I started making miso butter pasta on nights when I wanted something that tasted like a restaurant dish but only had twenty minutes and a half-empty fridge. The miso does something almost sneaky to butter sauce — it deepens it, rounds out the edges, and gives every bite a savory pull that keeps you going back for more, even though you can't quite name what's in it.
This one comes together in a single skillet while your pasta water is still boiling. Crispy sage leaves and golden garlic chips go on top for crunch and a little theater, but the real magic happens when the miso melts into browned butter and clings to every strand of pasta.
Ingredients
- 12 oz spaghetti or tagliatelle
- 6 tbsp unsalted butter
- 3 tbsp white miso paste
- 4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- 20 fresh sage leaves
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 cup reserved pasta water
- 1/4 cup grated parmesan, plus more for serving
- 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes, optional
- freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
- flaky salt, for finishing
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta until just shy of al dente, about 1 minute less than the package says. Scoop out and reserve 1/2 cup of the starchy pasta water before draining.
- While the pasta cooks, heat the olive oil in a wide skillet over medium heat. Add the sage leaves in a single layer and fry for 20 to 30 seconds per side, until they turn crisp and darken slightly, then lift them onto a paper towel.
- Add the sliced garlic to the same skillet and fry gently for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring often, until pale gold. Watch it closely, since garlic can go from golden to bitter in seconds. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside with the sage.
- Lower the heat and add the butter to the skillet. Let it melt and foam, swirling the pan, until it smells nutty and small brown flecks appear on the bottom, about 2 to 3 minutes.
- Whisk in the miso paste, breaking up any lumps, until the sauce is smooth and glossy. It will look a little thick and paste-like at first — that's normal.
- Add the drained pasta straight into the skillet along with the reserved pasta water. Toss constantly with tongs for a minute or two, letting the sauce loosen and coat every strand.
- Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the parmesan until it melts into the sauce. Taste and add more pasta water a splash at a time if the sauce feels tight or clumpy.
- Divide the pasta between bowls and scatter the crispy sage and garlic chips over the top. Finish with red pepper flakes, black pepper, flaky salt, and extra parmesan, then serve right away.
Tips
- White or yellow miso works best here since it's sweeter and milder; red miso is stronger and can turn the sauce bitter if you use the same amount, so cut it back to about 2 tablespoons if that's what you have.
- Dry the sage leaves thoroughly before frying — any water on them will make the oil spit and the leaves steam instead of crisp.
- The browned butter and miso sauce can be made a day ahead and kept in the fridge; just warm it gently in the skillet and loosen with a splash of hot water before tossing in fresh pasta.
- For a vegetarian version with a bit more richness, swap the parmesan for a vegetarian hard cheese and skip nothing else, since miso already carries plenty of umami on its own.
- Leftovers keep for about 2 days in the fridge; reheat gently in a skillet with a spoonful of water so the sauce comes back to life instead of turning gluey.
Nutrition (per serving, estimated)
- Calories: 490 kcal
- Protein: 13 g
- Carbs: 58 g
- Fat: 22 g
Prep: 10 min · Cook: 20 min · Serves: 4