This 30-minute Creamy Miso Pesto Pasta with Pecans is simply the best. Packed with a savory white Miso paste, garlic and crunchy Pecans, this easy vegan pasta makes a perfect recipe for busy weeknights.
The more I cook with Miso paste, the more I discover its wonderful potential. Aside from a famous Miso soup, there's just so many other delicious things that you can make with this delicious condiment.
This luxurious Miso pasta is my latest favorite recipe that comes together quickly and easily and perfect for lunch or dinner.
Ingredients
Here's an overview of the specific ingredients for this recipe. For the exact ingredients and measurements, please scroll to the recipe card below.
📋 Ingredient notes
- Miso paste. There are many varieties out there, but in this recipe I specifically use white Miso paste. It's my literally go-to ingredient for every recipe. It has a bold umami flavor and works perfectly in pesto. I usually buy Organic Miso by Hikari Miso on Amazon. However, Kroger sells it too;
- Adobo sauce. If you don't have it, skip it and substitute with ⅛ teaspoon of cayenne pepper. I love using Adobo in this Miso pasta recipe because it has a very rich and slightly smoky flavor and it works beautifully in combination with Miso;
- Pecans. If you don't have them, substitute with the same amount of Walnuts;
- Rigatoni. You can use absolutely use any other pasta that you have in your pantry;
- Nutritional Yeast (not pictured): sprinkling cooked Miso pasta with nutritional yeast helps the sauce stick better. In addition, nutritional yeast is a wonderful source of Vitamin B12 and some other nutrients.
🔪 Instructions
1. Start off by cooking your pasta: fill a medium or large pot with slightly salted water, add Rigatoni and cook on a medium-low heat until pasta is cooked, about 12 minutes. Drain the pasta reserving 1 cup of pasta cooking liquid.
2. Next, make miso pesto: in a medium skillet combine olive oil, Pecans and garlic. Saute stirring occasionally for about 5 minutes. Discard the garlic and stir in tomato paste and Miso paste.
Saute stirring constantly for 2 more minutes and remove from the heat.
3. Now, add content of a skillet to a blender along with lemon juice and Adobo sauce. Process pesto stopping the blender from time to time to scrape the sides of a blender.
Make sure the Pesto ingredients are well combined and if it looks too dry, add a little more olive oil, a few tablespoons at a time.
4. Transfer cooked pasta into a large bowl along with plant-based butter, Miso pesto, ¼ cup of pasta cooking water and nutritional yeast. Toss pasta vigorously until well combined.
If needed, add more pasta cooking water to thin out the sauce. Serve Miso pasta immediately.
💭 Recipe Tips
Don't be afraid to add pasta water to the sauce. It will thin it out and make the whole dish creamy and delicious. Simply the best.
🍽 Frequently Asked Questions
There are a few types of Miso paste. While I haven't tried to make Miso pesto with all of them, I can tell you for sure that Hatcho Miso (usually sold at Whole Foods) will not work here.
It has a darker color and slightly bitter taste and will overpower all other ingredients in pesto.
White Miso paste is my go-to choice for all savory recipes.
Absolutely! This Miso pesto can be prepared 5 days ahead. Store it in a covered jar in a refrigerated.
Apart from Miso pasta, this delicious creamy pesto can be served with ravioli, rice or even as a sandwich spread.
Similar Recipes
If you make this recipe, please leave me a comment below and rate it. I always appreciate the feedback. Also, you can follow me on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest.
If you're looking for a quick overview of the recipe, please check out my Miso Pasta web-story.
Recipe
Creamy Miso Pesto Pasta
Ingredients
- 1 lb Rigatoni pasta
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ⅓ c olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic smashed
- ½ c walnuts
- 3 tablespoon tomato paste
- 3 tablespoon white Miso paste
- 1 ½ teaspoon Adobo sauce
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 3 tablespoon plant-based butter
- ¼ c nutritional yeast
Instructions
Cook Rigatoni
- Fill a medium or large pot with water, add salt and Rigatoni and cook on a medium-low heat until pasta is cooked, about 12 minutes. Drain the pasta reserving 1 cup of pasta cooking liquid.
Prepare Miso pesto
- In a medium skillet combine olive oil, garlic and Pecans. Saute stirring occasionally for about 5 minutes. Discard the garlic and stir in tomato paste and Miso paste. Saute stirring constantly for 2 more minutes and remove from the heat.
Blend Pesto
- Add content of a skillet to a blender along with lemon juice and Adobo sauce. Process pesto stopping the blender from time to time to scrape the sides of a blender. Make sure the Pesto ingredients are well combined and if it looks too dry, add a little more olive oil, a few tablespoons at a time.
Combine Pesto and pasta
- Transfer cooked pasta into a large bowl along with plant-based butter, Miso pesto, ¼ cup of pasta cooking water and nutritional yeast. Toss vigorously until well combined. If needed, add more pasta cooking water to thin out the sauce. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Miso paste. There are many Miso pastes out there, but in this recipe I specifically use white Miso paste. It's my literally go-to ingredient for every recipe. It has a bold umami flavor and works perfectly in pesto. I usually buy Organic Miso by Hikari Miso on Amazon. However, I saw White Miso paste in Kroger too;
- Adobo sauce. If you don't have it, skip it and substitute with ⅛ teaspoon of cayenne pepper. I love using Adobo in this recipe because it has a very rich and slightly smoky flavor and it works beautifully in combination with Miso paste;
- Pecans. If you don't have them, substitute with the same amount of Walnuts;
- Rigatoni. You can use absolutely use any other pasta that you have in your pantry;
- Nutritional Yeast: sprinkling cooked pasta with nutritional yeast helps the sauce stick better to pasta.
- Don't be afraid to add pasta water to the sauce. It will thin it out and make the whole dish creamy and delicious.
Carol says
Hi Iryna,
I have been using miso paste now for quite a while, and I am glad to find this new use for it because you have reminded me that I need to order a new tub of it!. It was thtough a recipe of yours that I came across it and since then I have used it many times. It is a wonderful unique flavour.
I also have marmite so I am all set to try this recipe!
Iryna says
Carol, I'm so happy you're using Miso paste in your cooking. It's a fantastic savory ingredient, isn't it?:)
I hope you'll give this Miso pasta recipe a try. If you do, please let me know how it turns out.
Easyfoodsmith says
The pasta sounds beautifully flavoured and I like the idea of of adding walnuts.