This creamy, savory miso pasta is full of incredible flavor and takes just 20 minutes to make. It's an easy weeknight dinner recipe that is also budget-friendly!
If you're looking for a new favorite pasta recipe, this vegan miso pasta sauce is perfect to add into your rotation.
It's made with simple ingredients that are pantry-friendly which makes it great for a last minute dish if you're in a pinch.
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Reasons You'll Love This Recipe
- Made with pantry staples: This flavorful sauce is made of ingredients that are typically on hand in my pantry and fridge. This makes it a great last minute recipe when you don't have dinner planned.
- Vegan: Everything in this dish is completely vegan and plant-based.
- Quick & easy: It takes only 20 minutes to make this recipe from start to finish.
This recipe pairs well with these Vegan Summer Rolls and this savory Sesame Tofu.
Ingredient Notes
Miso Paste: There are a bunch of different types of miso paste to choose from. I used a "white miso paste" for this recipe. You can use any type of miso paste that you have on hand or like best.
Garlic: I like to use fresh garlic whenever possible for the best flavor outcome.
Pasta: I chose rotini for my pasta shape for this recipe. It's hearty enough and has plenty of space for sauce to hang out.
See the recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and quantities.
Substitutions & Additions
Make it gluten-free: All you need to do is swap the pasta for a gluten-free option and substitute the soy sauce for coconut aminos or tamari sauce.
Make spicy miso pasta: Though the original recipe has a little kick from the sriracha, you can double the amount of sriracha and/or add one teaspoon of red pepper flakes to turn up the heat.
Add veggies: You can add broccoli, carrots, or any of your favorite stir-fried vegetables to this pasta.
Add protein: Toss some sautéed tofu, edamame, or toasted cashews in with the pasta for an extra boost of protein.
Step by Step Instructions
Step 1: Boiling the pasta will take the longest so start off by boiling a pot of water and cooking your pasta according to package instructions
Top Tip: Don't forget to set aside 1-2 cups of the pasta water before you drain/strain the pasta.
Step 2: Combine the miso paste, reserved pasta water, sesame oil, agave nectar, and sriracha in a measuring cup and set it aside.
Step 3: Mince the garlic and sauté the garlic in the olive oil over medium-low heat in a pan for 1-2 minutes or until the garlic is fragrant. Be careful not to burn the garlic.
Next, pour the sauce mixture into the pan with the garlic and continue to cook it over medium-low heat for several minutes until it thickens slightly.
Step 4: Pour the pasta into the pan and gently stir until the pasta is well coated in the sauce.
Add any desired toppings and enjoy!
Expert Tips
- Don't burn the garlic. Garlic burns easily so make sure your heat is low to low-medium when sautéing it and watch it closely.
- Set aside the reserved pasta water. One of my biggest mistakes can be forgetting to set aside the pasta water before straining the pasta. Using pasta water rather than regular water can help thicken a sauce and is great to be able to use. Don't pour that precious ingredient down the drain by accident!
- Make extra sauce if serving later. If you plan to eat the pasta later, make extra sauce to stir in with it as you heat it up. The pasta tends to absorb extra sauce which can dry out the pasta when reheated.
Frequently Asked Questions
Typically miso is delicious when served in form of a pasta sauce, soup, or even in a salad dressing! The unique flavor can be used to bring many different types of recipes and foods to life.
Thankfully, no miso is not an inflammatory food and actually it's actually the opposite! Miso is made of soy beans which have anti-inflammatory properties.
Once it cools all the way you can store this pasta in a closed container in the fridge for up to three days. Be sure to add extra sauce or a tablespoon or two of water when reheating.
More Pasta Recipes You'll Love
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Creamy Miso Pasta
Ingredients
- ½ pound pasta
- 1 cup reserved pasta water
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 6 cloves garlic minced
- ¼ cup miso paste
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon sriracha
Instructions
- Start by boiling a pot of water and cooking the pasta according to package instructions. At the end of cooking the pasta set aside 1 cup of the pasta water before draining/straining the pasta.
- Mix together the miso paste, soy sauce, reserved pasta water, sriracha, and sesame oil and set it to the side.
- Mince the garlic and heat it in a pan with the olive oil over medium-low heat for 1-2 minutes until fragrant. Then pour the miso sauce mixture into the pan and continue to heat for several minutes allowing the sauce to thicken.
- Mix the pasta into the sauce until well coated/combined and enjoy fresh.
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