Miso Butter Pasta

This is the pasta that took over every food corner of the internet this spring, and for good reason. Browned butter meets white miso in a sauce that tastes like it took an hour but comes together before your pasta water even boils off. Salty, nutty, deeply savory, and stupid easy.

Ingredients

  • 1 lb spaghetti or linguine
  • 4 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 3 tbsp white miso paste
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 cup reserved pasta water
  • 1/2 cup grated Parmesan
  • 2 tbsp mirin
  • 1 tsp freshly cracked black pepper
  • 2 green onions, thinly sliced
  • Toasted sesame seeds for garnish

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Cook the Pasta

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook your spaghetti or linguine until just al dente. Before draining, scoop out a full cup of that starchy pasta water. You will need it.

Step 2: Brown the Butter

While the pasta cooks, melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Swirl it around and let it go past melted into golden brown territory, about 3 minutes. It should smell nutty and look toasty. Watch it closely because brown butter and burnt butter are about 15 seconds apart.

Step 3: Build the Sauce

Add the minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Pull the pan off the heat, then whisk in the miso paste and mirin. It will sizzle and clump at first, but keep whisking until it becomes a smooth, glossy sauce.

Step 4: Bring It Together

Add the drained pasta directly to the skillet. Pour in about half the reserved pasta water and toss everything over medium-low heat. Keep tossing, adding more pasta water a splash at a time until the sauce coats every strand and looks silky.

Step 5: Finish and Serve

Stir in the grated Parmesan and crack in the black pepper. Give it one last toss, then plate it up. Scatter green onions and sesame seeds on top.

Serving Suggestions

  • Add a crispy fried egg on top for extra richness
  • Serve with a simple arugula salad dressed in lemon and olive oil
  • Pair with roasted mushrooms or blistered cherry tomatoes

Tips

  • Use white (shiro) miso, not red. Red miso will overpower the butter and make the sauce too salty.
  • The pasta water is doing most of the heavy lifting here. Starchy water emulsifies the sauce, so do not skip reserving it.
  • A Microplane grater makes quick work of the Parmesan and gives you that fine, meltable texture.
  • Leftovers reheat well with a splash of water in a pan over low heat. The microwave will do in a pinch but the texture won’t be the same.