Miso Mushrooms and Parmesan Pasta

, from Issue #126, page 64. March, 2026
Photography Yuki Sato.
Miso Mushrooms and Parmesan Pasta

Umami-rich mushrooms, miso and parmesan combine into a silky, luxurious weeknight pasta dinner that just needs a crisp green salad for balance.

Serves: 2

INGREDIENTS

200 grams dried pasta (we used bucatini)
100 grams baby spinach
3 tablespoons olive oil
400 grams button mushrooms, sliced 1cm thick
sea salt and ground pepper
2 cloves garlic, crushed
60 grams butter, softened
2 tablespoons white miso
2 teaspoons sriracha hot sauce
¼ cup grated parmesan
½ cup cream

METHOD

Cook the pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water for 2 minutes less than the packet instructions. Take out ½ cup of the cooking water and set aside. Drop in the spinach, give it a quick stir then drain the pasta and spinach. Toss with a little olive oil and cover to keep warm.

Heat half the oil in a large frying pan over a medium-high heat. Add half the mushrooms, season with salt and pepper then let them brown for a couple of minutes. Stir and cook for another few minutes until lightly golden. Transfer to a plate and repeat with the remaining oil and mushrooms. If you overcrowd the pan, the mushrooms will stew rather than brown. Add the first batch of mushrooms back to the pan and stir in the garlic.

Stir the butter, miso, sriracha and parmesan together in a bowl until smooth. Add to the mushrooms with the cream and bring to the boil. Add the pasta and spinach, gently stir together and cook for 2 minutes, adding a splash of the reserved cooking water if needed so it forms a silky sauce that coats the pasta.

To serve: Divide between two bowls and top with a grind of black pepper.