Savory Miso-Butter Garlic Noodles
Savory Miso-Butter Garlic Noodles – Whip up this easy miso butter pasta in 30 minutes or less with pantry-ready ingredients! You’ll love this umami-rich twist on the garlic butter noodles recipe!
Savory Miso-Butter Garlic Noodles – The ultimate pantry dish you can whip up in 30 minutes or less! A savory miso-butter garlic sauce is the delicious base for this easy noodle dish from Egg Rolls and Sweet Tea by Natalie Keng.
Every cook needs a back-pocket recipe, and I’m always curious about what people make when they have no time to cook. So whenever I close out each podcast episode, I ask my guest, “What’s your emergency go-to meal?” I’ve gotten many answers, from boxed cereal to pizza. For me, the answer is usually soup. But I might have a new reply, thanks to one of my guests, Natalie Keng.
When we discussed her cookbook, Egg Rolls and Sweet Tea, I loved the fusion of Asian flavors and the stories behind her recipes. As a first-generation Chinese-American growing up in the Deep South, Natalie is also known as The Sauce Maven and the founder of an award-winning line of Georgia-grown, Asian-inspired sauces.
So when I saw her recipe for Savory Miso-Butter Garlic Noodles, I took one look at the ingredient list for the sauce and knew it was a must-make!
The recipe did not disappoint. I love that all the ingredients were already in my fridge and pantry, and I suspect they are in yours, too! It took just a few minutes to whip up the sauce and boil the pasta before I was twirling my fork into the savory goodness. The best part? Plenty of leftover sauce to keep in your fridge for future emergency meals makes this dish even faster!
Savory Miso-Butter Garlic Noodles Ingredients
As I mentioned, this recipe uses some heavy hitters that are most likely already in your refrigerator and pantry. And if they’re not, then I highly recommend you do. Not just for this recipe, but for many recipes that require extra flavor!
Miso adds a light umami flavor that is salty, rich and delicious. The flavor goes well in many dishes, and one of my favorite flavor-boosters. Plus, miso is fermented, so it also adds a healthy probiotic kick to a dish. I always keep a light and a dark miso in my refrigerator, and you can use either one in this recipe.
Combine miso with butter and garlic, and you’ve got a savory flavor combo that is irresistible and dynamic — making these Savory Miso-Butter Garlic Noodles delicious enough to be enjoyed on their own and adaptable enough to be combined with your favorite veggies and protein. They make a perfect, easy weeknight meal.
This recipe is made with spinach linguine, but you can use your favorite noodles instead or get creative trying out different varieties. As you can see, I opted for regular linguine, since that was in my pantry, and it was absolutely delicious.
How to Make Savory Miso-Butter Garlic Noodles
This recipe is packed with flavor, but it is super fast and simple to make. Everything comes together in less than 30 minutes.
- Cook the noodles
- Start by cooking your chosen noodles according to the package instructions.
- When the pasta is finished cooking but before you drain the pot, reserve about two tablespoons of the hot pasta water to be used in the next step.
- To prevent the pasta from sticking, rinse the pasta with cold water in a colander then transfer to a pot or bowl. Toss with a little olive oil and set aside.
- Prepare the miso paste
- Grab a medium bowl and combine the miso paste with the reserved pasta water. Dissolve the miso paste completely. Either light or dark miso paste will work.
- Once dissolved, add in the soy-ginger sauce, mirin, sesame oil, and sriracha. Mix everything well until combined and set aside.
- Prepare the butter and aromatics
- Melt the butter in a large wok or pan, careful not to brown or burn it. Add olive oil, minced garlic, and chopped shallots. Sauté everything over low heat until the garlic is fragrant and soft (not browned or burnt).
- Combine, warm, and serve
- Once the garlic is soft, add the cooked pasta, the miso sauce, and chopped cilantro and chives to the pan. Toss everything together thoroughly until everything is coated in the sauce and warmed. If needed, turn the pan to medium heat for just a minute to ensure everything is heated through.
