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Miso Butter Spaghetti with Scallions

Miso Butter Spaghetti with Scallions

By Felisia TanFebruary 19, 2025

  • Makes
    4-6 servings
  • Cook Time
    30 minutes
  • Rating

Miso and garlic deliver a flavor upgrade to that classic kid food—buttered noodles. Softened butter mixed with miso, garlic, scallion whites and lemon juice creates a simple, flavorful no-cook sauce for pasta. The heat from the noodles and some of the starchy pasta cooking water melts the butter, creating a silky coating. Use mild white miso, assertive red miso or a combination. Spaghetti or linguine are good here, but short gemelli and casarecce also work. If using a short pasta, start by adding only 2 tablespoons pasta water when tossing the noodles with the butter mixture.

Ingredients
  • 6

    tablespoons salted butter, cut into 1-tablespoon pieces, room temperature

  • ¼

    cup plus 2 tablespoons white miso OR red miso

  • 1

    small garlic clove, finely grated

  • 2

    tablespoons lemon juice

  • 4

    scallions, thinly sliced, whites and greens reserved separately

  • Kosher salt and ground black pepper

  • 1

    pound spaghetti or linguine

  • Chopped toasted walnuts, to serve

Step 1

In a large pot, bring 4 quarts water to a boil. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, using a silicone spatula, mash and stir the butter, miso, garlic, lemon juice, scallion whites and ¼ teaspoon pepper.

Step 2

To the boiling water, add the pasta and 1 tablespoon salt; cook, stirring occasionally, until al dente. Reserve about ½ cup of the pasta water, then drain. Immediately add the pasta to the butter-miso mixture, along with ¼ cup of the reserved pasta water. Toss vigorously, adding more pasta water, 1 tablespoon at a time, if needed, until lightly sauced; there should not be any liquid pooled in the bowl. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Serve sprinkled with the scallion greens and walnuts.

Step 3

Optional garnish: Finely grated Parmesan cheese OR furikake OR chili crisp

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