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Recipes
December 2022

Jammy Onion and Miso Pasta

By Zaynab Issa

4.9

(24)

Bowl of Jammy Onion and Miso Pasta on blue gingham tablecloth with glass of white wine.
Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Thu Buser, Prop Styling by Heather Greene

This simple, flavorful bowl of spaghetti starts off in the same way a French onion soup does: with lots of onions. Instead of spending the better part of an hour getting cooked down in a skillet to get the same sweet-savory depth, these onions get kissed with umami-rich miso to achieve big flavor fast. The miso-caramelized onions melt into the stock, resulting in a silky sauce that coats every inch of the pasta. We love spaghetti for this, but any long noodle will work just fine.

What you’ll need

Recipe information

  • Yield

    4 servings

Ingredients

2

Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

3

Tbsp. unsalted butter, divided

2

large onions, thinly sliced

Kosher salt

4

garlic cloves, thinly sliced

1

Tbsp. white miso

1

cup low-sodium beef or chicken broth or water

Freshly ground pepper

12

oz. spaghetti

2½

oz. Parmesan, finely grated, plus more for serving

¼

cup 1½"-long chives

Need to make a substitution?

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Heat 2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil and 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter in a large high-sided skillet over medium-high. Add 2 large onions, thinly sliced; season with kosher salt. Cook, stirring often, until onions are softened and brown around the edges, 10–14 minutes.

    Step 2

    Add 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced, to skillet with onions and cook, stirring constantly, until softened and fragrant, about 1 minute. Add 1 Tbsp. white miso and cook, stirring constantly, until browned and beginning to stick to bottom of pan, 1–2 minutes. Pour in 1 cup low-sodium beef or chicken broth or water, scraping up any browned bits stuck to bottom of pan, and cook, stirring, until miso is dissolved, about 2 minutes. Season generously with freshly ground pepper. Reduce heat to low and keep onion mixture warm until pasta is ready.

    Step 3

    Meanwhile, cook 12 oz. spaghetti in a large pot of boiling salted water, stirring occasionally, until very al dente, about 1 minute less than package directions.

    Step 4

    Using tongs, transfer pasta to skillet (a little water coming along is okay). Increase heat to medium and add 2½ oz. Parmesan, finely grated, remaining 1 Tbsp. unsalted butter, and ½ cup pasta cooking liquid. Cook, tossing often and adding more pasta cooking liquid by ¼-cupful as needed, until cheese is melted and sauce clings to pasta, about 2 minutes.

    Step 5

    Divide pasta among bowls and top with ¼ cup 1½"-long chives and more finely grated Parmesan; season with pepper.

Explore Bon AppétitDinnerMainQuickEasyWeeknight MealsPastaSpaghettiPasta & NoodlesMisoChiveOnionVegetableVegetarianNut-Free