Miso Cacio e Pepe Pasta
This Miso Pasta recipe combines just a handful of ingredients including white miso paste, garlic, shallots, and parmesan cheese with al dente spaghetti. Quick and easy to make, these miso noodles are bursting with rich, umami, savory flavors and are far tastier than anything you’ll find in a restaurant! 
White miso paste and pasta might sound like a strange combination, but trust me. It’s the cuisine combination you never knew you needed but will be so glad you found! I’m a huge fan of Asian cuisine and make quite a few Asian-inspired recipes like my grilled salmon skewers and Sticky Asian Wings. On the other hand, my Italian husband could happily eat pasta for every meal. So, instead of trying to choose between the two, I decided we could have both with these miso noodles! Luckily, the meal was a huge hit with the whole family. The ultimate comfort food it will have you practically licking your plate!
Why You Will Love This Miso Pasta
- It’s similar to cacio e pepe but has a richer, umami flavor that makes it even better.
- From start to finish, you can have the entire dish on the dinner table in less than 30 minutes, making it the perfect quick meal for busy weeknights.
- Made with simple ingredients and two pieces of equipment prep time is minimal, and cleanup is a breeze.
- Miso noodles are gluten and dairy-free-friendly.
- You can enjoy this pasta on its own as a delicious meal, or pair it with your favorite protein for a filling main dish!
Ingredients You Need To Make This Miso Pasta
- Spaghetti: Use any type of spaghetti you like best such as spaghettini, spaghettoni, bucatini, capellini, or angel’s hair. Or, use a similarly shaped pasta such as fettuccine noodles or vermicelli. If needed, use gluten-free spaghetti to keep this miso pasta gluten-free.
- Butter: Use salted or unsalted butter, or opt for vegan butter to sauté the aromatics, creating a rich flavor base for the miso sauce.
- Garlic and Shallot: These add a pungent, savory, subtly sweet taste to the miso noodles.
- White Miso: a fermented paste made from organic whole soybeans, rice, and barley, white miso paste has a mild umami flavor profile with a subtle nutty taste that adds incredible depth to miso pasta. Do not use any other variety of miso paste as it will have a different flavor profile and will not pair well with the rest of the ingredients in this miso pasta recipe.
- Parmesan: for the best taste and texture, buy a block of parmesan, and grate it yourself. Feel free to use vegan parmesan or nutritional yeast if preferred.
- Cracked Black Pepper: this adds wonderful depth and subtle spice. Do not use ground black pepper, which has a much milder flavor.
How To Make This Miso Pasta
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil on the stove over high heat, and cook the pasta to al dente according to the package instructions. Reserve 1 ½ cups of starchy pasta water to help the sauce cling to the pasta and drain the hot pasta.
- Heat the butter in a large skillet over medium heat, and add the garlic cloves and shallots once melted.
- Sauté for 3 minutes before adding in the miso and pasta water, and whisk until smooth.
- Add the grated cheese and cracked black pepper, and stir to combine and create a creamy sauce.
- Add the cooked pasta to the skillet, and use tongs to toss and coat the noodles with the pasta sauce.
- Divide the pasta between bowls, garnish with extra parmesan and pepper, and enjoy warm!
You can find full step by step instructions in the recipe card below
What Is Miso
Miso, or miso paste, is a fermented soybean paste commonly used in Japanese cooking. It’s made by fermenting steamed soy beans with salt, grains such as rice or barley, and a type of fungus known as koji. Once combined, the mixture is left to ferment for months or even years. Factors like the type of koji used and the length of the fermentation process result in different types of miso. In fact, there are over 1,300 different kinds of miso including shiro miso, mugi mio, hatcho miso, mugi miso, mame miso, genmai miso, shinshu miso, yellow miso, and awase miso. Some varieties do not contain soybeans at all! However, no matter what variety you use, miso always has an umami-rich flavor profile, though the exact flavor and strength will vary depending on which type of miso paste you choose. That said, it’s an excellent addition to a variety of Japanese dishes like miso soup and noodle recipes. However, you can also find miso used in recipes outside of Japanese cuisine with meats, salad dressings, dips, salsas, jams, glazes, and more. It’s also a great way to add flavor to brown rice and white rice. Additionally, you can even find mild or lighter miso such as white miso or yellow miso paste in sweet snacks like cookies, desserts, tarts & shells for pastries. Find a variety of miso paste options online or in the Asian aisle of your local grocery store!
Can I Use Red Miso Paste
No, other varieties of miso including red miso paste do not work as an alternative to white miso paste in this recipe. This is because it has a much stronger flavor and overpowers the rest of the ingredients in the dish. For instance, red miso contains more soybeans than white miso and is left to ferment longer.
