How do I store and reheat leftovers?

Store leftover pasta in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. To reheat leftover pasta, warm in a skillet over low heat with a little water or milk to thin the sauce.

What makes this a full dinner?

Combine pasta with seafood, such as shrimp and scallops, grilled or seared; chicken or tofu; and grilled or seared salmon. Add mushrooms and edamame to the pasta dish. If including mushrooms, use shiitake or cremini mushrooms and add them to the dish with other ingredients before adding garlic. To add spice to the dish, add a teaspoon of gochujang or other red pepper flakes to the miso paste. Top the hot pasta dish with additional Parmesan cheese, cracked black pepper, sliced scallions, or sesame seeds.

You can substitute red miso, but it has a strong flavor. White miso is used in this recipe. Three tablespoons of miso, plus Parmesan and pasta water, make the sauce.

What pasta should I use?

Linguine, spaghetti, and fettuccine would all work. You can use any other pasta you prefer.

What does miso pasta taste like?

It has a savory, salty taste due to miso, butter, and Parmesan.

Miso Pasta Sauce with White Miso and Parmesan

By Ethan ParkerOct 28, 2026

Prep

5 min

Cook

15 min

Total

20 min

Servings

Level

Easy

Jump to recipe

This white miso pasta sauce takes 20 minutes to prepare and is an easy weeknight meal. The sauce can be made using just a few ingredients and a single pan. White miso provides deep flavor to the sauce. Parmesan cheese and pasta cooking liquid give the sauce body to pair well with long pasta. I recommend serving this dish with long pasta like linguine.

Miso Pasta Sauce with White Miso and Parmesan

Cook the pasta in a large pot while making the sauce. Drain the pasta slightly early, as it will finish cooking when the pasta and sauce are mixed in the skillet. Cook the garlic for 1 minute or until fragrant before adding miso to the skillet. Lower the heat after adding miso to the skillet. Use a large skillet to avoid splattering while stirring the sauce.

Whisk in the miso for 30 seconds and stir in the cream and let it simmer gently for 1 to 2 minutes before adding the pasta and Parmesan and some of the pasta cooking water. I add the miso directly to the sauce and whisk it in, then use tongs to mix the pasta and sauce.

The sauce should clump with the noodles when stirred. You can use pasta water, a tablespoon at a time, to moisten the sauce if needed. I always have a measuring cup of pasta water ready on the stove while draining pasta so the pasta water can help create a sauce from butter, cream, and cheese.

What makes this special

One pan heats the pasta sauce. The other pan heats the pasta. No other pan is used on the stovetop.
Getting ready to cook saves time preparing the meal. There are five items other than specialized equipment needed for this recipe to make the sauce.
Add pasta water to adjust the sauce's consistency, one tablespoon at a time, until the pasta is fully coated.
White miso pairs well with Parmesan and garlic flavors in the sauce without tasting too strong.
Long pasta works well for this recipe. Linguine and fettuccine help the sauce adhere to the pasta.

Instructions

Cook the pasta in heavily salted water according to the package directions until al dente. Reserve at least 1 cup of the starchy pasta water before draining.

While the pasta cooks, melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.

Reduce the heat to low. Add the white miso paste and whisk constantly for 30 seconds.

Slowly whisk in the heavy cream until smooth and combined. Simmer gently for 1 to 2 minutes.

Add the drained pasta, grated Parmesan, and 1/4 cup of the reserved pasta water to the skillet. Toss vigorously to combine.

Continue tossing, adding more pasta water one tablespoon at a time, until the sauce reaches your desired consistency. Serve immediately with extra Parmesan, black pepper, and optional scallions or sesame seeds.

FAQ

Substitute vegan butter for regular butter. Substitute full-fat canned coconut cream or cashew-based cream for heavy cream. Substitute nutritional yeast for Parmesan cheese.

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Dinner Pasta Vegetarian Italian Japanese Quick Meals Stovetop

Miso Pasta Sauce with White Miso and Parmesan

Name: Miso Pasta Sauce with White Miso and Parmesan
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 20 min
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 12 oz linguine, spaghetti, or other long pasta; 4 tbsp unsalted butter; 3 cloves garlic (finely minced); 3 tbsp white miso paste (Shiro miso); 1/2 cup heavy cream; 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese (finely grated, plus more for serving); 1 cup reserved pasta water (as needed); freshly cracked black pepper (to taste); sliced scallions or toasted sesame seeds (optional, for garnish)

By Ethan ParkerOct 28, 2026

Prep

5 min

Cook

15 min

Total

20 min

Servings

Level

Easy

Jump to recipe

What makes this special

One pan heats the pasta sauce. The other pan heats the pasta. No other pan is used on the stovetop.
Getting ready to cook saves time preparing the meal. There are five items other than specialized equipment needed for this recipe to make the sauce.
Add pasta water to adjust the sauce's consistency, one tablespoon at a time, until the pasta is fully coated.
White miso pairs well with Parmesan and garlic flavors in the sauce without tasting too strong.
Long pasta works well for this recipe. Linguine and fettuccine help the sauce adhere to the pasta.

Ingredients

Servings4

•12 oz linguine, spaghetti, or other long pasta
•4 tbsp unsalted butter
•3 cloves garlic (finely minced)
•3 tbsp white miso paste (Shiro miso)
•½ cup heavy cream
•½ cup Parmesan cheese (finely grated, plus more for serving)
•1 cup reserved pasta water (as needed)
•freshly cracked black pepper (to taste)
•sliced scallions or toasted sesame seeds (optional, for garnish)

Instructions

1
Cook the pasta in heavily salted water according to the package directions until al dente. Reserve at least 1 cup of the starchy pasta water before draining.
2
While the pasta cooks, melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
3
Reduce the heat to low. Add the white miso paste and whisk constantly for 30 seconds.
4
Slowly whisk in the heavy cream until smooth and combined. Simmer gently for 1 to 2 minutes.
5
Add the drained pasta, grated Parmesan, and 1/4 cup of the reserved pasta water to the skillet. Toss vigorously to combine.
6
Continue tossing, adding more pasta water one tablespoon at a time, until the sauce reaches your desired consistency. Serve immediately with extra Parmesan, black pepper, and optional scallions or sesame seeds.

FAQ

Substitute vegan butter for regular butter. Substitute full-fat canned coconut cream or cashew-based cream for heavy cream. Substitute nutritional yeast for Parmesan cheese.