Miso Butter Pasta Dish (Printable Version)

Silky noodles coated in a savory miso butter sauce with garlic and Parmesan, perfect for a quick meal.

# Ingredient List:

→ 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 spaghetti or linguine until al dente according to package directions. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water and drain the pasta.
02 - In a small bowl, combine softened unsalted butter and white miso paste, stirring until smooth and homogeneous.
03 - Heat extra-virgin olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add finely minced garlic and cook 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 gently until fully melted and blended with olive oil and garlic.
05 - Add the drained pasta to the skillet. Toss to coat evenly, gradually adding reserved pasta water until the sauce becomes silky and adheres to the noodles.
06 - Stir in freshly ground black pepper and optional red pepper flakes. Remove from heat, sprinkle grated Parmesan cheese over the pasta, and toss to incorporate.
07 - Plate immediately, garnishing with chopped fresh chives or scallions and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It tastes like you spent hours in the kitchen when you actually spent fifteen minutes.
  • The miso butter coats every strand of pasta with a savory, almost buttery richness that makes plain pasta feel like a distant memory.
  • It's flexible enough to throw together on a weeknight but impressive enough to serve when people are coming over.
02 -
  • The pasta water is not optional—its starch is what transforms a simple butter sauce into something silky and luxurious that actually sticks to the noodles.
  • Adding the Parmesan off heat prevents it from clumping or becoming grainy, keeping your sauce smooth and creamy instead of chalky.
03 -
  • Room temperature butter mixes with miso much more smoothly than cold butter, so take yours out of the fridge while your pasta water comes to a boil.
  • If your sauce breaks or becomes too thick, a tablespoon or two of reserved pasta water will fix it instantly, so don't discard it until you've plated.
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