With al dente pasta coated in a glossy, savoury-sweet sauce made with butter and shoyu (Japanese soy sauce), this butter shoyu pasta is quick, effortless, and utterly irresistible. Together with sautéed mushrooms and crispy bacon adding a salty crunch, every bite is satisfying, umami-rich, and layered with flavour.
Topped with fresh coriander or a sprinkle of toasted sesame seeds, this dish is easy enough to make, yet impressive enough to serve your family, friends, or guests. The best thing is, it’s ready in just 15 minutes!
Table of contents
- Why you’ll love this recipe
- Ingredients for butter shoyu pasta
- How to make butter shoyu pasta
- Success tips on making butter shoyu pasta
- Can I use salted butter?
- Can I make it vegetarian/vegan?
- Why is the sauce oily/separated?
- What proteins pair well with this pasta dish?
- How to store leftovers?
- More Japanese recipes
Why you’ll love this recipe
- Quick and easy: Ready in 15 minutes, this dish is perfect for busy nights yet tastes like a restaurant-quality meal.
- Just a few simple ingredients: This dish is mainly made with pasta, butter, and soy sauce. With only these 3 staple ingredients, you can make a delicious meal in no time!
- Customisable: Add in garlic and mirin to elevate the dish’s flavour profile, and customise it with your own choice of toppings, such as mushrooms, bacon, or soft-boiled egg.
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Ingredients for butter shoyu pasta
- Pasta: Spaghetti or linguine is the best type of pasta for this recipe as their long, slender shape lets the glossy butter-shoyu sauce coat every strand perfectly.
- Butter: For its buttery, subtle nutty flavour to create a glossy and satisfying sauce.
- Shoyu: A Japanese soy sauce that has a delicate savoury-sweet flavour, which is the key ingredient that packs the dish with umami. If you don’t have shoyu, you can substitute with soy sauce and add a splash of mirin/sugar for sweetness.
- Mirin: This is optional but it rounds out the saltiness of shoyu with its gentle sweetness, creating a more complex and well-balanced sauce.
- Garlic: This is optional but sautéing garlic in butter elevates the flavour with a boost of umami, making the dish more aromatic and delicious.
- Black pepper: For seasoning.
- Optional add-ons: I added sautéed mushrooms for their earthy depth, and crispy bacon for extra salty crunch in every bite. Garnish with some fresh coriander, toasted sesame seeds, , or a soft-boiled egg for an ultimate satisfying bite.
How to make butter shoyu pasta
- Prep: Mince the garlic and slice the bacon into small pieces. Set aside.
- Cook the pasta: Boil the pasta in salted water for 2 minutes less than the package instructions recommend. Meanwhile, make the butter-shoyu sauce.
- Crisp the bacon: In a frying pan over medium-high heat, cook the sliced bacon until golden-brown crisp.
- Sauté mushrooms: Add in mushrooms, and sauté until slightly golden.
- Make the sauce: Add in butter and minced garlic, then sauté until fragrant, then stir in soy sauce and mirin. Cook for about 1 minute to reduce the sauce.
- Combine: Toss in cooked pasta, stirring constantly to mix well. Season with salt/black pepper if necessary.
- Serve: Garnish with freshly chopped coriander. Enjoy!
Success tips on making butter shoyu pasta
Cook the pasta al dente.
You want the pasta to have some chew instead of getting mushy! I cooked the dish for 8 minutes in total (or 2 minutes less than the package instructions recommend), as you’ll be tossing them with the sauce, which will continue to soften them.
Stir vigorously.
You need to have enough heat intensity to make this dish as delicious as restaurant-quality. Once you’ve added in butter and minced garlic, stir quickly to sauté until fragrant, then add in soy sauce and mirin. Otherwise, if you cook everything too slowly, the butter will easily burn!
Reserve pasta water.
If the pasta gets too dry as you stir, you can add in some pasta water. The starchy water also helps to emulsify the butter, coating the pasta in a silky, glossy sauce.
Can I use salted butter?
Yes, but reduce the amount of soy sauce slightly to avoid being too salty. Be sure to taste and adjust!
Can I make it vegetarian/vegan?
Yes, simply opt out the bacon and use mushrooms only. To make it vegan, substitute butter with vegan butter or olive oil, and use coconut aminos instead of soy sauce.
Why is the sauce oily/separated?
Butter can break if overheated. You can fix it by adding a splash of hot pasta water and stirring vigorously to re-emulsify.
What proteins pair well with this pasta dish?
Chicken, shrimps, or scallops pair well with this butter shoyu pasta. Cook them separately in the pan and add them back to the pasta at the end to avoid overcooking.
How to store leftovers?
Store the leftover pasta in an airtight container for up to 3 days in the refrigerator. Reheat gently with a splash of water to revive the sauce.
Creamy, savoury, and irresistible rich, this butter shoyu pasta is a Japanese-Italian fusion that you never knew would be this addictive! Whether you’re craving a quick weeknight dinner or a simple cosy meal, this dish delivers.
More Japanese recipes
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Butter Shoyu Pasta
Ingredients
- 180 g spaghetti
- 1 garlic clove minced
- 25 g unsalted butter
- 1-2 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp mirin (optional)
- 4 pcs bacon sliced
- 1 cup mushrooms
- Black pepper for seasoning
- Fresh coriander chopped (optional for garnish)
Instructions
- Prep: Mince the garlic and slice the bacon into small pieces. Set aside.
- Cook the pasta: Boil the pasta in salted water for 2 minutes less than the package instructions recommend. Meanwhile, make the butter-shoyu sauce.
- Crisp the bacon: In a frying pan over medium-high heat, cook the sliced bacon until golden-brown crisp.
- Sauté mushrooms: Add in mushrooms, and sauté until slightly golden.
- Make the sauce: Add in butter and minced garlic, then sauté until fragrant, then stir in soy sauce and mirin. Cook for about 1 minute to reduce the sauce.
- Combine: Toss in cooked pasta, stirring constantly to mix well. Season with salt/black pepper if desired.
- Serve: Garnish with some freshly chopped coriander. Enjoy!