Miso Butter Salmon Pasta (Printable)

Creamy miso butter sauce coats salmon and pasta, complemented by tender bok choy and savory flavors.

# What You Need:

→ Seafood

01 - 14 oz skinless salmon fillets, cut into bite-sized pieces

→ Pasta

02 - 10 oz linguine or spaghetti

→ Vegetables

03 - 2 heads baby bok choy, chopped
04 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
05 - 2 scallions, sliced (for garnish)

→ Sauce

06 - 4 tbsp unsalted butter
07 - 2 tbsp white miso paste
08 - 2 tbsp soy sauce
09 - 2 tbsp mirin
10 - ⅓ cup heavy cream
11 - 1 tsp sesame oil
12 - ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper

→ Optional Garnishes

13 - 1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
14 - Lemon wedges

# Directions:

01 - Boil pasta in salted water according to package directions until al dente. Reserve ½ cup pasta water, drain, and set aside.
02 - Melt 1 tbsp butter with sesame oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add minced garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
03 - Add salmon pieces to skillet and cook gently for 2–3 minutes per side until just cooked through. Remove and set aside.
04 - In the same skillet, melt remaining butter. Whisk in miso paste, soy sauce, and mirin until smooth.
05 - Pour in heavy cream and black pepper, stirring to combine. Add chopped bok choy and cook for 2–3 minutes until just wilted.
06 - Return salmon to skillet and gently toss to coat with the sauce.
07 - Add drained pasta to skillet and toss together, adding reserved pasta water as needed to achieve a silky consistency.
08 - Plate immediately, garnishing with sliced scallions, toasted sesame seeds, and lemon wedges if desired.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • The miso butter sauce tastes like restaurant-quality umami but comes together in under five minutes.
  • Salmon cooks so quickly that you can have dinner on the table faster than ordering takeout.
  • It feels fancy enough for guests but honest enough for a weeknight when you just want something good.
02 -
  • Don't skip reserving that pasta water—it's liquid gold for loosening the sauce and helping it cling to every strand of noodle.
  • Miso and cream can curdle if you're not careful, so whisk the miso in slowly and keep the heat at a gentle medium, not raging hot.
03 -
  • Buy your salmon from a fishmonger if you can and ask them to cut it for you—they'll make sure the pieces are the same size so everything cooks evenly.
  • The pasta water is your secret weapon; it has starch that helps the sauce cling and creates that glossy finish that makes the dish look restaurant-quality.
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