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With just 5 ingredients, this miso butter pasta is a simple and delicious dish that comes together in just a few minutes. It is salty, rich, and ooh so creamy! Plus, you can add your favorite protein source to make it a heartier meal.

Bowl of miso pasta next to glasses and a bowl of miso paste.
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Step aside butter pasta; it’s time for miso butter pasta to enter the room. Miso adds tons of dimension to plain pasta with no extra effort.

The flavor is just so unique yet so versatile (which means it’s destined for more than just miso soup!). So, when I tried miso pasta in a favorite restaurant, I obviously was going to recreate it at home.

So, let’s get that water boiling so we can start eating this creamy miso pasta!

Reader rating

★★★★★

“My biggest complaint about this recipe is that I’ve now eaten 2 pounds of pasta over the past 2 weeks, ha! It’s so addicting! I make it on Sunday and then pack it for lunch for the rest of the week. I add fresh garlic into the saute and it’s so delicious!” —Kellie

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Bowl of miso pasta next to glasses.

you don’t need much

Besides the miso, I bet you already have everything on this list already in the pantry!

  • Bucatini Pasta: This type of pasta is very similar to spaghetti pasta. Feel free to use any type of pasta you like or have on hand.
  • Butter and Miso Paste: Unsalted butter is a must for this miso butter sauce since miso is already quite salty. For this recipe, I recommend using white miso paste because it is slightly sweeter and much milder.
  • Black Pepper and Parmesan: Black pepper is a must for creamy pasta to contrast with its richness. I prefer to use freshly grated parmesan, but pre-grated will work too!

What is bucatini?

Bucatini pasta may look like spaghetti, but it’s not! Bucatini is thicker than spaghetti because it is hollow inside. That hollow inside means lots of sauce can be soaked up with every bite!

Bowl of miso pasta next to glasses and a bowl of miso paste.
Miso paste comes in three main categories based on how long it has been fermenting.

How to make Miso Pasta

Making this miso pasta is stupidly easy. Just mix, mix, and mix!

Step 1: Cook The Pasta
Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil. Cook bucatini according to instructions on the package until al dente. When finished, reserve 1 cup of the pasta water, and drain the rest.

what is al dente?

Al dente defines how soft pasta is cooked. Al dente refers to pasta that is almost done but could still be cooked a minute or two longer. The pasta will be soft but still firm when bitten into.

Step 2: Make The Sauce
Combine butter, miso, and pepper in a large saute pan over medium heat. Cook until butter is melted and pepper is fragrant, about 2 minutes.

Ingredients for sauce including miso paste, butter, and pepper in a sauce pan.
Sauce ingredients melted down and combined in a sauce pan.
Stir vigorously for 2 minutes until the cheese is melted and the noodles are coated with sauce. Serve hot!

Step 3: Assemble The Pasta
After draining the pasta and dumping it back into the large pot, add 1 cup of reserved pasta water, sauce, and parmesan.

Pan of pasta with miso sauce and parmesan.
Miso pasta being tossed together in a sauce pan.

Pasta Additions

While this recipe has limited ingredients, the sky’s the limit when it comes to what you can add! Try adding roasted garlic, red chili flakes, or veggies like mushrooms, zucchini, or eggplant!

You can also add a protein like crispy chickpeas or lemon pepper tofu.

Bowl of miso pasta next to glasses and a bowl of miso paste.

Why this Recipe Works

This recipe may seem like an impossible feat, but here is exactly why it is just perfect!

  • Miso is packed with umami, meaning you need fewer ingredients to make a killer sauce.
  • Bucatini is a fun noodle that’s like spaghetti (but thicker), making for a slight twist on a classic pasta dish.
  • Pasta water is gold and allows you to make this super creamy sauce without adding cream. It emulsifies into a luscious sauce when mixed with miso and parmesan.
PLate of miso butter pasta with a fork.

Creamy Miso Pasta (5 Ingredients)

4.92 from 12 ratings
Prep: 5 minutes
Cook: 15 minutes
Total: 20 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
With just 5 ingredients, this miso butter pasta is a simple and delicious dish that comes together in just a few minutes. It is salty, rich, and ooh so creamy! Plus, you can add your favorite protein source to make it a heartier meal.

Ingredients 

  • 1 lb bucatini pasta, 453 g
  • ¼ cup unsalted butter, 56 g
  • ¼ cup white miso paste, 56 g
  • 1 tsp coarsely ground black pepper
  • 1 cup finely grated parmesan, 4 oz, 113 g
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Instructions 

  • Cook Pasta: Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil. Cook bucatini according to the package instructions until al dente. When finished, reserve 1 cup of the pasta water and drain the rest.
  • Make Sauce: In a large saute pan over medium heat, combine butter, miso, and pepper. Cook until butter is melted and pepper is fragrant, about 2 minutes.
    Miso and butter sautéd in a pan.
  • Assemble: After draining pasta and dumping it back into the large pot, add 1 cup of reserved pasta water, sauce, and parmesan. Stir vigorously for 2 minutes until cheese is melted and noodles are coated with sauce. Serve hot!
    Miso pasta in a stock pot.

Notes

Storage: Unfortunately, this pasta does not keep well in the fridge because the sauce becomes gluey. If you do have leftovers and store them in the fridge, reheat them in a pan with a little cream or water to smooth out the sauce again.
Can I use other kinds of pasta? Yes, of course! If you cannot find bucatini pasta, I recommend using a similarly shaped pasta or another one that can hold a lot of sauce. This could be miso spaghetti or miso rigatoni. Gluten-free or vegan pasta could also be used. Feeling adventurous? You could even try using cooked spaghetti squash!
Can this recipe be made vegan? Maybe – this recipe uses parmesan and butter and while there is some great vegan parmesan out there now, I have not tried them in this recipe. If you do try it, please let us know how it works! Just make sure your pasta is vegan. Vegan butter would be an easy swap to make.
You could also substitute the parmesan with Silk vegan heavy whipping cream, which mixes wonderfully in pasta sauce. This will result in a similar texture but will not have as much flavor, so adding some garlic could help add flavor.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 426kcal | Carbohydrates: 60.8g | Protein: 17.7g | Fat: 13.5g | Saturated Fat: 7.7g | Cholesterol: 34mg | Sodium: 516mg | Potassium: 172mg | Fiber: 2.4g | Sugar: 3.7g | Calcium: 185mg | Iron: 3mg

Nutrition information calculated by Sarah Bond, degreed nutritionist.

did you make this?Leave a comment below and tag @liveeatlearn on social media! I love seeing what you’ve made!
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4.92 from 12 votes (2 ratings without comment)

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22 Comments

  1. Laurel Spinner says:

    5 stars
    Easy, quick and delicious! Also simple to scale down for a single serving. Can’t wait to make it again and add a protein and some veg + garlic as mentioned in the notes. Another fantastic recipe, thank you Sarah!

    1. The Live Eat Learn Team says:

      Love hearing this, thanks for being here Laurel!