Miso Butter Pasta (Printable)

Silky noodles tossed in umami-rich miso butter, garlic, and Parmesan for a flavorful meal.

# What Goes In:

→ 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 Make It:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook according to package directions until al dente. Reserve 1 cup of pasta cooking water, then drain.
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 without browning.
04 - Reduce heat to low. Add the miso butter mixture to the skillet and stir until melted and fully combined with the garlic and oil.
05 - Add drained pasta to the skillet. Toss to coat noodles evenly, gradually incorporating reserved pasta water to achieve a silky sauce that clings to the pasta.
06 - Stir in freshly ground black pepper and optional red pepper flakes. Remove from heat and sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese, tossing to blend completely.
07 - Plate the pasta immediately. Garnish with chopped chives or scallions and serve with fresh lemon wedges for squeezing.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together in under twenty-five minutes but tastes like you've been simmering something all afternoon.
  • The miso butter creates a sauce so glossy and clinging that every strand of pasta feels intentional, not accidental.
  • You probably have most of these ingredients already, or can grab them on your way home without overthinking it.
02 -
  • Do not let the miso cook on high heat or it becomes acrid and loses its complexity, turning sharp and one-dimensional instead of that umami depth you're after.
  • Reserve your pasta water before draining; that starch is what transforms a clumpy sauce into something silky and professional-looking.
03 -
  • Grate your Parmesan fresh and add most of it while the pasta is still in the pan so the residual heat helps it melt and distribute evenly instead of clumping.
  • If your sauce breaks or looks separated, lower the heat even further, stop stirring for thirty seconds, and then slowly add a splash more pasta water while whisking gently, which usually brings it back to silkiness.
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