Just 5 ingredients make this Miso Mushroom Pasta into a weeknight friendly side or a date-worthy dinner. A simple sauce of butter, white miso, mushrooms, and scallions coats silky linguine pasta for a vegetarian dish that doesn't skimp on flavor. Miso and mushrooms combine for all the umami goodness you'll need to create a delicious pasta dish!
We love a good pasta dish around here, and this miso mushroom pasta meets all the requirements: quick prep, kid-friendly, and big flavor. Five ingredients and 30 minutes are all you need for this pasta to serve as a side dish or a main entree. Kids love these twirl-able pasta noodles that are a pumped up version of buttered noodles!
Mushrooms add great flavor to main dishes as well as sides. Try this Polenta with Mushrooms where they are dressed up with a bright and fresh gremolata, or this cozy, creamy Meatball Stroganoff for more ways to enjoy mushrooms!
Jump to:
Ingredients
I include ingredient notes here when I think they'll be helpful, including ways to source, any preparation tips, or why I've chosen a particular ingredient. Be sure to check out the recipe card below for the full list of ingredients and their quantities!
- Linguine Pasta - A long pasta that can be twirled up on a fork to soak up the sauce is perfect in this recipe. Spaghetti or fettuccine noodles will also work if you don't have linguine.
- Portobello Mushroom Caps - Hearty and meaty portobello mushrooms add texture and earthy flavor to the pasta. Remove the stems before thinly slicing them so that they cook up tender and melt into the pasta.
- Scallions - Cut thin match sticks of scallions (also known as green onions) so that they cook down and can spread throughout the sauce. The thin strands will easily coat the noodles for a bit of flavor in every bite.
- Salted Butter - Use salted butter for sautéing the mushrooms as well as a base for the miso sauce. If you don't have salted butter on hand, add about ¼ teaspoon of kosher salt to the miso and butter mixture or add additional salt to taste once the pasta and sauce are combined in the skillet.
- White Miso - White miso is salty, a little sweet, and earthy with lots of umami notes. It does heavy lifting in this simple sauce, but isn't overpowering. Find white miso in the international food section of your supermarket or at your local Asian grocery store.
Instructions
Bring a large pot of water to boil over high heat. When the water comes to a boil, add the linguine and cook it one minute less than the recommended cooking time of the package.
While the water comes to a boil, prepare the vegetables. Remove the stem of the portobello mushroom caps. Cut them in half and then into thin slices.
Cut the scallions into two-inch sections, removing any browned tips and the root stem. Slice each section into thin strips vertically so that you end up with fine strips.
Preheat a large skillet over medium-high heat for a couple of minutes. Add one tablespoon of butter to the skillet and allow it to melt completely and coat the bottom of the skillet.
Add the mushrooms and sauté them for about 5 minutes, until they release any moisture and start to brown. Stir them only a couple of times to get good browning.
While the mushrooms cook, add the remaining three tablespoons of butter to a medium microwaveable bowl. Melt the butter.
Whisk the miso into the melted butter. If your miso paste is very thick, it may not incorporate fully and appear grainy or curdled. Not to worry, we are just warming the miso on this step and it will turn into a smooth sauce when you add the pasta water.
Set the miso and butter aside and add the scallions to the mushrooms in the skillet. Continue to sauté the vegetables for another 3-4 minutes.
Drain the pasta, reserving ½-cup of the pasta cooking water. If you need a tip to help you remember to save the pasta water (it's easy to forget), check out this pasta water tip!
Add the reserved pasta water to the miso and butter mixture. Whisk it all together well until you have a smooth sauce.
Add the drained pasta and the miso sauce to the skillet with the mushrooms and scallions.
Toss the pasta together with the sauce using tongs until the pasta is uniformly coated with the sauce and the sauce has thickened. Remove the pasta from the heat and serve immediately with a garnish of sliced scallions and black pepper, as desired.
More About Miso
Miso is a paste of fermented soybeans, salt, and rice or other grains. A starter culture from Aspergillus oryzae produces enzymes that break down the proteins in the soybeans to yield the rich umami flavor compounds the paste is known for. Fermentation can take months to years. The preparation and style varies regionally in Japan, but in the United States the most common versions you will find are red and white miso. These are similar in preparation, but the longer fermentation time and greater proportion of soybeans produces a darker color (i.e. red miso).
In this recipe for miso mushroom pasta, a white miso paste is perfect for a slightly sweet, delicate flavor that perfectly compliments the mushrooms. It's also delicious in this air fryer broccolini recipe! White miso paste can be sold in tubes, tubs, and pouches. White miso paste can be a softer texture, like the one pictured below, or more of a firm paste. Miso should be stored in the refrigerator once opened and will darken with time.
Substitutions and Variations
The substitutions listed below have been tested in this recipe and work well. If you successfully make any other ingredient substitutions, let us know in the comments!
- More Mushrooms! - Feel free to add more mushrooms than called for in the recipe, and swap or add varieties that you love to make this pasta your own. Use cremini, button, shiitake, or oyster mushrooms in place of or in addition to the portobello mushrooms.
