If you love Japanese flavours, these mouthwatering miso butter noodles are for you. This recipe combines the rich umami of miso, the creamy decadence of butter and the earthy goodness of mushrooms and cabbage, all tossed with perfectly cooked noodles. It’s a simple yet incredibly satisfying dish that’s sure to become a new favourite. Top with a fried egg or tempeh for a perfect quick and easy midweek meal.
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Before CT spent some time in Japan a few years ago, all I knew about Japanese cuisine was sushi and miso soup. I’ve been cooking with seaweed, shiitake mushrooms and miso for a lot longer than that, but I didn’t cook Japanese food.
That all changed when CT came back raving about all the fascinating foods and flavours he’d tried in the Land Of The Rising Sun. He insisted we eat out at Japanese restaurants whenever we came across one. This wasn’t very often, but it was enough for me to become enamoured too. Now it seems that much of the British population shares our enthusiasm. Itadakimas.
Dive Right In
Why Make Miso Butter Noodles
There are many reasons why you might want to make miso butter noodles. The Japanese are masters of delicious food and noodles are one of the fastest and most comforting dishes to make. My miso butter noodles include mushrooms and cabbage, which makes them even more satisfying.
- Balanced and Healthy – The inclusion of miso, cabbage, mushrooms, garlic and ginger, makes this dish not only tasty, but also loaded with vitamins, minerals, fibre and other health giving nutrients.
- Comfort Food at Its Best – Miso butter noodles, served in a bowl, provides a the perfect comfort food experience. It’s ideal for cozy evenings in or when you need a pick-me-up.
- Flavour Fusion – This udon noodle dish combines the savoury richness of miso paste with the indulgent creaminess of butter. The result is a flavour profile that’s comforting, satisfying and unique. You have to try it.
- Quick and Easy – Although this recipe isn’t quite a breeze to make, it is easy and very quick. There’s time to prepare everything else whilst the noodles are cooking. This makes it perfect for busy weeknights when you want a satisfying meal on the table without too much time or fuss.
- Satisfaction Guaranteed – When you take that first bite and savour the bold flavours of these miso butter noodles, you’ll understand why everyone loves them.
- Umami Explosion – Miso is renowned for its rich umami flavour. When paired with earthy mushrooms and cabbage, it takes your taste buds on a journey of delicious depth and complexity.
- Versatile – It’s very easy to customise this recipe. Go vegan and use vegan butter, choose your favourite mushrooms or noodles and adjust the seasonings to suit your taste. For extra protein you can top with a fried egg, as I have here or slices of fried tempeh. Use black sesame seeds, white ones or a mixture of both.
Miso Butter Noodles
Butter may not be a traditional Japanese ingredient, but my goodness does it pair well with miso. There is quite a lot of it in this recipe, which makes these miso butter noodles feel both decadent and luxurious. But the remaining ingredients are all quite healthy.
You need three pans for this recipe, so it’s not brilliant for washing up. But it is a quick dish to put together and that counts for a lot.
Although there is protein in the mushrooms and some in the miso and brown rice noodles too, I like to add a bit extra. It makes it seem more of a meal somehow. A fried egg is a firm favourite, but thin slices of fried tempeh are good too.
I go quite easy on the seasonings with this recipe. Miso and soy sauce are both loaded with salt, but I find you don’t need nearly as much of them as I’m often shocked to see in Asian-style recipes. However, as with any recipe, it’s what you like that matters, so feel free to add more of anything if you feel it needs it.
Ingredients
Fresh mushrooms, cabbage, onion, ginger, garlic and spring onions are important in this recipe, but the key ingredients are miso, butter, and of course, noodles.
I’ve included some notes for the ingredients that really matter below. However, for the full list of ingredients, see the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Udon Noodles
Udon noodles are one of the easiest Japanese noodles to get hold of. Traditionally, they’re made with whole wheat, however I’ve used Clearspring brown rice noodles*. These are mostly wheat, but contain brown rice too. They’re organic, slow dried and are absolutely delicious.
They aren’t cheap, but I tend to stock up on them when they’re on offer at the supermarket.
You can use instant noodles that just need warming up, but you’ll need to alter the timings of my recipe. I’ve never tried them.
Miso
Miso is one of my standby store cupboard ingredients. I use it a lot. It’s a super healthy fermented Japanese bean paste which comes in various varieties. Try to buy unpasteurised if you can as this contains the most nutritional benefits.
