These Miso Butter Noodles come together in just 10 minutes, with only a few ingredients! The simple miso butter sauce is so easy and so delicious. I like to make this recipe using frozen udon noodles. The thick, chewy noodles are the perfect pairing with this sauce, but you can also use whatever noodles you have on hand!
I like to whip up these quick miso noodles for an easy lunch or dinner when I'm short on time. If you're someone who keeps miso paste stocked in the fridge, then you likely already have nearly all the ingredients that are required! I like to make the miso butter with white miso paste (shiro miso) but you can use other varieties if desired!
Key Tips - Miso Butter Noodles
Use frozen udon noodles, if available.
- Frozen udon noodles can be found at Japanese grocery stores (and many other Asian grocery stores) in the US. They're much higher quality than other packaged udon noodle option, such as dried. The frozen udon noodles I buy (pictured below) are just as good as many restaurants!
- You can substitute other noodles or pasta in this recipe if you don't want to use frozen udon!
High quality butter and miso paste make the best miso butter.
- Since this is such a simple sauce, the quality of the ingredients can really shine through. Using high quality butter and high quality miso really pays off, if you have those available to you.
There are many kinds of miso paste, I recommend using white miso for this recipe.
- There are quite a few kinds of miso paste, my favorite kind for this recipe is white miso paste (shiro miso) which is a mild-flavored miso. It's one of the most commonly available varieties. One of the brands I like is pictured below!
- If you want a much stronger, bolder miso flavor, you could try making this with red miso (aka miso).
The corn starch is our “pasta water”.
- Most pasta pan-sauce recipes call for using some of the pasta water in the sauce. Pasta water has starch in it from the pasta, and this helps the sauce thicken and stick to the pasta. A little bit of corn starch dissolved in water will also do the trick, and actually give us better and more consistent results than using pasta water.
Check out my guide on freezing fresh garlic to save some time in the kitchen.
- If you're looking for the convenience of pre-minced garlic, but the flavor of fresh garlic, freezing your own minced garlic is a great option! You'll be surprised to find that the flavor of frozen garlic is nearly as good as fresh, without the sticky prep and clean-up. Read more about it here: How to Freeze Garlic.
Dietary Restrictions - Miso Butter Noodles
This dish is naturally Vegetarian.
Make it Vegan:
- Use vegan butter instead of normal butter.
Make it Gluten-Free:
- Use gluten-free pasta instead of udon noodles
- Make sure you're using gluten-free miso paste
A Note On Serving Sizes
Serving sizes are a very personal thing, making it difficult for me to select a serving size that suits everyone. These miso butter noodles are listed as 1 serving because they use one standard size block of frozen udon noodles. Since the sauce is somewhat rich, some may consider this a large serving. Pictured in the bowl is one batch.
Miso Butter Noodles
Ingredients
- 1 block frozen udon noodles ~9 oz each, see notes for substitutions
- 2 tablespoon butter
- 1 tablespoon white miso paste also called shiro miso
- 1 teaspoon freshly minced garlic about 1 clove per batch
- 1 green onion
- toasted sesame seeds for topping, or nori furikake
- 1 teaspoon corn starch to thicken sauce
- ⅓ cup warm water
- salt to taste
Instructions
- Begin boiling a pot of water for the noodles. Cook the noodles per package instructions as you prepare the sauce. (Frozen udon only needs a few minutes to cook, so I add them to the water when the sauce is almost ready.)1 block frozen udon noodles
- Thinly slice the green onion, and separate the white and green portions. Dissolve the corn starch in the warm water.1 green onion, 1 teaspoon corn starch, ⅓ cup warm water
- Set a skillet over medium to medium-low heat. Once hot, add the butter. Once the butter has melted, add the garlic and the white portions of the green onion. Cook, stirring frequently, until very fragrant, about 1-2 minutes.2 tablespoon butter, 1 green onion, 1 teaspoon freshly minced garlic
- Add the miso paste to the skillet and mix vigorously until the miso is fully incorporated into the sauce. This step can be a little difficult, I like to use a flat whisk to make it easier.1 tablespoon white miso paste
- Once the miso is fully incorporated, turn off the heat and whisk in the corn starch and water mixture. If the sauce is too thick, you can add a little more water, one tablespoon at a time. If the sauce is too thin, put the skillet back over medium low heat and reduce until the desired consistency is reached. Taste the sauce and season with a little salt if desired.1 teaspoon corn starch, ⅓ cup warm water, salt
- Add the drained noodles to the skillet and toss until they're fully coated in sauce. Transfer to your serving dish, top with sesame seeds and green onion, then serve.toasted sesame seeds
Notes
Nutrition
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Send me pictures of your creations -- it'll make my day! Message @CraftyCookbook on Instagram, email me ([email protected]), or tag me in a post! Please note, tagged posts are only visible to me if your account is public. Did you make any interesting changes or substitutions for this recipe? Tell me about them in the comment section below!
Madi says
So simple, thank you!