Butter Shoyu Maitake Pasta is a Japanese fusion pasta dish featuring maitake mushroom cooked in the popular Japanese flavor combination of butter + shoyu (soy sauce) using vegan butter. It's comforting, easy to make, and irresistible with the taste of butter shoyu. This pasta is one of my favorites to make in fall!
Prep Time5 minutesmins
Cook Time20 minutesmins
Total Time25 minutesmins
Course: Main
Cuisine: Italian Inspired, Japanese Fusion
Servings: 2
Author: Plant-Based Matters
Ingredients
Cooking Pasta
3qtwater
2tbspsea salt
8oz dried spaghettior thin spaghetti
The Rest
1tbspextra virgin olive oilplus more for serving
1tbspunsalted vegan butter
2clovesgarlicminced
8ozmaitake mushroomsshredded into small pieces (trim off the bottom if needed)
Start boiling water for cooking pasta. Once the pasta water is boiling, salt the water and start cooking pasta of your choice (spaghetti or thin spaghetti) according to the instructions on the package. Reserve pasta cooking water.
While the pasta is cooking, prepare the rest. Heat up a frying pan at medium high heat. Pour extra virgin olive oil and unsalted vegan butter then add garlic. Cook for 1-2 minutes until fragrant.
Add maitake mushrooms and cook for 3-4 minutes until slightly browned.
Reduce the heat to medium and add the pasta cooking water, sake and soy sauce. Stir and continue to cook until pasta is done.
Once the pasta is cooked, drain well and transfer to the pan. Add black pepper and give a quick toss. Adjust the seasoning with extra sea salt if necessary.
To serve, top it with scallion and drizzle some extra virgin olive oil. Optionally, garnish with kizami nori.
Notes
Choice of Pasta
Spaghetti or thin spaghetti would work best for this recipe.
Short pasta and wide pasta aren’t recommended.
Choice of Butter
Be sure to use unsalted vegan butter for this recipe.
If using salted butter, adjust the amount of salt to season accordingly.
I use European Style Cultured Unsalted Vegan Butter from Miyoko's Creamery
Maitake
Maitake is a popular type of mushroom in Japan. The Japanese word “maitake” means "dancing mushrooms" in Japanese.
Maitake mushroom is rich in umami and delicate but slightly crispy texture. It’s also rich in fiber.
Sake
Sake adds a hint of sweetness and gives background flavor and aroma.
The alcohol content will be cooked off.
Be sure to look for vegan-friendly sake. I use Organic Junmai Sake from Hakutsuru.
Kizami Nori (Optional Toppings)
Kizami nori is Japanese shredded nori.
If you don’t have kizami nori, you can shred sushi nori seaweed with kitchen scissors.
See more information on Kizami Nori (Shredded Nori) on Vegan Japanese Pantry Guide.