Miso Butter Salmon Pasta (Print-Friendly)

Tender salmon combined with creamy miso butter and al dente pasta, balanced by crisp bok choy.

# 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 It:

01 - Boil pasta in a large pot of salted water until al dente. Reserve ½ cup pasta water, drain pasta, and set aside.
02 - Heat 1 tbsp butter and sesame oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and sauté 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 - Stir in heavy cream and black pepper. Add chopped bok choy and cook for 2–3 minutes until wilted.
06 - Return salmon to skillet and gently toss to coat with sauce.
07 - Add drained pasta to skillet and toss together, adding reserved pasta water as needed to create a silky sauce.
08 - Plate immediately and garnish with sliced scallions, toasted sesame seeds, and lemon wedges if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It tastes restaurant-quality but comes together in under 40 minutes, no stress.
  • The miso-butter sauce is so addictive you'll find yourself scraping every drop from the pan.
  • It feels fancy enough for guests but casual enough for a weeknight win.
02 -
  • Don't overcook the salmon—it will keep cooking slightly in the residual heat of the sauce, so pull it off the heat when it still looks barely translucent in the very center.
  • The miso paste lumps are your biggest threat; whisking it with a little soy sauce before adding it to the pan makes all the difference between a smooth sauce and a grainy one.
  • Pasta water is liquid gold here—its starch is what creates that silky coating, so don't skip reserving it or you'll end up with a sauce that's too thick.
03 -
  • If you're cooking for someone with gluten sensitivity, swap the regular pasta for a quality gluten-free version and use tamari instead of soy sauce—the dish holds up beautifully.
  • A tiny pinch of chili flakes stirred in right after you add the cream brings out all the other flavors and adds a subtle warmth without heat.
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