Miso Mushroom Pasta (Vegan Japanese Fusion)
A quick vegan miso mushroom pasta made with spaghetti, mushrooms, and a glossy miso butter sauce. Ready in about 30 minutes, this Japanese–Italian fusion recipe is rich in umami and easy enough for weeknights.
Servings: 2 people
Calories: 715kcal
Equipment
- 1 colander for draining pasta
- 1 grater (fine) for zesting
- 1 skillet or frying pan for frying
- 1 Large saucepan for boiling the pasta
- 1 Sharp knife
- 1 Chopping board
- 1 small mixing bowl for thinning out miso paste
- A few prep bowls for setting aside ingredients
Ingredients
- 300 g mixed mushrooms (shiitake, oyster, enoki, chestnut or a mix)
- 200 g spaghetti (or other long pasta)
- 3 Tablespoons olive oil (or neutral cooking oil)
- 4 large garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- 1 lemon, zested
- 1 tablespoon miso paste (red, white or a mix), thinned with 2 tablespoons of hot water
- 1 tablespoon plant-based butter
- 1 tablespoon mirin
- 2-3 teaspoons soy sauce (or tamari for gluten-free)
- ¼ teaspoon dried chilli flakes (or to taste)
- Small handful flat-leaf parsley, chopped (stalks included)
- 2 tablespoon sea salt (for pasta water - 1tbsp/litre)
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- La-yu chili oil (optional, to serve)
- Shichimi togarashi (optional, to serve)
Instructions
- Fill a large pot with 2L of water and season with salt (around 2 tbsp). Bring to the boil and add the spaghetti. (1L of water per 100g of pasta)
- While the pasta cooks, slice the garlic, zest the lemon, chop the parsley, and clean and cut the mushrooms into even ½ cm strips.
- Heat olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook until just golden. Stir in the mushrooms and fry on higher heat until browned and glossy.
- Add the plant-based butter and thinned miso paste, followed by mirin, soy sauce, lemon zest, and chilli. Stir and let it bubble for a minute.
- By now the pasta should be just shy of al dente (slightly undercooked). Reserve around a cup (250ml) of pasta water, then drain. Add the spaghetti to the pan. Toss well so the pasta finishes cooking in the miso mushroom sauce. Add a splash of the pasta water if needed until the spaghetti and mushrooms are evenly coated and glossy. Season to taste.
- Divide into bowls and top with parsley. Add La-yu chilli oil and shichimi togarashi for extra heat and sesame flavour.
Notes
- Pair with watercress salad with Japanese sesame seed dressing and a side of salted edamame
- Enjoy with a cold Japanese beer. See our Japanese beer post for ideas.
- Try mugicha (roasted barley tea) for a non-alcoholic option
- Go gluten-free: Swap spaghetti for gluten-free pasta and use tamari instead of soy
- Best eaten fresh; leftovers keep 2 days in the fridge
- Reheat gently with a splash of water to loosen the sauce
Nutrition
Serving: 1 serve | Calories: 715kcal | Carbohydrates: 94g | Protein: 19g | Fat: 31g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 19g | Trans Fat: 0.03g | Sodium: 7877mg | Potassium: 759mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 524IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 53mg | Iron: 3mg