- Double the Recipe - This recipe can easily be doubled to feed a crowd or to serve it as a main dish instead of a side dish. If your skillet doesn't have the capacity to toss the sauce with the pasta, add the mushrooms, scallions, drained pasta, and sauce back into the pot you used to cook the pasta to toss everything together.
- Swap Scallions for Leeks - Leeks make a great alternative to the scallions. Use the pale green and white portion of the leeks. Cut them in half lengthwise and wash them well to get rid of any sand. Slice into half moons and add them along with mushrooms. They'll need a bit more cooking time to soften than the scallions would.
- Vegan Butter - Use a vegan butter to make this dish vegan, making sure to check the seasoning level before serving.
- Add an Egg - Serve this pasta as a main dish with the addition of a fried egg!
Equipment
No special equipment is needed for this pasta, but here are some notes on the kitchen basics that will make prep easy:
- Chef's Knife - An 8- or 10-inch chef's knife is an essential tool in any kitchen. A sharp chef's knife will slice through the mushrooms with ease and help make thin shreds of the scallions.
- Tongs - A set of stainless steel tongs is perfect for stirring the pasta, sautéing the mushrooms and scallions, as well as tossing the pasta with the finished sauce.
- Whisk - I have loads of whisks to choose from, but an 8-inch whisk I got years ago as a wedding gift is my favorite for whisking the butter, miso, and pasta water together into a smooth sauce.
Serving Suggestions
Serve miso mushroom pasta as a side dish for grilled chicken, steak, or shrimp. This recipe will also serve two as a main dish alone or topped with a fried egg. A soft yolk over the top of this pasta is perfection! Garnish the pasta with extra sliced scallions and a hearty amount of black pepper for a layer of warm spice.
Make This Recipe Kid Friendly
Do your kids hate mushrooms? I feel your pain. Offer the mushrooms and scallions as a sauté on the side! Simply add the miso and butter sauce to the drained pasta in the same pot you used to cook the pasta and coat it well. The miso butter pasta alone will likely be a hit with the kids. You can also serve a few slices of mushrooms raw, as the texture difference might mean they'll give this veggie a try.
Find more tips and tricks for feeding picky eaters at your dinner table in this keeping peace with picky eaters post!
Storage
Store any leftovers in an airtight container for up to three days. This pasta reheats well, but adding a spoonful of water to help rehydrate the pasta and sauce improves the texture.
FAQ
This recipe has no cream but does use butter. Feel free to substitute a vegan butter option for a dairy-free recipe.
You will often find miso as a shelf-stable product in grocery stores (although it can also be sold refrigerated). Once you open a container of miso, however, you should store it in the refrigerator.
Try any mushroom that you love sauteed! Some suggested varieties are cremini, button, oyster, shiitake, portobello, or chanterelle mushrooms.
Pasta Recipes to Try Next
Need some pasta dinner inspiration? Check out any of the recipes below:
More Quick-Prep Dinner Ideas
Dinners that come together in 30 minutes or less are perfect for busy weeknights. Try any of these super-flavorful options next:
Try It and Share
I hope you try this Miso Mushroom Pasta and enjoy the recipe as much as we do. I want to see your results! Tag your photo with #planeatpostrepeat and mention me @planeatpostrepeat on Instagram or Facebook. I can give you a virtual high five and thank you for cooking one of my recipes! Comment below with any questions and please leave a review so others can find this recipe more easily.
Recipe
Miso Mushroom Pasta
Ingredients
- 8 oz. linguine (or fettucine)
- 6 oz. portobello mushroom caps
- 4 tablespoon butter (salted)
- 3 scallions (green onions, plus additional for garnish)
- 2 tablespoon white miso paste (1.4 oz.)
- black pepper (ground, to taste)
Instructions
- Start a large pot of water to boil over high heat.
- While the water comes to a boil, prepare the vegetables. First, slice the portobello mushroom caps in half and then into thin slices. Then, cut both the green and white parts of the scallions into 2-inch sections from top to bottom. Slice each section vertically into thin strips so that you end up with finely shredded scallion pieces.
- When the water is boiling, add the linguine and cook it one less than the recommended time on the package.
- Preheat a large skillet over medium-high heat for 2 minutes.
- Add one tablespoon of butter and allow it to melt.
- Add the mushrooms and sauté them for 5 minutes, or until they have released any moisture and are starting to brown.
- Microwave three tablespoons of butter in a medium bowl to melt it completely. Add the miso paste to the butter and stir it a bit.
- Add the scallions to the mushrooms and cook for an additional 3 minutes until they are softened.
- Drain the pasta, reserving ½ cup of pasta water.
- Whisk the pasta water into the miso and butter mixture slowly until you get a smooth texture.
- Add the pasta and the miso and butter mixture to the skillet with the mushrooms and stir the pasta with tongs to evenly coat it with the sauce, mushrooms, and scallions.
- Transfer the pasta to a serving plate and serve immediately. Garnish, as desired, with sliced scallions and freshly ground black pepper.
Nutrition facts are sometimes provided below and are calculated using an online calculator. With specific brands of ingredients and additions, omissions, or substitutions the nutrition facts may change. We encourage you to use your own nutrition facts calculator to obtain the most accurate nutrition facts for your meal.
Cassie says
We love the rich flavor that miso brings to this simple pasta dish.