Miso Butter Pasta Delight (Printable)

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

# Components:

→ 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

# Directions:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve 1 cup of pasta cooking water, then drain pasta.
02 - Combine softened butter and white miso paste in a small bowl; mix until smooth.
03 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Sauté minced garlic for 1 to 2 minutes until fragrant, avoiding browning.
04 - Reduce heat to low and add miso butter mixture to skillet. Stir until melted and fully combined.
05 - Add drained pasta to skillet. Toss to coat, gradually adding reserved pasta water until sauce reaches a silky consistency that clings to noodles.
06 - Stir in black pepper and red pepper flakes if using. Remove from heat, sprinkle with Parmesan cheese, and toss again to combine evenly.
07 - Plate immediately. Garnish with chopped chives or scallions and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It tastes like you spent hours on it but comes together faster than ordering takeout.
  • The miso transforms humble butter into something sophisticated and umami-rich that coats every strand.
  • Four ingredients for the sauce and you've got a restaurant-quality dish that feels like a secret.
02 -
  • Don't skip saving the pasta water; that starch is what transforms a pool of butter into a proper sauce that clings instead of sliding off.
  • White miso is milder and sweeter than red, which is why it works here; red miso would overpower the delicate noodles with too much fermented funk.
  • Heat matters more than you think, so once you add the miso butter, keep it low and gentle or you'll end up with separated, greasy sauce instead of creamy.
03 -
  • Bring your butter to room temperature before mixing with miso; cold butter won't combine smoothly and you'll end up with a lumpy sauce.
  • The residual heat of the drained pasta and skillet does most of the heavy lifting, so add your pasta to a skillet that's already at low heat, not a hot one.
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