Miso Mushroom and Leek Pasta

Ingredients

• Salt (For the pasta water and to season the leeks and mushrooms; to taste.)
• 2 tbsp Olive oil (Plus more as needed, for drizzling, and for serving.)
• 2 cup Leeks (Medium; trimmed, white and light green parts thinly sliced (about 2 cups).)
• 1.5 lb Mushrooms (Stemmed and sliced; cremini, shiitake and/or oyster mushrooms.)
• 1 lb Short pasta (Such as ziti or cavatappi.)
• 2 tbsp White miso
• 0.75 cup Parmesan (Grated; plus more for garnishing.)
• 1 tbsp Sherry or red wine vinegar (Plus more to taste.)
• 1 tbsp Parsley (Chopped leaves and tender stems.)

Steps

1. 1

   Bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt it.

2. 2

   Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a Dutch oven or deep 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering.

3. 3

   Add the sliced leeks, season with salt, and cook, stirring often, until softened, about 5 minutes. If they look dry at any point, add a drizzle of olive oil.

4. 4

   Add the sliced mushrooms to the leeks and season lightly with salt.

5. 5

   Cook the mushrooms, stirring every 2 minutes, until browned, about 10 minutes. If they finish before the pasta, reduce the heat to low.

6. 6

   When the water is boiling, add the pasta and cook until al dente, following the package timing.

7. 7

   Halfway through cooking the pasta, reserve 1 cup of pasta water and let it cool slightly on the counter.

8. 8

   Drain the pasta in a colander. If it is ready before the mushrooms, drizzle it with olive oil.

9. 9

   When both the mushrooms and pasta are done, stir the miso into the reserved pasta water until mostly dissolved.

10. 10

    Add the miso-water mixture to the Dutch oven or skillet over medium-high heat, along with the pasta, grated Parmesan, and vinegar.

11. 11

    Stir vigorously for 1 to 2 minutes, until a cheesy sauce forms and coats the noodles.

12. 12

    Remove from the heat and taste; add more vinegar if needed.

13. 13

    Garnish with parsley and more Parmesan, then serve with a final drizzle of olive oil.

Notes

The description suggests farro, spelt, or whole-wheat pasta as options that complement the earthy flavors.

Nutrition per serving

• main
• pasta
• vegetarian
• contains gluten
• contains dairy
• stovetop
• weeknight