Miso Mushroom Pasta
This pasta is all about umami, that savory, almost indescribable fifth flavor. Mushrooms sautéed in oil meet a rich miso-butter sauce, and the whole thing comes together into a pasta dish you genuinely can’t stop eating.
I used dark (red) miso here, which has a deeper, saltier flavor than the lighter varieties. It’s simple to make, and ready in about 20 minutes.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe:
- Deep, umami-packed flavor from miso and butter
- Ready in about 20 minutes
- Simple ingredients, restaurant-quality result
- Easy to make vegan with plant-based butter
Key Ingredients & Substitutions:
- Miso paste – a fermented soybean paste from Japanese cuisine. It comes in light (white/yellow) and dark (red) varieties, light miso ferments for less time and is milder, dark miso is saltier and more intense. This recipe uses dark miso, but any type works, just keep in mind the flavor will be milder with a lighter miso.
- Butter – regular or vegan both work, mixed with the miso to mellow its intensity.
- Mushrooms – portobello and shimeji are used here, but any mushroom suitable for sautéing works, including button or cremini.
- Pasta – any shape works, just watch the cooking time since it varies by type.
Pro Tips for Success:
- Take the butter out of the fridge ahead of time so it’s soft, not melted, before mixing with the miso, a few minutes in warm weather, about 30 minutes in cooler weather.
- Cook the pasta 1 minute less than the package instructions, it finishes cooking in the sauce.
- Time it so the sauce and pasta finish together, start the sauce about 5 minutes before the pasta’s done. If the pasta finishes first, keep the sauce on the lowest heat while you wait.
- Transfer the pasta to the sauce right away once drained, letting it sit without sauce leads to overcooking and clumping.
Serving Suggestions
- Top with extra chopped scallions
- Finish with a crack of black pepper or chili flakes for heat
- Best served immediately, while hot
FAQ
- What’s the difference between light and dark miso? Light miso (white/yellow) ferments for less time and has a milder flavor. Dark miso (red) ferments longer and is saltier and more intense. This recipe uses dark miso, but any type works.
- Can I use a different type of mushroom? Yes, any mushroom suitable for sautéing works, including button mushrooms.
- Can I make this vegan? Yes, just use vegan butter instead of regular.
Looking for more great recipes?
- Wild Rice with Red Cabbage
- Lentils and Roasted Beets Salad
- Sautéed Green Beans with Mushrooms
- Vegan Cherry Crumb Bars
Miso Mushroom Pasta
Ingredients:
- 9 oz (250g) dry pasta
- 2 tbsp red miso paste
- 3 tbsp (1.5 oz/40g) soft butter regular or vegan
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil (such as canola or grapeseed)
- 14 oz (400g) mushrooms cleaned and coarsely chopped (see Key Ingredients)
- 3 garlic cloves chopped
- ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
- Pinch of salt
- 2-3 scallions chopped
- For cooking the pasta: a pot with plenty of boiling, well-salted water
Instructions:
- Make the miso butter: Place the miso paste and soft butter in a small bowl. Whisk together until smooth and uniform. Set aside.
- Sauté the mushrooms: Heat the vegetable oil in a wide skillet. Add the chopped mushrooms, a pinch of salt, and the black pepper, and sauté, stirring, for 2-3 minutes. Add the garlic and continue sautéing for another minute, no more. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
- Cook the pasta: Cook in a pot of plenty of boiling, well-salted water (at least 1 tsp salt), 1 minute less than the package instructions. Start the next step about 5 minutes before the pasta is done.
- Make the sauce: In the same pan used for the mushrooms, add the miso-butter mixture and 1 cup of the pasta's cooking water. Mix well until smooth and bring to a boil. Add the sautéed mushrooms and mix. If the pasta isn't ready yet, lower the heat to the minimum and wait.
- Combine: Drain the pasta and transfer it straight to the sauce. Mix well until fully coated, and cook for 1 more minute. Turn off the heat, stir in the chopped scallions, and serve immediately.
Notes:
- Any mushroom suitable for sautéing works here, including button or cremini.
- Any type of miso works, though the flavor will be milder with a lighter variety than the dark miso used here.
- Transfer the pasta to the sauce as soon as it’s drained, letting it sit without sauce can lead to overcooking and clumping.
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