An Italian favorite with an umami-rich Japanese twist, this miso carbonara with salmon and ikura is a satisfying, easy meal.
Ramen, udon, soba — all noodles that people think of when they think of Japan. Did you know Japan also has a booming spaghetti scene? Italian-inspired wafu (Japanese-style) pasta was popularized in the 1960s via kissaten (coffee shops) and even more so during the “Itameshi” boom in the 80s (“Ita” short for Italian and “meshi” meaning meal). From Napolitan (ketchup pasta) to Tarako (cod roe), Japan has perfected their own type of spaghetti. It’s not traditional in an Italian-sense but they are all extremely delicious.
There are even restaurants in Japan that specialize in and only serve various kinds of wafu spaghetti. During one visit to Yomenya Goemon, one of these Japanese Spaghetti chains, I happened upon the magic of salmon carbonara. And much to my dismay, I have not seen it since (it was a seasonal item). So I was left with learning how to make it myself.
I decided to up the umami factor even more by adding miso into the carbonara. If you have never had miso in your pasta sauce, you are missing out. And voila – my umami bomb of wafu pasta: Miso Carbonara with Salmon and Ikura!
*Note: This recipe is quite fishy since it’s salmon + ikura, so if you want to tone it down a bit, I would reduce the salmon amount or leave out the ikura.
I also wanted to touch upon my Our Place “The Always” pan. I’ve been eyeing this pan for a while since it’s beautiful and multi-purpose. I finally had the opportunity to try it out (thanks Our Place & Jenny!). It was fun to use it for this dish since the pan is deep enough to both boil the pasta in (it comes with a strainer!) as well as to mix the pasta in.
If you would like to try any products from Our Place, you can use code SYLVIA10 for $10 off any purchase (code expires October 2021).
Miso Carbonara with Salmon and Ikura / サーモンといくらの味噌カルボナーラ
Ingredients
- 12 oz spaghetti (about 3/4 box)
- 1/4 lb salmon fillet
- 2 large eggs (whole) room temperature
- 2 large egg yolks room temperature
- 1 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
- 2 tbsp white miso
- salt & pepper
- green onions sliced, for garnish
Instructions
- Salt & pepper the salmon fillet. In an oven preheated to 375 degrees F, cook the salmon for 15 minutes or until cooked through. Use a fork to shred the salmon into small chunks. Set aside.
- Heat a large pot of water on the stove. Pour the water into a large mixing bowl and set aside.
- In a medium sized bowl, whisk together the eggs, egg yolks, parmesan cheese, white miso, and some salt and a decent amount of pepper.
- Heat another large pot of water on the stove. Cook your spaghetti until al-dente (approx 10 minutes). Drain the pasta but reserve 1 cup of pasta water.
- Pour out the water from the large mixing bowl and wipe the bowl dry. Put in the cooked spaghetti, pieces of salmon, and the egg/cheese mixture and mix well. If your sauce isn't looking creamy enough, add a small amount of pasta water as needed (work in small tbsp increments).
- Top the pasta with green onions and extra parmesan cheese and serve immediately.
Notes
Shop this post:
More items can be shopped in my Pantry, my Tools, or my Amazon shop.
*Links and products on this page may be affiliate links. There is no extra cost and it allows me to keep creating free content for you!
