This 20-minute miso pasta with kimchi is a creamy, easy, and umami-packed dinner idea. It’s delicious as is, or topped with scallions and a fried egg for a satiating meal.
For more Asian-inspired recipes, try our tofu soup, yaki udon, peanut noodles, and sesame noodles.
Why you will love this easy pasta recipe…
Trust me, this miso pasta is one of the easiest, most insanely delicious noodle dishes you’ll ever try.
Inspired by aglio e olio, it delivers the same bold, umami-packed punch as Italian classics like Carbonara 😳🔥.
The magic? Humble yet powerful ingredients like garlic, miso, and kimchi. Yes! Together they create a savory, spicy, tangy, and downright addictive sauce. You’ll love it.
We’re pairing it with thick, chewy bucatini (but spaghetti or linguine work too) for the ultimate Korean-Italian marriage.
And honestly? This miso-kimchi-pasta is our #1 obsession right now.
Extra hungry like me? 🍳 Top it with a fried egg, crispy tofu, or your favorite protein – shrimp, chicken, you name it. Or pair it with this asian cucumber salad for a fresh side.
Don’t forget a sprinkle of fresh green onions for brightness, and if you are feeling bold, drizzle on some sriracha for an extra kick 🔥🚒.
Ingredients
Find complete ingredient list, quantities, and substitutions in the recipe box at the bottom of the page.
- Pasta: we recommend a long and chewy pasta like bucatini, linguine, or spaghetti.
- Miso paste: we use white miso. Substitute any other miso.
- Kimchi: so good! We use store-bought kimchi. Substitute sautéed mushrooms for kimchi for a non-spicy miso mushroom pasta variation. Substitute vegan kimchi to make this recipe vegan.
- Garlic: fresh. Lots of!
- Extra virgin olive oil: it’s so good with garlic, miso and kimchi. You can substitute butter for olive oil.
- Egg: a fried one per potion for extra protein and delicious fats to help the kimchi shine. Omit if vegan.
- Toppings: scallions, crispy onions, sesame seeds, sesame oil, pickled red onions, and sriracha sauce. You pick.
Variations
- 🍳 MORE PROTEIN? Add a fried egg, crispy fried tofu, air-fried tofu, shrimp, or chicken. You pick!
- 🔥 LESS SPICY? Add 1/2 cup heavy cream to the sauce to soften the spiciness of the kimchi.
- 🧯 NO SPICY? If you are not into spicy foods substitute sautéed mushrooms for the kimchi and add 1/2 cup heavy cream. That’s it. Simple and delicious!
How to make miso pasta
Step 1: Cook the pasta in plenty of unsalted water following package instructions minus 2 minutes as we finish cooking it in the sauce. No salt needed as the miso and kimchi bring enough flavor.
Step 2: Heat the extra virgin olive oil in a large skillet, add grated or pressed garlic, and sauté for 1 minute until fragrant, without browning.
Step 3: Stir in miso paste and chopped kimchi. Let everything cooked for 5-10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add a splash of pasta water to loosen up the sauce.
Pro tip: We don’t recommend adding cream, as it softens the bold kimchi-miso punch. However, if you prefer a milder sauce stir in 1/2 cup heavy cream before adding the pasta.
Step 4: Add the slightly undercooked pasta to the sauce and toss everything together gradually adding reserved pasta water until the sauce is creamy and the pasta is cooked. The pasta should finish cooking in the sauce for 1-2 minutes to absorb flavor.
Step 5: Serve on a plate with chopped scallions, sesame seeds, and a fried egg. Drizzle on some sriracha for an extra fiery kick.
Tips
- Choose the right pasta: go for thick bucatini, linguine, or high-quality spaghetti, best if bronze-cut for that rugged texture that holds onto the sauce beautifully.
- No salt in the pasta water: the miso and kimchi bring plenty of salty flavor and adding salt to the water makes the dish too salty. Trust us, we tried.
- Undercook the pasta slightly: 2 minutes less than instructed on the package and finish it in the miso sauce. This ensure the pasta absorbs the flavors and stays perfectly al dente.
- Save the starchy pasta water: at least 1 cup, so that you can add it to the sauce to create a silky, restaurant-level sauce that clings to the pasta instead of pooling at the bottom of the plate.
- Make it a complete meal with toppings: add scallions for freshness, sesame seeds or crispy fried onions for crunch, fried tofu or a runny egg for extra protein.
More easy Asian-inspired recipes
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Miso Pasta
Ingredients
- 6 ounces pasta we recommend bucatini, linguine, spaghetti
- 3 tablespoons olive oil extra virgin
- 4 cloves garlic grated or pressed
- 2 tablespoons white miso paste
- 6 ounces chopped kimchi more or less to taste
Optional Toppings
- 2 fried eggs runny
- 1 chopped scallion
- 1 teaspoon sesame seeds or sesame oil
Instructions
- Cook 6 ounces pasta in plenty of unsalted boiling water following package instructions minus 2 minutes as we finish cooking it in the sauce.No salt needed as the miso and kimchi bring enough flavor.
- Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet, add 4 cloves garlic (grated), and sauté for 1 minute until fragrant, without browning.Stir in 2 tablespoons white miso paste and 6 ounces chopped kimchi.Let everything cooked for 5-10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add a splash of pasta water to loosen up the sauce.
- Add the slightly undercooked pasta to the sauce and toss everything together gradually adding reserved pasta water until the sauce is creamy and the pasta is cooked.The pasta should finish cooking in the sauce for 1-2 minutes to absorb flavor.
- Serve with 2 fried eggs, 1 chopped scallion, and 1 teaspoon sesame seeds. Drizzle on some sriracha for an extra fiery kick.
Video
Notes
- White miso: substitute red miso.
- Kimchi: substitute vegan kimchi to make this recipe vegan. Substitute sautéed mushrooms for a non-spicy variation.
- Extra virgin olive oil: substitute butter for olive oil.
- Egg: substitute fried tofu, shrimp, or chicken.
- Scallions: substitute pickled red onions.
- Choose the right pasta: go for thick bucatini, linguine, or high-quality spaghetti, best if bronze-cut for that rugged texture that holds onto the sauce beautifully.
- No salt in the pasta water: the miso and kimchi bring plenty of salty flavor and adding salt to the water makes the dish too salty. Trust us, we tried.
- Undercook the pasta slightly: 2 minutes less than instructed on the package and finish it in the miso sauce. This ensure the pasta absorbs the flavors and stays perfectly al dente.
- Save the starchy pasta water: at least 1 cup, so that you can add it to the sauce to create a silky, restaurant-level sauce that clings to the pasta instead of pooling at the bottom of the plate.
- Make it a complete meal with toppings: add scallions for freshness, sesame seeds or crispy fried onions for crunch, fried tofu or a runny egg for extra protein.
Nutrition
Hi! We are Nico & Louise
We’re here to share delicious, easy, and healthy plant-based recipes (vegetarian & vegan) 🌿✨.
Welcome to our blog, we are glad you are here.
This recipe was delicious and very easy to prepare. Surprising way to serve pasta. Love it.
Amaziiing, Juelie!! Thanks so much for taking precious time to comment here.
Kindest, Louise