Miso Pasta
Servings: 2 people
- 6 ounces (170 grams) pasta we recommend bucatini, linguine, spaghetti
- 3 tablespoons (3 tablespoons) olive oil extra virgin
- 4 cloves (4 Edit Ingredientscloves) garlic grated or pressed
- 2 tablespoons (2 tablespoons) white miso paste
- 6 ounces (170 grams) chopped kimchi more or less to taste
Optional Toppings
- 2 (2) fried eggs runny
- 1 chopped (1) scallion
- 1 teaspoon (1 teaspoon) sesame seeds or sesame oil
- 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.
SUBSTITUTIONS
- 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.
