Miso Butter Salmon Pasta (Printable)

A creamy dish with salmon, miso butter sauce, linguine, and crisp bok choy delivering rich umami notes.

# Ingredient List:

→ 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 - 1/3 cup heavy cream
11 - 1 tsp sesame oil
12 - 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

→ Optional Garnishes

13 - 1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
14 - Lemon wedges

# Directions:

01 - Boil pasta in a large pot of salted water following package directions until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water, then drain and set aside.
02 - In a large skillet over medium heat, melt 1 tablespoon butter with sesame oil. Add minced garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
03 - Add salmon pieces to skillet and cook gently 2 to 3 minutes per side until just opaque. Remove from skillet 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 add black pepper, stirring to combine. Add chopped bok choy and cook 2 to 3 minutes until wilted.
06 - Return salmon to skillet and gently toss to coat in sauce.
07 - Add drained pasta to skillet and toss thoroughly. Incorporate reserved pasta water gradually to achieve a silky consistency.
08 - Plate immediately and garnish with sliced scallions, toasted sesame seeds, and lemon wedges as desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It feels restaurant-quality but comes together in under 40 minutes, making weeknight dinners feel less like a chore and more like a treat.
  • The miso-butter sauce walks this beautiful line between savory and creamy, making your kitchen smell absolutely incredible.
  • You get protein, vegetables, and pasta all tossed together with zero fuss, which means one pan and genuine satisfaction.
02 -
  • Don't over-cook your salmon before it goes into the sauce, or it will become dry and chalky. It should look barely done when you remove it, because the residual heat and the warm sauce will finish cooking it perfectly.
  • Whisk your miso paste into the butter with intention, making sure there are no lumps hiding in the corners, otherwise you'll get bits of unmixed paste in your sauce.
  • Reserve that pasta water before you drain your pasta, because it's the secret to transforming a thick sauce into something that clings to every strand and tastes cohesive.
03 -
  • Toast your sesame seeds in a dry skillet for a minute before garnishing, because that's when they release their toastiest, nuttiest flavor and stop being just seeds and become an ingredient that matters.
  • If you accidentally over-cooked the salmon, the creamy sauce will partially forgive you, but it's worth going slow and checking early rather than recovering from dry fish.
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