Creamy Miso Noodles with Charred Mushrooms Content

These noodles are a nod to one of the four pastas of Rome: Gricia. In that recipe, pork and pecorino romano cheese are the star players. Here, we sub in umami-rich mushrooms and creamy white miso. Try to grab a mixture of different mushrooms—like beech, maitake, and shiitake—you’ll level up the flavors and textures of your final noodles. Serves 3. 

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Heat 2 tablespoons of oil over high heat in a large skillet until hot. Add half of the mushrooms in a single layer and let them cook undisturbed for 3 minutes. Toss and cook undisturbed again for 2 minutes. Add 1 noodle sauce packet, and stir to reduce liquid for an additional 1 minute. Remove from the skillet. Repeat with 2 more tablespoons of olive oil, the second half of the mushrooms, and another noodle sauce packet. (Save the remaining sauce packets—you won’t need them for this recipe.)

Boil 4 packs of noodles in salted water for 2 minutes, then drain, saving 1 cup of noodle liquid. (The salt level of the final dish will depend heavily on how much you salt your noodle water. If you prefer a lighter seasoned pasta, lightly season the noodle water. You can always adjust the seasoning at the end.)

Add 1 cup of noodle liquid to the skillet with ¼ cup white miso and 2 teaspoons black pepper. Bring to a boil and stir to dissolve miso into the water. Add mushrooms and noodles and toss until the liquid is thick around the noodles, about 1 minute. Turn off heat and stir in butter. Taste and adjust seasoning with more Kosher salt, as needed.

Scoop into bowls, then top with freshly grated fresh lemon zest. Serve immediately.