Japanese Mentaiko Pasta
A beloved Japanese-Italian fusion pasta that combines spicy pollock roe with butter and cream for an umami-packed sauce. It is a staple of Japanese kissaten cafes and home kitchens alike, offering a deeply savory experience unlike any Western pasta dish.
A creamy Japanese-Italian fusion pasta featuring spicy pollock roe and butter for an intensely savory meal.
Nutrition per serving
Ingredients
pasta
protein
dairy
seasoning
garnish
Instructions
Prepare the Mentaiko
Slit each mentaiko sac lengthwise and use a spoon to scrape out all the tiny pink eggs into a large mixing bowl. Add softened butter, heavy cream, and soy sauce, then stir gently to combine into a sauce.
Cook the Pasta
Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil and cook spaghetti according to package directions until al dente. Reserve 60ml of pasta water before draining.
Combine and Toss
Add the hot drained pasta directly to the bowl with the mentaiko sauce. Toss quickly and vigorously, adding splashes of reserved pasta water to loosen the sauce into a silky coating. The residual heat from the pasta will gently cook the roe.
Garnish and Serve
Divide the pasta between two bowls and top generously with thin strips of nori. Serve immediately while the pasta is still warm and the roe is just barely cooked.
Substitutions
Common mistakes
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