This is another of mum’s classics. She would whip this up whenever there was seemingly nothing in the fridge and we needed something quick and easy for lunch. It’s kind of like Italian Aglio e Olio but with takana and soy sauce, which gives an extra layer of depth and delight. I secretly like to add even more umami to this easy Japanese spaghetti using dashi powder and a healthy sprinkling of chilli flakes for heat. Salivating as I type…
Takana is pickled mustard leaves, native to my mother’s home prefecture of Kagoshima, southwestern Kyushi. There are lots of ways you can use takana in your cooking, though it is most commonly used as an accompanying pickle to go on top of rice, as part of a much larger meal. But here, the humble Takana takes center stage. Why? Because it’s so frickin' delicious!
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Ingredients
Serves 4 | Prep time 5 minutes | Cooking time 15 minutes
- 500g spaghetti
- 1 tablespoon salt (for boiling your spaghetti)
- 150g Takana
- 6-8 cloves of garlic
- 1 teaspoon kombu dashi powder
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon chili flakes
- 6 tablespoon Olive oil
My recipe uses pre-chopped takana. A bag of pre-chopped takana is inexpensive - I bought a 1KG bag for £4 and this will give you 6 meals (for 4 people) with a bit left over (which you can serve with some rice). You can buy the whole leaf but this requires preparing. Overall what makes this recipe so simple is that there really are very few ingredients and most of them - salt, chilli flakes, garlic, olive oil, dried spaghetti - are cupboard staples.
Instructions
Step 1: Bring 4-5 litres of salted water to the boil. Cook the spaghetti according to the packet instructions, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.
Step 2: Meanwhile, peel and thinly slice the garlic.
Step 3: Heat up a large frying pan on a medium heat and pour in the olive oil.
Step 4: To this add your chopped garlic and fry for a minute before adding takana, chilli flakes and kombu dashi. Fry for a minute or two.
Step 5: By now your spaghetti should be ready, so drain and add this to your frying pan. Turn up the heat to max and pour over the soya sauce. Stir, stir, stir until everything is combined evenly.
Step 6: Plate up. Sprinkle over some more chilli flakes for garnish (if you dare!) and congratulations! You’ve just made one of the best sub-20 minute pasta dishes possible.
There's no denying it - this easy Japanese spaghetti with takana is truly one of the best recipes out there. It requires very little time, cost and effort, yet yields a delicious result.
Variations
You can have some fun by switching out or adding to the very basic (and completely vegan) ingredients in your takana spaghetti by trying one or all of these variations:
- Spicy - add chilli pepper flakes or chilli oil while combining the ingredients together in the pan
- Vegan parmesan - Top with some home-made vegan parmesan for an extra dose of umami flavor!
- Pasta - Create the same superb flavors with a different texture by choosing a another type of pasta instead of spaghetti. Penne, rigatoni, fusilli and farfalle are a few we've tried, tested and loved.
If you don't want to use pasta at all, or you are gluten-free, you could try making a delicious takana rice instead!
Storage
You can keep your Japanese takana spaghetti in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. It's a good one to make in bulk so you can get a few lunches and dinners out of it - we usually cook double and do just that.
Tips for cooking easy Japanese spaghetti with takana
Heat (as in high cooking temperature) is your friend when cooking this recipe. Cranking up the heat in step 5 helps to seal the flavors in the spaghetti, which is essential for optimal texture and taste.
FAQ
Yes! Pasta is a well-loved dish in Japan, in all its forms, but especially as spaghetti. There are many Japanese-Italian fusion takes on this popular pasta dish, like my takana spaghetti recipe, Japanese mushroom spaghetti or the ever-popular Japanese ketchup spaghetti, Nepolitan.
Buy it in small jars or large air-tight bags from your local Asian supermarket, Japan Centre, world food markets or online from Amazon (in the UK) or your preferred specialist Asian or Japanese retailer.
Try new ingredients and flavors in your cooking! Like takana in this easy Japanese spaghetti. It adds a fun twist to regular pasta. We have other tasty fusion recipes too, like this Japanese mushroom spaghetti. Put them to the test in your kitchen and discover what to include in your personal recipe collection. By doing so, you're not only enhancing your cooking skills but also broadening your palate.
Other tasty recipes
Easy Japanese Spaghetti with Takana
Ingredients
- 500 g spaghetti
- 1 tablespoon salt for boiling your spaghetti
- 150 g Takana
- 6-8 cloves of garlic
- 1 teaspoon kombu dashi powder
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon chilli flakes
- 6 tablespoon Olive oil
Instructions
- Bring 4-5 litres of salted water to the boil. Cook the spaghetti according to the packet instructions, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.
- Meanwhile, peel and thinly slice the garlic.
- Heat up a large frying pan on a medium heat and pour in the olive oil.
- To this add your chopped garlic and fry for a minute before adding takana, chilli flakes and kombu dashi. Fry for a minute or two.
- By now your spaghetti should be ready, so drain and add this to your frying pan. Turn up the heat to max and pour over the soya sauce. Stir, stir, stir until everything is combined evenly.
- Plate up. Sprinkle over some more chilli flakes for garnish (if you dare!) and congratulations! You’ve just made one of the best sub-20 minute pasta dishes possible.
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