Japanese Mushroom Spaghetti

Name: Japanese Mushroom Spaghetti
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 500 grams dried spaghetti; 300 grams chestnut mushrooms; 250 grams flat field mushrooms; 80 grams shiitake mushrooms; 2 dried shitake mushrooms; 1/2 cup Boiling hot water; 5-6 cloves garlic, crushed; 4 tbsp olive oil; 3 tbsp soy sauce; 1 tbsp mirin; Aonori (optional); Shichimi togarashi (optional); Natto ( optional)

This Japanese mushroom spaghetti is a classic wafu pasta (和風パスタ): soy sauce, mushrooms, seaweed, garlic and mirin. Packed with umami and ready in under 30 minutes. Love wafu pasta? Try my miso mushroom pasta, miso pesto pasta, or takana spaghetti too.

A ceramic bowl, with chopsticks resting on the edge, containing spaghetti topped with mushrooms, seaweed flakes and red Japanese spice powder.

What is wafu pasta?

Wafu pasta is Japanese-style pasta, born when spaghetti arrived in Japan over a century ago and cooks began pairing it with soy sauce, miso, and nori instead of Western sauces. It's now a staple everywhere from home kitchens to casual cafes. For another classic example, try our takana spaghetti, made with Japanese mustard greens for a completely different but equally delicious bowl.

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Japanese Mushroom Spaghetti – At a Glance
Mushrooms and Seasonings for Japanese Spaghetti
Ingredients
How to Make Japanese Mushroom Spaghetti
Storage and Leftovers
Japanese Mushroom Spaghetti FAQs
Other popular recipes
📖 Recipe

Mushrooms and Seasonings for Japanese Spaghetti

The mushrooms are the heart of this recipe. We use a mix of chestnut, flat field, and shiitake for their different textures and flavours, but any mushroom works. Enoki, oyster, king oyster, or plain button mushrooms all make a great bowl. If you love cooking with mushrooms, try our oyster mushroom burger or donburi bowl with mushrooms and teriyaki tofu too.

Ingredients

Serves 4-5 | Prep time 10 mins | Cooking time 20 mins

Spaghetti
Fresh mushrooms (chestnut, flat field, shiitake, or any mix you like)
Dried shiitake
Garlic
Soy sauce
Mirin
Olive oil
Hot water
Salt
Aonori or nori
Shichimi togarashi
Optional: natto

How to Make Japanese Mushroom Spaghetti

Step 1: Soak the dried shiitake

A bowl full of bubbling water with three dried shitake mushrooms floating in it.

Place the dried shiitake in a bowl and cover them with hot water. As they soften, the water will darken into a broth full of umami. If you have extra time, let them sit for 20 to 30 minutes, but even a quick 10-minute soak gives you a good base to work with. Keep the soaking liquid to use later.

Step 2: Prepare the fresh mushrooms

A white chopping board with a pile of 1cm thick sliced mushrooms sitting in the middle, and a large Japanese chopping knife resting on the left side.

Slice the fresh mushrooms into even strips, about a centimetre thick. Keeping the pieces similar in size helps them cook evenly. If you are mixing varieties, cut sturdier mushrooms like shiitake a little thinner so they cook at the same speed as softer ones. Brush off any dirt or wipe with kitchen paper instead of rinsing to keep them from turning soggy.

Step 3: Make the marinade

A white bowl containing yellow oil, black liquid (soy sauce) and some dollops of white (crushed garlic).

In a large bowl, whisk together garlic, soy sauce, mirin, and olive oil until smooth. This mixture is the backbone of the dish. Taste it. It should be salty from the soy, gently sweet from the mirin, and aromatic from the garlic. Adjust to your liking before adding the mushrooms.

Step 4: Marinate the mushrooms

A white bowl half filled with chopped marinated mushrooms.

Add the sliced mushrooms to the bowl and toss until every piece is coated. Let them sit for at least 10 minutes. This short step helps them soak up flavour and release some of their juices, which will become part of the sauce. If you are short on time you can skip the marinade, but the taste will be lighter.

Step 5: Cook the spaghetti

Pot of water on the stove with dried spaghetti being lifted with chopsticks for Japanese spaghetti

Bring a large pot of water to the boil and add a generous pinch of salt. Cook the spaghetti until just al dente so it still has some bite. Before draining, scoop out a cup of the pasta water and set it aside. The starch in this water will help you adjust the sauce later if needed.

Step 6: Fry the mushrooms

Mushrooms in broth, steaming and simmering in a white frying pan.

Heat a wide frying pan over medium heat and add the marinated mushrooms. Spread them out so they cook in contact with the pan. This helps them brown slightly instead of steaming. Cook for around 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they soften and turn golden at the edges.

Step 7: Add the shiitake broth

Small bowl of shitake mushrooms in broth being poured in to a large pan of frying mushrooms.

Remove the soaked shiitake from their bowl and squeeze them firmly over the soaking liquid to capture as much flavour as possible. Slice them thinly, then return both the sliced mushrooms and the broth to the pan. Simmer gently for 2 to 3 minutes so the flavours blend.

Step 8: Combine pasta and sauce

Pair of tongs handling cooked spaghetti with mushrooms combined through it.

Add the cooked spaghetti to the pan with the mushrooms and broth. Toss everything together so the pasta absorbs the sauce and looks glossy. If it seems dry, add a splash of the reserved pasta water. Keep stirring until every strand is coated.

Step 9: Garnish and serve

A bowl of cooked spaghetti with fried mushrooms on top, sprinkled with green and red flakes.

Divide into bowls and top with aonori or shredded nori, plus a pinch of shichimi togarashi if you like heat. Serve immediately. We love this alongside a cold Japanese beer and a side salad dressed with Japanese sesame dressing.

Storage and Leftovers

Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days
Reheat gently in a pan with a splash of water or soy sauce to loosen the sauce
Avoid the microwave if you can, the stovetop keeps the texture much closer to freshly cooked
Divide into portions before refrigerating so you only reheat what you need

Japanese Mushroom Spaghetti FAQs

What is wafu pasta (or wafu spaghetti)?

Wafu means Japanese-style. Wafu pasta is the name given to spaghetti and other pastas cooked with Japanese seasonings such as soy sauce, miso, seaweed, mushrooms or seafood. This recipe is a classic example of wafu spaghetti, combining pasta with soy-marinated mushrooms and traditional toppings.

What makes Japanese pasta different?

Japanese pasta recipes usually have lighter sauces than Italian versions. Instead of cream or tomato, the base is often soy sauce, miso, mirin or dashi, which give the dish a very savoury, umami-rich character. Toppings like seaweed, shichimi togarashi or natto are also common, making Japanese pasta feel distinct from European styles.

What does Japanese spaghetti taste like?

Japanese spaghetti is typically lighter than Italian-style spaghetti. It often has umami depth from soy sauce or miso, without the heaviness of cream. In this mushroom version, the taste is earthy and savoury with a touch of sweetness from mirin, and you can add toppings like seaweed or spice for extra layers.

Is spaghetti common in Japan?

Yes. Pasta is very popular in Japan and has developed into its own style called wafu pasta. You can find Japanese spaghetti dishes in cafés, family restaurants and even convenience stores. Many households also make versions like this mushroom spaghetti at home because it is quick, affordable and adaptable.

Can I switch out the spaghetti for another type of pasta?

Absolutely. We often make this recipe with penne, fusilli, rigatoni or linguine instead of spaghetti. The mushroom and soy sauce base works with almost any pasta shape, so use whatever you prefer or have on hand.