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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.
save this recipe!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
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!
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.
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.
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.
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.
Creamy Miso Pasta (5 Ingredients)
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
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.
- 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!
Notes
Nutrition
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!
Omigosh! I am so excited to try this recipe! I always have miso on hand, as I use it in my veggie broth. But I rarely use it for anything else, and this looks like a fun way to get more miso in our lives.
And yes, I always have all the other ingredients used here (except unsalted butter. I’ll just have to use less salt in the pasta water.)
I already know it’s gonna be great, because your recipes never disappoint!
Hmmmm…I already left a comment that I was excited to try this recipe. I don’t see my comment now. But I did try the recipe, as I had all the ingredients needed and it looked so good!
And it WAS so good! I did not tell my husband what the secret ingredient was. He could not figure it out, but we both loved it, and this will be on our list of yummy and easy pasta dinners! I only made two servings, just in case we didn’t like it that much – and since you said it doesn’t keep that well in the fridge. But we both wish there was a little more in the pan.
Another great hit! Our oldest (home on Christmas break) has been loving this challenge because she has been trying to be more vegetarian the last 2 years. She LOVES carbonara and said this was very authentic and tasty. The other kids loved it as well. (Hubbie is out of town). I made this and the Spaghetti Pizza for tomorrow night so I’ll let you know how that is tomorrow.
Thank you Sarah! Another great batch of kombucha burped today. I’m so glad I goggled brewing kombucha- that is how we found you and all your great recipes!
That was an easy, yummy pasta.
Parmesan is not vegetarian. It is an EU Protected Designation of Origin product and to be called Parmesan it has to be made using animal rennet. There are many vegetarian and vegan versions.
I wonder if substituting nutritional yeast for the Parmesan would work.
I think it would!
My point really was not about a substitute, of which there are many, but listing Parmesan on a vegetarian recipe site.
Who cares? it’s still good! Isn’t it?!
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!
Hahaha, YAY! So happy to hear it Kellie – enjoy!!
It’s cool.. I mean.. IT’S FANTASTIC!!!! I’M USING THIS FOR LITERALLY EVERY MEAL.. EVEN BREAKFAST!!!
Yay!! Happy cooking!
Delicious! Amazing flavor and a perfectly creamy sauce
I’m so happy to hear it, Mona! Enjoy!!
Your miso-pasta was delicious. One or two cloves of garlic wouldn’t hurt!
That’s a great idea!
Could you sub rice noodles? I wonder if they would absorb the sauce as well. Thank you
I haven’t tested them so I can’t say for sure, but I think they’d work! 😀
I used rice noodles and it was great! I needed to add a little more liquid 😊