- Plate the noodles and garnish with sesame oil and chili flakes to serve. Enjoy on its own or top with your favorite veggies and protein.
- We find this dish is best served warm.
Listen to the Podcast with Natalie Keng
For more Asian-inspired recipes, check out my interview with Natalie Keng in Episode 76 of the Kitchen Confidante Podcast!
More Miso Recipes
Miso-Marinated Steak Salad
Clam and Mussel Miso Soup
Miso Maple Glazed Salmon
Disclosure: I was sent a copy of Sweet Tea & Egg Rolls to review for the Kitchen Confidante Podcast Episode 76 with Natalie Keng. All opinions are, of course, my own. The post may have affiliate links; see my Disclosure page to learn more.
Savory Miso-Butter Garlic Noodles
Ingredients
For the Soy-Ginger Sauce
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1/2 cup water divided
- 1/2 cup soy sauce naturally brewed
- 1 teaspoon grated ginger or ginger paste
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 tablespoon rice wine such as Hong Biou Michiu quality-controlled Taiwan rice wine, or cooking wine
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon roasted sesame oil
For the Noodles
- 1 pound spinach linguine
- 4 tablespoons olive oil divided
- 1 teaspoon miso paste light or dark
- 1/4 cup Soy-Ginger Sauce (above) or soy paste
- 2 tablespoons mirin
- 1 tablespoon roasted sesame
- oil plus more for garnish
- 1 teaspoon sriracha
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 5 garlic cloves minced
- 1/4 cup finely chopped shallots
- 1/2 cup chopped fresh chives
- 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
- Chili flakes for garnish, optional
Instructions
Make the Soy-Ginger Sauce
- In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, dissolve the cornstarch in 2 tablespoons of water, then add the remaining water, soy sauce, ginger, garlic, sugar, wine, vinegar, and sesame oil. Whisk together until the sugar and cornstarch are completely dissolved, and bring to a boil while stirring frequently for 3 to 4 minutes, until the sauce thickens and is shiny and translucent. (see notes below)
Make the Noodles
- Cook the pasta according to the package instructions.
- When the pasta is done, reserve 2 tablespoons of hot pasta water before draining. To avoid sticking, rinse and toss the pasta in a colander under cold water for 30 seconds. Return to the pot or a bowl, toss with 2 tablespoons of olive oil, and set aside.
- In a medium bowl, dissolve the miso paste completely in the hot pasta water. Add the soy-ginger sauce, mirin, sesame oil, and sriracha and mix well. Set aside.
- In a large wok or pan, melt the butter, then add the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil, the garlic, and the shallots. Sauté over the lowest heat for 5 to 8 minutes, until the garlic is fragrant and soft. (The garlic should stay light-colored; fresh garlic burns easily, so remove the pan from the heat immediately if the garlic starts to brown on the edges.)
- Add the cooked pasta, chives, cilantro, and the miso sauce to the wok. Toss everything together. Keep tossing and turn the heat up to medium for 1 minute to heat everything through.
- Garnish with sesame oil and chili flakes (if using). Serve warm.
Notes
- Regarding the homemade soy-ginger sauce: this versatile sauce can be used as a cooking sauce by pouring over prepared meat, fish, or vegetables. It can also be used as a dipping sauce; just be sure to cool for 10 minutes after cooking.
- The homemade soy-ginger sauce recipe makes about 1 cup. You will only need 1/4 cup for this noodle recipe. Reserve the remaining sauce in your refrigerator for marinades, as a cooking sauce, dipping sauce, and more!
- Make the soy-ginger sauce in advance, and this recipe will come together in 30 minutes or less!
Nutrition
Comments
COOKBOOK
This miso butter garlic noodle recipe is absolutely divine! The umami flavor combination is perfect. Made it for dinner last night and my family devoured it in minutes. Will definitely be adding this to our weekly rotation. Five stars!