I’ve used red miso in this recipe but brown is fine too. At a push you can use white miso or barley miso, but they’re much milder and it’s good to have a more robust variety to give flavour to this dish.
Mushrooms
You can use any mushrooms you like in this miso butter noodles recipe. If you’re lucky enough to have foraged edible mushrooms this autumn, use those. I’d go for a giant puffball if I could find one. We’ve not been lucky in that department for several years though.
Shiitake are a good bet as they’re Japanese and help to give an authentic flavour. I like to mix them with chestnut mushrooms though, as they’re a bit more substantial in texture.
Cabbage
As with the mushrooms, you can use your favourite cabbage or whatever you can get hold of for this recipe. Maybe stick with a green one though for a nice colour contrast.
I used a savoy cabbage in this recipe. They’re delicious and abundant at this time of year. If you use a more tender cabbage, such as sweetheart, you won’t need to cook it as long.
Kale also works, so use that instead if you’d rather.
Tamari
Tamari is the queen of soy sauce. Although it’s more expensive than most, you get a more intense flavour and thus need less of it. And it’s both Japanese and gluten-free too.
You can use your favourite type of soy sauce instead, but I can’t recommend tamari* highy enough.
Rice Vinegar
I normally use brown rice vinegar* in these sorts of recipes. However, I recently acquired a bottle of Japanese rice vinegar*, so it seemed the obvious one to use for these miso butter noodles.
Rice vinegar is a really useful ingredient to have to hand as it’s not as acidic as other vinegars and is heavily used in East Asian cuisines.
Toasted Sesame Oil
Toasted sesame oil* adds complex nutty notes to food. It’s best used as a finishing oil rather than a cooking oil though. You don’t need much of it in this recipe, but a little goes a long way. So try not to leave it out.
How To Make Miso Butter Noodles
The key to this recipe is to have everything prepped before you start. It doesn’t take long to wash, peel and chop the veg, but once this is done the rest is quick and easy.
You’ll find ingredients and full instructions in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
Step 1. Cook Noodles
Start by cooking the udon noodles. Do this according to the pack instructions. Mine took twelve minutes, by which time everything else was ready for plating up.
If using instant noodles, heat them up at the same time as you put the cabbage in the pot. You need some of the cooking water for the cabbage after it’s cooked for a few minutes.
Step 2. Fry Onion & Mushrooms
Meanwhile, in a large frying pan (or wok), fry the onion in the oil over a moderately high heat for three minutes. Slice the onion into thin rings first.
Likewise, slice the mushrooms thinly. In theory you’re meant to dry brush mushrooms before using, but I usually give them a quick rinse under the tap instead and shake off any water.
Add them to the pan and fry for a further four to five minutes or until they’re brown and caramelised.
Don’t worry if they initially release liquid, it will soon disappear. Just give an occasional stir. Once done, take off the heat.
Step 3. Miso Butter Cabbage Sauce
If you haven’t already done so, finely shred the cabbage with a sharp sturdy knife whilst the onions are cooking.
Melt the butter in a medium-sized lidded saucepan over a moderate heat. As soon as it’s sizzling add the garlic and ginger and stir. Let it all sizzle for thirty seconds, then add the cabbage.
Stir so that the cabbage is coated in the garlicky butter, then clamp the lid on and let it cook for 5 minutes. Give an occasional stir to ensure the cabbage doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pan.
Stir in the miso and cook for a further minute.
Meanwhile thinly slice the spring onions (scallions) but separate the white parts from the green.
Add a little of the noodle cooking water along with the spring onion whites, tamari, rice vinegar and toasted sesame oil. Let it cook for a minute with the lid off, giving an occasional stir. The cabbage should be tender and saucy enough to coat the noodles, so add a little more of the noodle cooking water if needed.
Top Tip
If you don’t want to lose the beneficial probiotic effects of the miso, then add it at the end of the cooking process. Stir the paste with a spoonful or two of the hot, but not boiling, noodle water. Add it once you’ve taken the cabbage off the heat. Give it a good stir before plating up.
Step 5. Assemble Noodle Bowls
Drain the noodles and divide between two warmed bowls. Spoon the miso butter cabbage over the noodles then top with the mushrooms and onions. Sprinkle with the spring onion greens.
Fry the eggs, if using, in hot oil until they’re done to your liking. Use the same pan that the mushrooms were fried in, there’s no need to wash or wipe it out.
Place the eggs on top of the noodle bowls then sprinkle with a few black toasted sesame seeds. If you have furikake, use that instead.
Serve immediately, whilst still hot and eat with a fork or chopsticks, if liked.
