Treat yourself to this Easy Creamy Japanese Mentaiko Pasta tonight! Ready in about 20 minutes, this pasta features a creamy sauce with the salty and spicy pollock roe called mentaiko, a delicious Japanese delicacy!
Yōkoso and welcome! I'm so excited to share this incredibly easy and delicious Easy Creamy Japanese Mentaiko Pasta Recipe with you!
This dish is a wafu pasta, which features mouthwatering Japanese ingredients and flavors, and are much beloved in Japan.
You'll absolutely love this Japanese-style pasta which is not only delicious, but quick and easy and guaranteed to please.
But before I get to the recipe, let me tell you a little bit about the star ingredient in this dish, which is a spicy fish roe called mentaiko!
Jump to:
What Is Mentaiko?
Pictured above is the mentaiko that I used for my creamy mentaiko pasta recipe.
This product is from the brand Kanefuku, one of the world's best known mentaiko producing companies. Kanefuku's website defines mentaiko (spicy cod roe) as: "a traditional Japanese specialty food made from chili-infused Alaska pollack roe. Also referred to as karashi mentaiko, Japanese spicy caviar, or spicy cod caviar, mentaiko has a stimulating and delicate flavor."
Believe it or not, mentaiko is an incredible ingredient to add to spaghetti!
Mentaiko pasta is very popular with Japanese people and is a great example of the wafu style of Japanese cuisine.
You won't be able to get enough of this cream-based pasta with its great umami flavors!
So now let me show you the main ingredients as well as suggested garnishes that you will need to make this popular Japanese pasta noodle dish!
🥘 Ingredients
The ingredients you'll need to gather to make this mouthwatering Japanese pasta dish are:
- Spaghetti
- Mentaiko - I used the kind from a tube called "mash type"; you can also use pollock roe sacks called "whole type" (you'll need to open these and discard the membrane for use)
- Fresh garlic
- Soy sauce
- Butter - I used salted butter, but you can sub unsalted butter or extra virgin olive oil if you prefer
- Heavy whipping cream - I love using heavy cream rather than whole milk to give this dish a creamier texture
- Black pepper
And the garnishes I recommend are:
- Green onions
- Parmesan cheese (freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano is the ABSOLUTE BEST!)
- Strips of nori seaweed - the nori garnish is so lovely!
- Extra mentaiko - adding a bit of mentaiko on top is the perfect final touch!
You can get most of these ingredients at well stocked grocery stores. However, you may need to get your mentaiko at a Japanese market or Japanese grocery stores.
Mentaiko is also available at an online Asian grocery store called Weee which is where I purchased my mentaiko from!
🔪 Instructions
Prep your garlic, nori, green onions, and other ingredients ready for use in this recipe.
Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil, and cook your spaghetti to al dente according to your packet instructions.
While the spaghetti is cooking, set your other large pot on medium low heat and melt the butter. Once the butter is melted, add the minced garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes stirring constantly.
Now add the heavy cream, pepper, and soy sauce. Stir to combine, then reduce to the lowest heat just to keep the sauce warm.
Just prior to draining the pasta, add the mentaiko and stir it in to make a beautiful orange hued mentaiko mixture.
Then add the drained hot pasta to the mentaiko sauce and stir to combine.
Now get ready to indulge in your mouthwatering mentaiko spaghetti!
Suggestions For Serving
Serve up the pasta in some lovely dishes and garnish with green onions, nori strips, Parmesan cheese, and an extra dollop of mentaiko!
You could also add some sesame seeds if you like!
Japanese Pickled Cucumber would be a great side dish to accompany this delicious cod roe pasta.
You can find the recipe card with the full printable recipe below!
Enjoy!
FAQ
If you find yourself with leftover mentaiko, try stirring it into mashed potatoes it's absolutely delicious! You can also use it in your sushi or add a dollop onto your steamed rice for an extra pop of color and flavor!
Mash type of mentaiko (which comes in a squeezable container), is easier to use as all you have to do is squeeze it out of its container. The whole type comes in a membrane which you will need to remove for use in this recipe.
Some Other Pasta Recipes That You Will Enjoy!
- Japanese Style Shiitake Mushroom Pasta Recipe - here's another Japanese style pasta which is absolutely incredible!
- Easy and Best Linguine With Seafood Mix Recipe - if you have a bag of seafood mix in your freezer, try using it to make this recipe!
- The BEST Linguine With Pink Shrimp Sauce - this is one of the BEST seafood pastas you will ever make!
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Cheers!
Grace
Easy Creamy Japanese Mentaiko Pasta Recipe
Equipment
- 2 large pots one pot for cooking the pasta, and one for making the sauce
Ingredients
- 1 lb spaghetti cooked al dente, according to packet instructions
- ¾ cup mentaiko I used the kind from a tube; you can also use pollock roe sacks (you'll need to open these and discard the membrane for use)
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 6 tablespoon butter I used salted butter, but you can sub unsalted butter or olive oil if you prefer
- ½ cup heavy cream
- ½ ts black pepper
Suggested Garnishes
- green onions sliced thinly
- Parmesan cheese freshly grated, as much as you desire!
- nori seaweed cut into thin strips
- mentaiko add an extra dollop on top!
Instructions
- Prep your garlic, nori, green onions, and other ingredients ready for use in this recipe.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil, and cook your spaghetti to al dente according to your packet instructions.
- While the spaghetti is cooking, set your other large pot on medium low heat and melt the butter. Once the butter is melted, add the minced garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes stirring constantly.
- Now add the heavy cream, pepper, and soy sauce. Stir to combine, then reduce to the lowest heat just to keep the sauce warm.
- Just prior to draining the pasta, add the mentaiko and stir it in.
- Then add the drained pasta to the mentaiko sauce and stir to combine.
- Serve up the pasta in some lovely dishes and garnish with green onions, strips of nori, Parmesan cheese, and an extra dollop of mentaiko! Enjoy!
Grace
I just love this easy recipe using mentaiko! The flavor is so rich and the pasta so creamy, it's definitely a family favorite!