Creamy Miso Pasta

This creamy miso pasta is a quick and easy comfort, with noodles tossed in a silky, umami-packed sauce made with butter, Parmesan and plenty of black pepper.

📝 Ingredients

• 8 ounces uncooked long thin pasta (spaghetti, linguine or fettuccini)
• 3 tablespoons white miso paste
• 1/4 cup butter, cubed, divided
• 1 teaspoon coarsely ground pepper
• 1/2 cup finely shredded Parmesan cheese
• Optional: Thinly sliced green onions, sliced Thai red chilis and chili crisp

👨‍🍳 Instructions

1. 1Cook the pasta according to the package directions for al dente. Reserve 3/4 cup of the pasta cooking water, then drain the rest and set the pasta aside.​ Editor’s Tip: Always salt pasta cooking water before adding the pasta. A good rule of thumb is about 1 tablespoon of salt for every pound of pasta.
2. 2Start the miso sauce: In a small bowl, whisk 1/2 cup of the reserved pasta water with the miso paste until smooth. Set aside the remaining 1/4 cup of pasta water. In a large skillet, melt 2 tablespoons of butter over medium heat. Add pepper, then stir in the miso mixture and heat it until it's warmed through. Editor’s Tip: Whisking the miso into the hot pasta water first helps evenly dissolve the paste, so your sauce end up with clumps.
3. 3Toss the sauce with the pasta and cheese: Add the cooked pasta to the skillet, along with the shredded Parmesan and the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter. Stir continuously until the cheese melts and the sauce turns glossy. If the sauce looks too dry or thick, add a splash of the additional reserved pasta water to loosen it.
4. 4Garnish the pasta: If desired, top the pasta with extra Parmesan, freshly ground pepper, sliced green onions and a drizzle of chili crisp for heat and crunch. Serve it right away.