Caramelized Mushroom and Onion Pasta

by Katie Reicher

Caramelized Mushroom and Onion Pasta

Katie Reicher

This pasta recipe was originally written to honor the fabulous, funky, cheesy qualities of cashew miso made by Shared Cultures in San Francisco, but any miso will work. That, plus Grana Padano, roasted mushrooms and chili crisp, make for an unusual but delightful fusion of flavors that are incredibly umami rich.

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Course Main Course

Servings 6 –8 servings

Ingredients

1 pound mushrooms, such as cremini, black trumpet, oyster or maitake, cut into bite-sized chunks
1½ teaspoons salt + more as needed
¼ cup grapeseed oil
1 pound fresh or dried fettuccine or pappardelle
1 large onion, sliced thin
2 tablespoons soy sauce or tamari
1 tablespoon brown sugar
2 cloves garlic, sliced thin
1 bunch lacinato kale, stems removed, torn into
1- to 2- inch pieces
6 tablespoons miso butter*, made with Shared Cultures cashew miso or mushroom miso
2 ounces Grana Padano or similar hard grating cheese (optional)
½ cup chili crisp
1 bunch scallions, sliced thin into ribbons or on the bias

Instructions

* Make miso butter by combining 2 parts butter with 1 part miso.
Preheat the oven to 425˚F. Toss the mushrooms with 1 teaspoon of salt and about 3 tablespoons of grapeseed oil. Spread in a single layer on a baking sheet and roast for about 20 to 25 minutes, until the mushrooms have dried out a bit and have caramelized nicely. Remove from the oven and set aside.
If making fresh pasta, prepare that next. Roll the pasta to very thin, nearly translucent sheets (about 1/16-inch thick). Roll the sheets up into long, loose cigars and slice crosswise into ¾-inch-thick ribbons for pappardelle, or into ½-inch-thick ribbons for tagliatelle. Bunch into nests and set aside.
Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add a small drizzle of grapeseed oil and the sliced onion and allow it to deeply caramelize, about 20 to 25 minutes. Stir the onions occasionally, so that they have time to sit and caramelize. While the onions cook, bring a large pot of water with a generous handful of salt to a rolling boil.
Once the onions have caramelized, deglaze the pan with the soy sauce, scraping up any stuck bits from the bottom of the pan. Add the brown sugar and salt to the onions and stir to dissolve. Reduce the heat to medium-low and add the cooked mushrooms to the pan along with the garlic and cook for 3 to 5 minutes, until the garlic is softened. Add the kale and cook until wilted, about 3 to 4 minutes.
Next, add the fresh pasta to the pot of boiling water and cook for about 2 minutes, until the pasta is al dente. If using dry pasta, cook according to package directions. Drain the pasta, reserving 1 cup of pasta water, and add to the pan with the mushrooms and kale. Add the miso butter and stir to coat. Add about half of the pasta water and the cheese. Stir to create a thick, rich, glossy sauce. Add more pasta water as needed. Adjust the seasonings to taste.
Portion the pasta into bowls and garnish with chili crisp and scallions.

Notes

Excerpted from Seasons of Greens: A Collection of New Recipes from the Iconic San Francisco Restaurant © 2025 by Katie Reicher. Reprinted by permission of Weldon Owen, an imprint of Insight Editions. Photography © Erin Scott.

Keyword mushroom