This miso pasta with shiitake mushrooms is an easy creamy, nutty meatless dish that’s perfect for your next meatless Monday. If you’re a fan of tahini or shiitake mushrooms, you’re definitely going to love it! **This recipe is suitable for both vegetarians and vegans.
Miso Pasta with Shiitake Mushrooms
Hello, you, shiitake mushroom lover! I know you’re here for a reason and I know that this miso pasta with shiitake mushrooms is going to come out of your skillet tonight or next (meatless) Monday. It just is.
Suitable for vegetarians and vegans, this creamy, nutty spaghetti is meatless food at its most glorious. To say that this easy spaghetti recipe is delicious is a gigantic understatement. I’ll admit I’m not one who can normally eat a meatless meal without feeling cranky afterward. But this rich miso mushroom pasta is so irresistibly good that it makes me forget all about the meat. Plus, it’s so easy to make you can even cook it for your midweek dinner.
And, if you’re a meal prep king or queen, this miso spaghetti with shiitake mushrooms recipe is freezer-friendly as well. It just ticks every box!
Can I Use Another Type Of Mushroom?
Yes, of course. But I think the recipe works really well with shiitake though. So, if it’s not too difficult for you to find them, I highly recommend you stick with them. There’s something about their smell that just makes them special. I’m a HUGE fan of them. In fact, I’m a huge fan of all kinds of mushrooms. If you’re like me, be sure to check out my other recipes with mushrooms below:
- Vegan Thai Mushroom Red Curry
- Sour Cream & Onion Mushroom Dip
- Savory Oatmeal with Vegetables
- Thai Shrimp and Glass Noodles (Goong Ob Woonsen)
- Tom Yum Goong (Thai Lemongrass Soup)
- Spicy Thai Eggplant & Mushroom Stir Fry
Miso and Tahini
I first made this miso mushroom spaghetti when I suddenly remembered one day that I’d bought 2 jars of tahini (on a buy 1 get 1 free offer) and left them untouched since then. Isn’t that how recipe developers develop recipes, people? They just make use of what they suddenly remember they have because they’re afraid that it’s going to sit there, gathering dust until it expires, no?
And as I wanted to make this dish meatless, I knew the only fix would be for this spaghetti to be creamy and yum. Or else I would end up feeling unsatisfied and banging my head against the wall all night.
To be fair, tahini is creamy and nutty in itself. Still, it’s pretty runny. It was only when I saw my little jar of miso in the fridge that I thought mixing the two with a little bit of pasta water might give my spaghetti sauce a creamy texture that’s not runny and coats my pasta noodles.
But I didn’t stop there, you guys. I love a good kick in my food and I love garlic too much to not include it in everything I can, so I added garlic and chilies to this easy yet scrumptious spaghetti recipe as well. So there you have it, the best miso pasta with shiitake mushrooms recipe!
Ingredients For Miso Pasta with Shiitake Mushrooms
- 2 ounces or 56 grams of dry spaghetti
- 1 tablespoon of olive oil
- 1 head of garlic, sliced
- 6 red Thai chilies
- 1 pinch of salt
- 5.3 ounces or 150 grams of shiitake mushrooms, sliced (if using dried, soak per package instruction first)
- 2 tablespoons of tahini
- ½ tablespoon of miso
- 15 cilantro leaves, chopped
Instructions
- Cook the spaghetti according to the package directions. Reserve about a cup of pasta water. Drain and set aside.
- Combine the olive oil, garlic, chilies and salt in a large skillet and warm over low heat, stirring occasionally, until the garlic softens and turns golden, about 6 minutes.
- Toss in the shiitake mushrooms and stir until cooked.
- Mix the tahini, miso and ½ tablespoon of pasta water together with a spoon in a bowl.
- Add the cooked spaghetti and miso-tahini mixture to the skillet and toss to combine. Add more pasta water if needed and season with salt.
- Plate the pasta and sprinkle with chopped cilantro leaves to serve.
Pro Tip
Here’s where you need to be careful. You want to start the chilies and garlic in olive oil on low heat. This way, you won’t burn them and you can let them infuse the oil, which will give your pasta an amazing flavor.
Now with a plate full of miso pasta with shiitake mushrooms, GET READY, SET, SWIRL!
Miso Pasta with Shiitake Mushrooms Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 ounces dry spaghetti
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 head garlic sliced
- 6 red Thai chilies or any other kind you prefer
- 1 pinch salt
- 5.3 ounces shiitake mushrooms sliced (if using dried, soak per package instruction first)
- 2 tablespoons tahini
- ½ tablespoon miso
- 15 cilantro leaves chopped
Instructions
- Cook the spaghetti according to the package directions. Reserve about a cup of pasta water. Drain and set aside.
- Combine the olive oil, garlic, chilies and salt in a large skillet and warm over low heat, stirring occasionally, until the garlic softens and turns golden, about 6 minutes.
- Toss in the shiitake mushrooms and stir until cooked.
- Mix the tahini, miso and ½ tablespoon of pasta water together with a spoon in a bowl.
- Add the cooked spaghetti and miso-tahini mixture to the skillet and toss to combine. Add more pasta water if needed and season with salt.
- Plate the pasta and sprinkle with chopped cilantro leaves to serve.
Notes