Meanwhile, white miso has a higher proportion of rice and less soybeans, resulting in a fairly mild, sweeter flavor profile. As a result, red miso is best used in heartier dishes like stews, braises, and glazes and pairs well with root vegetables, mushrooms, and meats. You can typically tell the strength of the flavor profile by looking at the color. For instance, if miso is red or has a dark brown color, it’s typically fairly strong and not great in lighter dishes like this miso pasta.
What Else Can I Add To My Miso Noodles
Feel free to get creative, mixing and matching different ingredients to make this recipe your own. For instance, you can add leftover veggies for even more nutrients. Sauté bok choy, mushrooms, napa cabbage, snap peas, or bell peppers, and add them to the dish. Or, if you prefer spicy miso noodles, adding a dash of red pepper flakes, hot sauce, chili oil, or chili sauce is a great way to boost the flavor of the dish.
To enhance the umami taste, add a splash of soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, or coconut aminos to the sauce. Or, add lemon juice for a bright flavor that pairs nicely with the savory contrast of the rest of the ingredients. You can even stir a splash of room-temperature cream in with your miso noodle recipe for an even richer sauce. Then, top your noodle dish with green onions or sesame seeds if you’re feeling a little fancy.
What Type Of Pasta Can I Use
I prefer to use bucatini, linguini, or rigatoni noodles for this recipe. Udon noodles and soba noodles are popular options as well, but any type of noodles you like best and have on hand will taste great. Experiment with shorter shapes like rigatoni, penne, or fusilli. Or, use whole wheat noodles, gluten-free options, buckwheat varieties, or even chickpea pasta if preferred. Just be sure to follow the package instructions, and adjust the boiling time as needed to cook the pasta to al dente.
How to Serve Miso Noodles
You can easily enjoy this recipe on its own as a complete, filling meal. However, if you want to bulk it up and make it even more filling, I like to top it with protein like grilled chicken or shrimp. For a vegetarian option, pair it with sauteed mushrooms like shiitake mushrooms, white mushrooms, or cremini mushrooms. Or, serve it as a side dish alongside main courses like Honey Chili Chicken, Panko Chicken Cutlets, or Air Fryer Halibut. Then, add a side salad and crusty bread, and you’ll have a crowd-pleasing, restaurant-worthy meal from the comfort of your own home!
What About Leftovers
Once cooked and cooled, you can transfer leftovers to an airtight container, they will stay fresh in the fridge for 3-4 days. I haven’t tested freezing this recipe but don’t think it would thaw well as the pasta is likely to become mushy.
When you’re ready to eat, heat the pasta in a skillet over medium heat on the stove or warm it in 30-second increments in the microwave. For the best results, add a splash of water to the pasta before reheating to help loosen the sauce and freshen it back up! Leftover miso pasta makes for the perfect quick lunch or easy dinner!
Here are a few more pasta recipes that you might enjoy:
- Ragu Alla Bolognese
- Runner Bean Pasta with Creamy Lemon Sauce
- Butternut Squash Pasta with Alfredo Sauce
- Braised Lamb Ragu
- Creamy Spinach & Mushroom Lasagna
- Eggplant Cannelloni
If you make this Miso Pasta recipe let me know in the comment section below, I would love to hear what you think, or take a photo and tag me (@everylastbite_) on Instagram, I love seeing your photos!
Miso Pasta
Ingredients
- 10 oz spaghetti, linguini or bucatini
- 2 tbsp butter
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 large shallot very finely diced
- 1 1/2 cups pasta water
- 1/3 cup white miso paste
- ½ cup finely grated parmesan + more for garnish
- ¾ tsp fresh cracked black pepper + more for garnish
Instructions
- Bring a pot of salted water to a boil, cook the pasta according to the package instructions until al dente. Scoop out 1 1/2 cups of the pasta water before draining.
- In a skillet on medium heat add the butter and once melted add the garlic and shallots and saute for 3 minutes before adding in the miso and 1/2 cup of the pasta water. Whisk until smooth. Add in the pasta and use tongs to toss it in the sauce until well coated. Add in ¼ cup of the parmesan cheese and toss, followed by ½ cup of the pasta water and the remaining parmesan cheese. The cheese should form a smooth sauce, add in more of the pasta water as need to thin out the sauce.
- Finally stir in the black pepper and quickly toss before serving.
- Divide between bowls and garnish with a sprinkle of additional parmesan cheese and fresh cracked pepper
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