Miso Butter Pasta Dish (Print Version)

Silky noodles coated with miso butter, garlic, and Parmesan for a rich umami flavor.

# What You'll Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 12 oz spaghetti or linguine
02 - Salt, for pasta water

→ Miso Butter Sauce

03 - 4 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
04 - 2 tbsp white miso paste
05 - 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
06 - 4 garlic cloves, finely minced
07 - 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
08 - 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)

→ Finishing Touches

09 - 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
10 - 2 tbsp chopped fresh chives or scallions
11 - Lemon wedges, to serve

# How To:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook until al dente according to package instructions. Reserve 1 cup of pasta cooking water, then drain pasta.
02 - In a small bowl, combine softened butter and white miso paste until smooth.
03 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add minced garlic and sauté for 1 to 2 minutes until fragrant but not browned.
04 - Reduce heat to low and add the miso butter mixture to the skillet. Stir until fully melted and incorporated.
05 - Add drained pasta to the skillet and toss to coat evenly. Gradually add reserved pasta water to achieve a silky sauce that clings to noodles.
06 - Stir in freshly ground black pepper and red pepper flakes, if using. Remove from heat and sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese, tossing again to combine.
07 - Plate the pasta and garnish with chopped chives or scallions and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice. Serve immediately.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It comes together in 25 minutes, which means you can have dinner on the table before you've finished scrolling through your phone.
  • The miso brings this deep, salty umami that makes you feel like you're eating something far more complicated than it actually is.
  • One bowl somehow feels both indulgent and light, thanks to the balance of butter and acid from the lemon.
02 -
  • Pasta water is not a nice-to-have; it's what makes this work, so don't drain it all away or get tempted to skip this step because you think you already have enough sauce.
  • The miso butter needs to be at room temperature before you add it to the warm oil, otherwise it'll seize up and become grainy instead of silky.
03 -
  • The moment you see the first strand of pasta floating on the surface of the boiling water is when you should fish out your pasta water—that starch is what creates the silky sauce.
  • Keep the heat low when combining everything together; rushing this with high heat will break the emulsion and leave you with separated, greasy noodles instead of that creamy coating.
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