Description
Miso Mushroom Pasta is one of those effortlessly satisfying meals that only takes 25 minutes to make. Earthy mushrooms are gently caramelized, releasing a warm, savory aroma, while miso weaves everything together with its deep, unapologetically umami flavor.
Ingredients
- 200-240 g pasta (spaghetti, fettuccine, or linguine)
- 400 g mushrooms (I used a mix of shiitake and Shimeji mushrooms — or whatever you have)
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- 1 small shallot, finely diced (or 1/2 small onion)
- 150 ml unsweetened soy milk
- 1 tsp cornstarch (optional)
- 1 tbsp white miso paste
- 1 1/2 tbsp nutritional yeast (optional)
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- Salt & freshly cracked black pepper
- 1 tsp chili flakes (optional)
- ~120 ml pasta cooking water (reserve before draining)
For garnish:
- Chopped parsley or cilantro
- Extra chili flakes
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta until just al dente (1–2 minutes less than package instructions). 👉 Reserve about 120 ml pasta water before draining.
- Heat olive oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Then add mushrooms in a single layer and cook without stirring for 3–4 minutes until golden. Flip and cook for another 2–3 minutes. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Remove the mushrooms from the pan.
- Lower heat to medium and add a little more oil. Add garlic and shallot. Sauté for 30–45 seconds until fragrant.
- Add miso paste, salt, chili flakes and nutritional yeast. Add some pasta water to thin out.
- In a small bowl, whisk soy milk with cornstarch (if using). Add to the pan, stir well and simmer gently for 1–2 minutes until slightly thickened.
- Add cooked pasta directly to the sauce. Pour in a splash of pasta water and toss until glossy and coated. Add more pasta water as needed for a silky sauce.
- Turn off heat. Add lemon juice, and adjust seasoning with salt, pepper, and chili flakes.
- Plate immediately. Finish with herbs and extra chili flakes!
Notes
Don’t rush the mushrooms: Properly browned mushrooms are the backbone of this dish. Cook them in a hot pan and let them sit undisturbed for a minute or two before stirring. This allows them to caramelize and develop that deep, savoury flavor.
Cook pasta until just al dente: since you’ll add them in the watery sauce for another 1-2 min, slightly undercooked will then make it just right and prevent overcooking in the final result.
Season at the end: Miso is already salty, so wait until everything is combined before adding extra salt. A good grind of black pepper or a pinch of chilli flakes often does more than more salt.
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Boiling, Saute
- Cuisine: Western, Japanese