Buttery Mushroom Pasta in a Miso-Mustard Sauce

We rallied, made it over the hump of our 2026 illnesses, and finally made time to enjoy this dinner we tagged as our “final holiday hoo-rah” meal. Something we deemed a bit fancy + worthy of enjoying amongst our holiday tablescape, and it did not disappoint. This Mushroom + Miso-Mustard Pasta is so dang good! Perfectly savory, buttery and swimming in a sauce that’s equal parts interesting + delicious. The flavor is just a fun surprise - not really anything I’ve had in a pasta style dinner. I mean mustard and miso in a pasta sauce? It just sounded so out there but also so intriguing (plus I am currently obsessed with miso), so I just had to try it. And so glad I did! One of the best non-basic, non-red sauce pasta dishes I’ve ever made!

 
 

So savory. So good!

I am feel like I’m regularly on the hunt for a pasta dish that’s different. What I’m alluding to is something that steps outside the box of noodles in red sauce, or even noodles in the run of the mill alfredo. Something that pops with a seasonal veggie, maybe incorporates a fun cheese, or just has something that’s “unexpected” in the ingredient list. When scoping the internet, I read the words miso + mustard and I was sold! The end result is still very much a creamy cheese sauce vibe, but the whole thing rocks this fun, poppy flavor, and I’m honestly just obsessed with it.

I swear - it’s the signature miso flavor that shines in this pasta. It’s present + you can taste it in every bite, but slightly mellowed out with the cheese + cream. Point being that when you put it all together, it’s salty, balanced, and nothing short of addicting! The mustard is like back-up to the miso - adds some tang and a poppy acidity. Also, it’s delicious! But man it’s that miso that really hits!

Mushrooms + Butter. Nothing better!

If you can do anything when it comes to prepping mushrooms for a pasta dish, it is brown them in butter. It’s one thing I really took away from Julia Child - anything cooked in butter is just better. This is a concept that is very applicable to cooking mushrooms. Browned, crispy, seasoned with salt, pepper, and thyme - the best combination. I can’t get away with not eating a couple pieces straight out of the pan.

The butter-y mushrooms feel like a treat for the whole thing. Like the star on each forkful of pasta. They take time to make, and it’s worth it. My biggest advice is to give that same “go the extra mile” strategy to the other aspects of this pasta - grate the parmesan, find the freshest herbs, use the heavy cream. Just check all the boxes to make it an exceptional meal.

 
 

Banza or bust

And for balance, I used Banza pasta. Like miso, Banza pasta also gets my stamp of approval for an obsession-worthy ingredient. It’s become the dry good I keep consistently stocked in our pantry. Perfect vessel for this sauce and all other delicious things going on in this pasta, and it’s a good quality gluten free, high-protein substitute that makes me feel a bit better about indulging in a big bowl of pasta. Becuase let me tell you what - if there’s one thing I love it’s a big hearty bowl of pasta.

Fun, delicious, will absolutely make this again! It was perfect for setting a little bit of a date-night tone at dinner, and an ideal weeknight pick-me-up. The shrooms + sauce combo deserves nothing other than a chef’s kiss - the combo is such a winner and this out of the box pasta was a total success.

Side-note: our dogs were extra needy on this night, which made for a full family affair in the kitchen.

 
 

For the pasta

  • 3 tbsp butter

  • 1 lb. cremini mushroom, washed + sliced

  • Salt + pepper

  • 1/2 c. dry white wine

  • EVOO

  • 8 garlic cloves, sliced

  • 2 shallots, sliced

  • 3 tbsp miso

  • 2 tbsp Dijon

  • 1/2 c. heavy cream

  • 1 tbsp fresh thyme + a little extra for garnish

  • 1/2 c. freshly grated parmesan

  • 1 package of banza pasta, cooked al dente

Start by browning the mushrooms. Add the butter to a large skillet over medium heat. Once melted, add in the mushrooms, stir to coat, and continue to cook on medium for 3 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium low + continue to cook another 7-10 minutes, stirring regularly, Add in salt + pepper. Once the mushrooms are beginning to brown (kind of heavily), add in the wine. Bring the wine to a simmer + continue to cook until the wine is fully reduced. Remove the mushrooms + set them aside on a plate.

Move to filling a large pot with water + placing over medium heat. Salt the water + cover the pot.

In the same skillet as the mushrooms, add 2 tbsp of EVOO. Reduce the heat of the pan to medium-low. Add in the garlic + shallots. Once the shallots are tender, add in the miso + dijon. Season with a pinch of salt + pepper, cooking on medium for 2-3 minutes. Reduce the heat to low + stir in the thyme + heavy cream. Cover the skillet.

Move to cooking the pasta. When it’s cooked to al dente, add the pasta + about 1/4 cup of the pasta water to the sauce. Bring the sauce to a simmer, stir so the sauce coats the pasta, and stir in all but 2 tbsp of the parmesan. When the cheese is melted, stir in the mushrooms. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and continue to cook for 7-10 minutes.

Twirl up the pasta + place in warm bowl. Garnish with a litlte extra thyme + parmesan. You’re all set to enjoy!

Lesley ZehnerComment