This Miso Mushroom Pasta is simple, creamy, and bursting with umami! This is the ultimate Mediterranean-Asian fusion comfort food meal!
If you've never tried adding miso to pasta sauce, you're missing out! This creamy Miso Mushroom Pasta dish is the ultimate comfort food - it's quick, easy, and full of umami flavor!
This under-30 minute pasta dish is made using a sauce from fresh mushrooms, miso paste, heavy cream and optional bacon or pancetta. It's super simple to make yet very comforting and delicious.
What is Miso Paste?
Miso paste is a traditional Japanese fermented seasoning that adds umami to many Asian-inspired dishes. Traditionally, miso forms the base of Miso Soup - a popular Japanese dish.
The texture of Miso paste is similar to that of peanut butter and there are many varieties in flavour and colour.
In general, white/light miso is fermented over a shorter period of time and tends to be "sweeter". Dark/red miso is fermented for a longer time and has a "saltier" and stronger flavour profile.
Ingredients and Variations
Dry Pasta - Use your favourite dry pasta for this dish. You can use any type of pasta, or even gluten-free pasta if you like.
Mushrooms - Although you can essentially use any type of mushrooms that are available to you, I highly recommend Shimeji mushrooms for this pasta.
Shimeji mushrooms pair well with miso paste and enhance the umami for this pasta dish.
Miso Paste - For this recipe, I used white/light miso as it has a milder taste. If you prefer a stronger, saltier sauce, you can also go for dark/red miso paste, but keep the salt flavour and content in mind when adding ingredients such as bacon or pancetta!
Bacon - Bacon or pancetta is optional and adds flavor, protein, and crispiness to this comfort food dish.
Heavy Cream - The liquid part of this sauce that makes it so rich and creamy!
Garlic - for flavour
How to Make Miso Mushroom Pasta
Step 1: Cook the Mushrooms
Wash the mushrooms and cut off the stems.
Heat a medium-sized pan on medium heat and add the mushrooms. You don't need to add oil or butter as the mushrooms will release water.
Cook for 4-5 minutes or until all water that comes out of the mushrooms has evaporated. Set aside.
Step 2: Boil Pasta
Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling water according to package instructions (I like to leave it al-dente).
You don't need to add salt to pasta water.
Don't forget to reserve some pasta water for the sauce before draining the pasta.
Step 3: Make the Sauce
Whilst the pasta is cooking, make the sauce.
Heat some olive oil in a large skillet, add the garlic and saute on medium heat for 30 seconds, until frangrant.
Then, add the bacon or pancetta, and cook until browned.
Add in the mushrooms and heavy cream and stir in the miso paste until dissolved. Bring the sauce to a simmer for 1-2 minutes.
If the sauce is too thick, add 1-2 ladefuls of reserve pasta water.
Toss in the pasta and mix to coat evenly with sauce.
Step 3: Serve!
Transfer to a serving plate and serve warm with chopped fresh parsley.
Making Ahead and Storing
Although this Miso Mushroom Pasta is best served fresh, you can store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
Reheat in a microwave or skillet before serving. You may also need to add some heavy cream to thin the sauce slightly.
Other Comfort Food Favourites
Miso Mushroom Pasta
Ingredients
- 320 g spaghetti or other dry pasta of choice
- 200 g Shimeji mushrooms or white button, cremini, or portobello mushrooms
- 2 tbsp. olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 75 g bacon or pancetta, sliced into squares or cubed
- 120 mL heavy cream
- 1½ tbsp. miso paste e.g., white miso
- chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
- Wash mushrooms and cut off stems. Heat a medium-sized pan on medium heat and add mushrooms (do not add olive oil). Whilst cooking, water will come out and eventually evaporate. Remove from heat once all water has evaporated (4-5 minutes) and set aside.
- Cook pasta according to package instructions until al dente but do not add salt to pasta water. Reserve ½ a cup of pasta water before draining.
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet on medium heat. Add minced garlic and saute until fragrant (around 30 seconds). Add bacon and cook until browned.
- Add cooked mushrooms and heavy cream. Stir in miso until dissolved. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 1 minute.
- If the sauce is too thick, add 4-5 tablespoons of pasta water. Add cooked pasta and toss to coat with sauce.
- Transfer to a serving plate, top with chopped fresh parsley and serve warm.
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