Miso Butter Salmon Pasta (Printable)

Salmon and pasta combined with miso butter sauce and crisp bok choy for a rich, umami meal.

# What You’ll 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

# How To Make:

01 - Boil a large pot of salted water and cook linguine or spaghetti until al dente according to package directions. Reserve ½ cup of pasta water, then drain and set pasta aside.
02 - Heat 1 tablespoon of butter and sesame oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add minced garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute.
03 - Add salmon pieces to the skillet and cook gently for 2 to 3 minutes per side until just cooked through. Remove salmon from skillet and set aside.
04 - Add remaining butter to the skillet. Once melted, whisk in miso paste, soy sauce, and mirin until smooth.
05 - Pour in heavy cream and add freshly ground black pepper. Stir to combine, then add chopped bok choy and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until just wilted.
06 - Return salmon pieces to the skillet and gently toss to coat evenly in the sauce.
07 - Add drained pasta to the skillet and toss everything together, incorporating reserved pasta water as needed to achieve a silky consistency. Serve immediately, garnished with sliced scallions, toasted sesame seeds, and lemon wedges if desired.

# Top Suggestions:

01 -
  • The miso butter sauce is so silky and savory that you'll find yourself scraping the bowl.
  • It comes together in 35 minutes, which means weeknight dinner without the takeout box.
  • Salmon and pasta rarely taste this elegant without feeling like you're pretending to know what you're doing.
02 -
  • Don't cook the salmon all the way through in step 3—it will cook again in the sauce and you don't want it falling to pieces.
  • Whisk the miso into the butter before adding cream, or you'll have a chunky sauce that no amount of stirring fixes.
03 -
  • Toasting the sesame seeds in a dry skillet for 30 seconds before garnishing makes them smell and taste twice as good.
  • If you have a splash of sake or white wine, add it to the butter before the miso—it rounds out the sauce in a way that makes people ask for the recipe.
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