’s a fermented soybean paste adding a complex umami flavor which is so delicious. There are different varieties, I prefer to use white miso paste which is milder, while yellow or red miso are slightly stronger
- Mushrooms add to the lovely earthy flavors and deliciousness. I’ve added cremini mushrooms which are full of flavor. They can be swapped for shiitake or portobello mushrooms
- Long pasta is my personal preference for this miso pasta to capture the creamy sauce. Spaghetti or linguine are two of my favorites, but any shape will be great. Feel free to use a gluten-free pasta as needed
- Parmesan cheese aka Parmigiano Reggiano, adds salty nutty depth whilst also adding to the umami flavors. You can substitute with pecorino romano, grana padano or a vegan cheese as required
- Garlic of course, but not too much as you don't want it to overpower the other flavors
- Extra virgin olive oil is always my preferred oil. Personally I'm not a fan of butter, however feel free to use it as a substitute
How to make Miso Pasta
This delicious Miso Pasta comes together with 5 ingredients and ready in less than 20 minutes. It will have everyone asking for the recipe! Follow my simple steps below.
In a large skillet or pan, saute garlic in 1 tablespoon of olive oil over a low heat
Add the mushrooms when garlic is lightly golden with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Increase to medium heat then season with S&P when mushrooms have browned
Cook pasta in a pot of salted water for about 2 minutes under the cooking package instructions. Reserve some of the cooking water
Add miso paste and a ladle of the pasta cooking water. Whisk to combine
Add al dente pasta, parmesan and miso sauce. Keep stirring for a couple of minutes and add more pasta water as needed to create a creamy sauce
Serve up with some freshly cracked black pepper and enjoy!
Tips and Tricks
- Dont add salt, only a small pinch to the mushrooms. The miso paste and parmesan are both salty. You can always add more, but you can't remove it
- Under cook the pasta when boiling it, then allow it to finish cooking with the sauce for the best flavor
- Always reserve pasta water! The starchy pasta water helps create a silky smooth sauce
- Don't overcook the miso. Once you add the miso sauce to the pan, it will only need to be cooked for a couple of minutes to avoid burning its unique flavor
- Fresh block of parmesan cheese is always best. Then finely grate it yourself rather than using pre-shredded cheese which often contains additives and lacks flavor
Storage Instructions
- Store any leftovers (which I highly doubt as its so good!) in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days
- To reheat, gently warm it up in a pan over medium heat with a splash of water to loosen the sauce and make it creamy again. You can microwave it, but it would dry it out
- I don't recommend freezing this dish
FAQs
Miso is a Japanese condiment made by fermenting soybeans, salt, and koji (a type of fungus/mold) with optional grains
This miso pasta is salty and creamy, full of umami flavors from both the miso paste and parmesan cheese, along with earthiness from the mushrooms
White miso is my preference which has a milder flavor. If you prefer a stronger flavor, try yellow or red miso
There isn't an exact substitution for the miso paste as it has a unique flavor. Soy sauce is the closest for the savoury, salty umami flavor, however it's not creamy. You can try and combine soy sauce with tahini which will give you a nutty creaminess, but it won't taste exactly the same as miso paste
More Easy Pastas
More Asian Recipes
I love seeing your creations and remakes, so be sure to rate the recipe, comment and share your Miso Pasta photo on Instagram so I can share the love!
Recipe
Miso Pasta - Creamy Delicious (Ready in 20 minutes)
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons Miso paste - I’ve used white miso paste
- 2 garlic cloves diced
- 7oz / 200g cremini mushrooms / swiss brown mushrooms sliced
- 6oz / 170g long pasta - I’ve used linguine
- 1oz / 30g finely grated parmesan cheese - Parmigiano Reggiano
- 2 tablspoons extra virgin olive oil
- Salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a large saucepan, saute the garlic in one tablespoon of olive oil over a low heat
- Once the garlic is lightly golden, add the sliced mushrooms and the second spoon of olive oil. Increase to medium heat and stir together to saute.*Only when the mushrooms have browned, add a small pinch of salt and black pepper
- At the same time, boil pasta in a large pot of salted water for about 2 minutes under the cooking package instructions. *Make sure to reserve some of the pasta cooking water
- In a small bowl, add the miso paste and a ladle of the pasta cooking water. Whisk to combine until there are no clumps
- When pasta is al dente, drain and add it straight to the pan with the mushrooms, along with grated parmesan and the miso sauce. Keep stirring the pasta for a couple of minutes allowing the parmesan to meltAdd more pasta water as needed to create a luscious creamy sauce and it's ready to serve! Serve up your delicious Miso Pasta with some freshly cracked black pepper and enjoy!
Cherylynn says
You said you prefer white miso. Is that what you used in this recipe? The reason I ask is I'm not familar with or have ever used miso and in the photos it looks dark. Thank you for the recipe and the information.
Ayeh Manfre says
Hi Cherylynn, yes I have used white miso paste 🙂 It has a milder taste