How To Make Vegan Miso Butter Noodles
To make vegan miso butter noodles, simply follow the main recipe as is, but swap the butter for vegan butter.
The egg is optional anyway, but if you’d like to add a bit more protein to the dish, fry up a couple of slices of tempeh. They work a treat. Alternatively sprinkle with more toasted sesame seeds.
Other Miso Recipes You Might Like
Keep in Touch
Thank you for visiting Tin and Thyme. If you make these miso butter noodles, I’d love to hear about it in the comments below. Do you have any recommendations or advice for cooking noodles?
Please rate the recipe. If you post pictures of your creations on social media, use the hashtag #tinandthyme so I can see them.
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If you’d like more Japanese recipes, follow the link and you’ll find I have quite a lot of them. All delicious and nutritious, of course.
Choclette x
Miso Butter Noodles. PIN IT.
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Miso Butter Noodles With Mushrooms And Cabbage
If you love Japanese flavours, these mouthwatering miso butter noodles are for you. This recipe combines the rich umami of miso, the creamy decadence of butter and the earthy goodness of mushrooms and cabbage, all tossed with perfectly cooked noodles. It’s a simple yet incredibly satisfying dish that’s sure to become a new favourite. Top with a fried egg or tempeh for a perfect quick and easy midweek meal.
Servings: 2 people
Calories: 699kcal
Ingredients
- 200 g udon noodles (I used brown rice udon, which are a mix of wheat and brown rice)
- 2 tsp sunflower oil or other neutral tasting oil
- 1 onion finely sliced
- 150 g mushrooms finely sliced (I used half shiitake and half chestnut)
- 50 g unsalted butter
- 1 clove garlic finely grated
- 1 thumb size knob root ginger finely grated
- ½ small cabbage or a ¼ of a large one (I used a savoy cabbage) – finely shredded
- 3 spring onions (scallions)
- 2 tsp red miso paste brown or white are fine to use if that’s what you have
- 1 tsp tamari*
- 2 tsp rice vinegar (I used Japanese rice wine vinegar)
- ½ tsp toasted sesame oil*
- 2 tsp sunflower oil or other neutral oil (optional)
- 2 eggs (optional)
- 1 tsp black sesame seeds for sprinkling (I used furikake)
Instructions
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Boil the noodles as per pack instructions. Mine took 12 minutes.
200 g udon noodles
-
Meanwhile, in a large frying pan (or wok), fry the onion in the oil over a moderately high heat for three minutes.
2 tsp sunflower oil, 1 onion
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Add the mushrooms and fry for a further five minutes or until they’re brown and caramelised.
150 g mushrooms
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Whilst the onions are cooking, melt the butter in a medium-sized lidded saucepan over a moderate heat. As soon as it’s sizzling add the garlic and ginger and stir. Let it all sizzle for thirty seconds, then add the cabbage.
50 g unsalted butter, 1 clove garlic, 1 thumb size knob root ginger, ½ small cabbage
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Stir so that the cabbage is coated in the garlicky butter, then clamp the lid on and let it cook for 5 minutes. Give an occasional stir to ensure the cabbage doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pan.
-
Meanwhile thinly slice the spring onions and separate the white and the greens out.
3 spring onions (scallions)
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Stir in the miso and cook for a further minute.
2 tsp red miso paste
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Add 4 tbsp of the noodle cooking water, the spring onions whites, tamari, rice vinegar and toasted sesame oil. Stir-fry for a minute with the lid off. The cabbage should be saucy enough to coat the noodles, so add a little more of the noodle cooking water if needed.
1 tsp tamari*, 2 tsp rice vinegar, ½ tsp toasted sesame oil*
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Drain the noodles and divide between two bowls. Spoon the miso butter cabbage over the noodles then top with the mushrooms and onions. Sprinkle with the spring onion greens.
-
Fry the eggs, if using, in hot oil until they’re done to your liking. Place them on top of the noodles then sprinkle with a few black toasted sesame seeds.
2 tsp sunflower oil, 2 eggs, 1 tsp black sesame seeds
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Serve immediately, whilst still hot with chopsticks, if liked.
Notes
Nutrition Estimate
Calories: 699kcal | Carbohydrates: 93g | Protein: 24g | Fat: 29g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 54mg | Sodium: 1667mg | Potassium: 936mg | Fiber: 15g | Sugar: 19g | Vitamin A: 3061IU | Vitamin C: 79mg | Calcium: 130mg | Iron: 2mg
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