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This miso pasta recipe is quick and easy to make and tossed in a buttery garlic sauce with Parmesan.
5 ingredients, 25 minutes and somuch flavor! ♡
This garlic miso pasta recipe has quickly become a new favorite here in our house. It’s made with a silky garlic butter sauce that’s kicked up a notch with the addition of miso and Parmesan, adding the most delicious nutty, umami, creamy layers of flavor to the sauce. It’s one of those versatile creamy pasta recipes that can easily be paired with whatever protein or veggies you love best. And, best of all, it’s made with simple ingredients that we almost always keep on hand, making it easy to improvise at the last minute.
So whether you’re whipping up a quick weeknight dinner or looking for a cozy elegant meal for a dinner party, be sure to bookmark this one and give it a try. I know you’re going to love it!
Garlic Miso Pasta Ingredients
Here are a few brief notes about the ingredients you will need to make this garlic miso pasta recipe:
Pasta: Feel free to use whatever shape of pasta that you’d like for this recipe! I used fusilli lunghi in the photos here, but any long noodles or shorter pasta shapes would work well. I just recommending purchasing bronze-cut pasta, if possible, which will help the sauce cling better to the pasta.
Butter: Butter creates a creamy, silky foundation for the sauce and enhances the flavor of the garlic and miso.
Garlic: Garlic adds a delicious savory kick of flavor to each bite. I recommend using a garlic press or grating the garlic on a Microplane if you’d like a smooth sauce, or you can just mince the garlic if you don’t mind small chunks.
White miso: White miso paste adds an irresistible umami depth of flavor to the sauce, enhancing the flavor of the Parmesan and garlic.
Parmesan: Freshly-grated Parmesan cheese adds a final layer of nutty, sharp, umami flavor to the sauce. (Plus I also highly recommend topping the final bowls of pasta with some extra cheese!) As always, it’s best to buy a block of Parmesan and grate it by hand for the most robust flavor and smooth melting texture.
Salt and pepper: These simple seasonings are extra important in this recipe! We’ll season the pasta water generously with sea salt so to bring out the best flavor of the noodles, while freshly cracked black pepper is bloomed in the buttery garlic sauce to a subtle warmth and complexity to every bite.
Recipe Tips
Step-by-step instructions are included in the recipe below, but here are a few extra tips to keep in mind:
Cook the pasta al dente. Take care not to overcook the pasta! It will continue cooking a bit more once it is tossed with the garlic miso sauce. So keep a close eye and drain the pasta once it’s just *barely* al dente for the best texture.
Use freshly-grated Parmesan. As mentioned above, I highly recommend purchasing a block of Parmesan and grating it by hand for this recipe. Freshly-grated cheese melts more smoothly and adds robust flavor.
Warm the miso gently. To avoid clumping, scoop out ¼ cup of the hot starchy pasta water, whisk it with the miso in a small bowl until smooth, then add the mixture back into the garlic butter and stir to combine.
Adjust the sauce consistency with pasta water. Starchy pasta water is the key to creating a silky, creamy sauce that clings to the noodles. So be sure to reserve 1 cup of the starchy water before draining the pasta then add however much you need to give the sauce a perfect consistency.
Serve immediately. This recipe tastes best served warm while the sauce is still hot and silky, so dish it up right away and enjoy!
Recipe Variations
Here are a few additional variations that you’re welcome to try with this miso pasta recipe:
Add crushed red pepper flakes. Sauté a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes in with the garlic to add some heat to the sauce.
Add lemon. Add fresh lemon zest and juice to the sauce for an extra citrus twist.
Add fresh herbs. Add chopped fresh Italian herbs to the sauce, such as basil, oregano or rosemary.
Add nuts. Finish the dish with a sprinkling of toasted pine nuts.
Add a protein and/or veggies. Of course, feel free to add in whatever cooked protein (such as chicken, shrimp, meatballs, salmon, etc) or veggies here that you love best!
More Creamy Pasta Recipes
Looking for more classic, creamy pasta recipes to add to your repertoire? Here are a few of our favorites!
Cook the pasta.Bring a large stockpot of generously-salted pasta water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until *just* al dente. Reserve 1 cup of the hot starchy pasta water and set it aside, then turn off the heat and drain the pasta.
Sauté the garlic.Around the same time that you add the pasta to the pot, begin melting the butter in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and 12 twists of freshly-ground black pepper and sauté for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove the pan from the heat.
Mix the miso.Scoop out ¼ cup of the hot starchy pasta water into a separate small bowl. Add the miso and whisk together until combined. Add the mixture to the garlic butter and stir to combine.
Toss.Once the pasta has been drained, add it directly to the sauté pan (or you can combine the pasta and sauce in the stockpot) and toss to combine. Add the cheese and continue tossing – adding ¼ cup of the reserved starchy pasta water at a time, however much is needed – until the cheese is melted and the sauce is glossy.
Serve.Serve immediately, garnished with extra black pepper, and enjoy!
I have a question for you. This recipe sounds wonderful, but I would use spaghetti squash in place of the pasta, since I don’t eat pasta. My question is, since starchy pasta water is so important for the texture of the sauce, is there any way I could achieve the same consistency without using pasta water? I will appreciate any ideas you have to offer.
Yum! The miso added depth to the flavor and my kids went back for a third serving. I increased the miso/butter/cheese by 25% and added 2 cups of steamed veggies. I will make again with grilled shrimp or chicken. Indulgent and delicious.
Hey, I’m Ali!
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I have a question for you. This recipe sounds wonderful, but I would use spaghetti squash in place of the pasta, since I don’t eat pasta. My question is, since starchy pasta water is so important for the texture of the sauce, is there any way I could achieve the same consistency without using pasta water? I will appreciate any ideas you have to offer.
Recipe looks god, but there’s one important bit of information missing. How many servings is this? I assume four, but it’s best to verify.
Yum! The miso added depth to the flavor and my kids went back for a third serving. I increased the miso/butter/cheese by 25% and added 2 cups of steamed veggies. I will make again with grilled shrimp or chicken. Indulgent and delicious.