Recipe image
Recipe Finder blog

Comfort Pasta with Miso-Butter and Shiitake

Prep 10 min Cook 15 min Difficulty 2/5

Cozy miso-butter pasta with shiitake mushrooms in under 30 minutes. Quick, flavorful, and adaptable.

Why this recipe works

This Comfort Pasta with Miso-Butter and Shiitake is a cozy, weeknight-friendly dish that blends umami-rich miso, butter, and sautéed mushrooms. It suits fans of quick pasta dinners and anyone seeking a rich, comforting sauce without heavy cream.

Search intent: recipe for comfort pasta with miso and mushrooms
  • comfort pasta recipe
  • miso butter pasta
  • shiitake mushroom pasta
  • quick weeknight pasta
  • umami pasta sauce
  • one-pan pasta
  • pasta with miso sauce
  • garlic green onion pasta

Key takeaways

3 quick steps to a cozy, savory pasta
miso-butter sauce mirrors shiitake flavor
adjust salt and pepper to taste for balanced finish

Recipe guide

This Comfort Pasta with Miso-Butter and Shiitake is a cozy, weeknight-friendly dish that blends umami-rich miso, butter, and sautéed mushrooms. It suits fans of quick pasta dinners and anyone seeking a rich, comforting sauce without heavy cream.

A quick, umami-packed pasta you can make tonight.

  • 3 quick steps to a cozy, savory pasta
  • miso-butter sauce mirrors shiitake flavor
  • adjust salt and pepper to taste for balanced finish

1) Cook pasta and prep sauce

Cook the spaghetti in salted water until al dente and reserve 60 ml of pasta water before draining.

2) Make the miso mixture

Whisk miso, mirin, soy, sesame oil, and reserved water until smooth.

3) Sauté, blend, and finish

Sauté shiitake in butter, add garlic, pour in miso sauce, then toss with pasta and green onion. Finish with sesame oil.

Ingredients

  • 200 g spaghetti
  • 2 tbsp white miso
  • 2 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 150 g shiitake mushrooms, sliced
  • 1 tbsp soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp mirin
  • 1 clove garlic
  • 2 stalks green onion, sliced
  • 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
  • 60 ml reserved pasta cooking water
  • salt to taste
  • black pepper to taste

Instructions

  1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil and cook spaghetti until al dente, saving 60 ml of pasta water before draining.
  2. While pasta cooks, whisk together white miso, mirin, soy sauce, toasted sesame oil and reserved pasta water until smooth; set aside.
  3. Heat a skillet over medium heat and melt 1 tbsp butter.
  4. Add sliced shiitake and a pinch of salt; sauté until golden and tender, about 4–5 minutes.
  5. Push mushrooms to the side, add remaining 1 tbsp butter and minced garlic; cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
  6. Pour the miso mixture into the skillet and stir to combine with mushrooms, simmering 1–2 minutes to thicken slightly.
  7. Add drained spaghetti to the skillet and toss thoroughly to coat, adding more pasta water if needed to loosen the sauce.
  8. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and black pepper.
  9. Stir in sliced green onion and toss once more.
  10. Divide pasta between two bowls and finish with a drizzle of sesame oil and extra green onion if desired.

FAQs

Is the sauce dairy-free? Yes. The miso-based sauce uses white miso, mirin, soy, and a small amount of pasta water to emulsify and slightly thicken the sauce.
Can I make this dairy-free? Yes. The recipe uses butter for flavor, but you can substitute with olive oil or a dairy-free butter alternative.
Can I scale this up for more servings? Yes. It serves two; multiply ingredients for more servings, keeping the ratio of miso, butter, and aromatics similar.