I know I probably say this a lot. However, this vegan creamy miso pasta with caramelized mushrooms is one of the greatest meals I’ve ever had. I’m not even sure there are words to describe it, but I’m gonna try! The miso is umami, salty but well balanced. The cashew cream is the perfect thing to go with the miso. Creamy and nutty. The mushrooms are sweet and crispy. All of the this combined creates a very unique and truly amazing pasta dish!
Of course this pasta is super simple, just like I like them. With very few ingredients, you will honestly be shocked by how flavorful it is. And, even though it seems very indulgent, since it is so creamy, it is really only cashews, plant milk and miso that is creating the perfect sauce. Another great component is the use of pasta water to thin it out. Adding flavor but no calories which is pretty darn cool!
There are different types of miso paste, and for this recipe I recommend a mild white miso. However, if you love yellow or red and have it on hand, go for it! I love having a container of miso paste around to use for all kinds of things. Soup, stir fry, veggies. My daughter is a huge fan of miso soup, and I can whip some homemade miso soup up in no time.
Now, let’s talk about these caramelized mushrooms! If you have never thought about it before, now is the time to give it a try. Brown the mushrooms just like you would with onions. Then add brown sugar, maple syrup or agave and continue to brown. The mushrooms get crispy, sweet and salty. I seriously can’t think of anything that would go better with this vegan creamy miso pasta.
Super creamy miso sauce tossed with pasta and topped with sweet and salty mushrooms.
- 1/2 Cup Raw cashews, soaked*
- 8 Ounces Linguine or other long pasta
- 2 Tablespoons Vegan butter, I used Earth Balance
- 16 Ounces Baby bella mushrooms, sliced
- 2 teaspoons Brown sugar or maple syrup
- 1/2 Cup Non-dairy milk, unsweetened I used soy milk
- 2 Tablespoons Olive oil
- 6 Cloves Garlic, chopped
- 2 teaspoons White miso paste
- 1/4-1/2 Cup Reserved pasta water
- Salt and Pepper to taste
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You want to soak your cashews first, either in a bowl covered with room temperature water for 6-8 hours or overnight. Or for a faster option, cover the cashews in boiling water and soak for about an hour. Or boil the cashews for about 15-30 minutes. They will be nice and soft when ready.
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When the cashews are ready, drain them and set aside.
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Now, cook the pasta according to package directions. Drain when finished, making sure to save at least 1/2 a cup of the pasta water before you drain it.
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While the pasta is cooking, make the mushrooms. Melt the vegan butter on medium high in a large cast iron or non stick skillet. Add the mushrooms.
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Sauté the mushrooms, reducing heat as needed until they are nice and brown. This will take about 10 minutes. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Then add the brown sugar or maple syrup. Toss to coat the mushrooms. Then sauté for another 2-3 minutes or until the mushrooms are caramelized in the sugar. Remove the mushrooms from the skillet and place in a bowl. Set aside.
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While the mushrooms are sautéing, make a cashew cream sauce. Add the soaked, drained cashews to a blender, then add the non-dairy milk and a pinch of salt and pepper. Blend on high until completely smooth. This may take a few minutes. Set aside.
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Once you have removed the mushrooms from the skillet, heat the olive oil in the same skillet on medium high. Then add the garlic.
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Sauté the garlic, reducing heat as needed for 1-2 minutes. Then add the miso paste, and stir it into the garlic and oil. Let it smooth out and melt a bit into the skillet.
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Then add the cashew cream you made, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Stir to combine the cream, garlic and miso.
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Next, add the cooked pasta to the skillet and toss to coat the pasta in the miso cream sauce. It will be really thick at this point. So now, you want to take your reserved pasta water and pour in little at a time over the pasta and toss to combine until the sauce is the thickness you want.
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Taste and adjust seasoning, then serve with the caramelized mushrooms on top!
*If you can't have cashews, I have had success with firm tofu instead.
I followed the recipe exactly and it turned out delicious! The mushrooms with the miso pasta was the perfect flavoring. I will be making this again… and again… and again! Thank you so much for sharing this!
I saw this recipe posted right before my grocery trip today so I added mushrooms to my list and made it tonight. It was freaking AMAZING. I’m not a big mushroom fan but caramelizing them is a game changer. Also definitely going to be adding miso to my creamy sauces from now on. Highly recommend this recipe.
SO GOOD. Made this with shiitake mushrooms and a roasted parsnip + sage fettuccine.
Hella good! My mushrooms didn’t turn out quite as gorgeous (because i used a stainless steel pan?), but the flavor was divine. I topped with vegan parm.
This was delicious! I’ve never caramelized mushrooms before – brilliant idea!!! I increased the miso but quite a bit for a stronger miso flavor! I was out of Linguine so I used Angel hair. Definitely a repeat!!!
I made this recipe tonight after seeing it on your Instagram. It’s amazing!! One of my new favourites for sure.
I’d love to make this recipe, it looks so good!! I’m allergic to cashews so if anyone has any recommendations for how much tofu I should use or any other good substitutions, let me know 🙂