Miso Butter Salmon Pasta (Printable)

Tender salmon combined with creamy miso butter sauce, linguine, and fresh bok choy for a savory dish.

# 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

# Directions:

01 - Boil pasta in salted water according to package directions until al dente. Reserve ½ cup pasta water, then drain and set aside.
02 - Heat 1 tbsp butter and sesame oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Sauté minced garlic 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 from skillet 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, then add chopped bok choy. Cook for 2–3 minutes until bok choy is just wilted.
06 - Return salmon to skillet and gently toss to coat with sauce.
07 - Add drained pasta to skillet and gently toss with salmon and sauce. Incorporate reserved pasta water as needed for a silky consistency.
08 - Serve immediately, topped with sliced scallions, toasted sesame seeds, and lemon wedges if desired.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The sauce comes together in minutes but tastes like you've been stirring a pot all afternoon.
  • Salmon stays impossibly tender while the bok choy gives you something crisp to bite into.
  • One skillet, one pot—cleanup is almost as quick as cooking.
02 -
  • Don't let miso paste hit the hot cream directly—whisk it smooth first with the cold soy sauce and mirin, or it'll seize into grainy clumps that no amount of stirring will fix.
  • The pasta water is not an afterthought; it's the difference between a sauce that clings to the noodles and one that pools at the bottom of the bowl.
  • Salmon breaks apart easily, so fold it back in gently with a spatula rather than tossing aggressively.
03 -
  • Buy the best salmon you can access; this dish is so simple that mediocre fish will taste mediocre no matter how well you execute.
  • Whisk miso with cold ingredients first, then add to heat—this prevents clumping and creates a smooth, pourable sauce every time.
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