Miso Butter Pasta Dish (Printer View)

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

# What you'll need:

→ 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

# Method:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta until al dente following package directions. Reserve 1 cup of pasta cooking water then drain.
02 - Combine softened butter and white miso paste in a small bowl, mixing until smooth.
03 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Sauté minced garlic for 1 to 2 minutes until fragrant without browning.
04 - Lower heat to low and add miso butter mixture to the skillet. Stir until fully melted and combined.
05 - Add drained pasta to the skillet and toss to coat evenly, adding reserved pasta water incrementally until the sauce is smooth and clings to the noodles.
06 - Stir in black pepper and red pepper flakes if using. Remove from heat, sprinkle grated Parmesan, and toss again to incorporate.
07 - Plate immediately, garnishing with chopped chives or scallions and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It tastes like a restaurant dish but comes together in under 30 minutes, which means you can make it on a weeknight without stress.
  • The miso butter creates this glossy, clinging sauce that makes even simple pasta feel indulgent and intentional.
  • It's incredibly forgiving—you can add pasta water until it feels just right, and there's almost no way to mess it up.
02 -
  • Pasta water is not an accident—it's the binder that holds everything together, so always reserve it before draining.
  • Temperature matters: keeping the heat low when you add the miso butter prevents the butter from breaking and the sauce from becoming grainy.
  • The sauce should feel thin when you first combine pasta and butter, but it will tighten as you toss; add water gradually so you don't overshoot.
03 -
  • Keep the skillet moving—constant tossing ensures the sauce coats evenly and prevents any pasta from sticking to the bottom.
  • Taste the pasta water before adding it; if it's bland or under-salted, the sauce won't have that essential backbone of salt that makes everything sing.
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