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    Home » Recipes » Pescatarian

    Updated: Apr 23, 2023 by Marc · 15 Comments

    Creamy Mentaiko Pasta

    Mentaiko Pasta (明太子パスタ) is a delicious Japanese-style cod roe pasta that comes together in a matter of minutes from just a handful of ingredients. With a rich, creamy sauce that's loaded with umami, it's no wonder this new classic has become a household staple in Japan.
    Recipe Video Pin
    Japanese pasta is a thing and this creamy mentaiko (spicy cod roe) pasta comes together in minutes using just a handful of ingredients.

    Some of my favorite traditional Italian pastas like Cacio e Pepe, Penne all'Arrabbiata, or even Bucatini all'Amatriciana come together in just minutes from a handful of ingredients. The common thread is the use of a few flavorful ingredients to make a quick, satisfying meal that's chock full of flavor. Applying the same methodology and techniques using ingredients from other parts of the world can result in new and surprising combinations that are just as simple and delicious.

    Wafu pasta (和風パスタ) which literally means "Japanese-style pasta" is a whole genre of pasta that has either been adapted or reinvented melding Japanese ingredients with Italian techniques.

    This creamy Mentaiko Pasta is an easy Japanese-style pasta that comes together from just a handful of ingredients in a matter of minutes.

    Japanese Pasta, A Short History

    Japan (as well as much of Asia) has a long history of eating noodles, but it wasn't until 1945 after the end of World War II, that America introduced spaghetti to Japan in large quantities. Given the food shortage at the time, and the interest in American culture, American-style spaghetti and meat sauce was quick to catch on, and it was soon a staple at western-style cafes around Japan.

    In the mid 1960s a small pasta shop in Shibuya called Kabé No Ana (literally "hole in the wall") is credited with the invention of Mentaiko Pasta. As the story goes, an orchestra musician on tour in Europe brought back some caviar as a souvenir. Not knowing what to do with it, he brought it to the restaurant, asking them to prepare it for him. The pasta the chef made was so delicious, he wanted to add it to the menu. The problem was that caviar wasn't readily available in Japan at the time. Looking for a substitute, the chef turned to the cured roes available in Japan, Mentaiko fit the bill.

    What is Mentaiko

    With spaghetti and spicy cod roe in a creamy sauce, this Mentaiko Pasta is a classic Japanese-Italian mashup that's as easy to make as it is delicous.

    Mentaiko (明太子) literally means "child of mentai," and the word "mentai" is derived from the Korean myeongtae (명태) which is the Korean name for Alaska pollock, a type of cod. The confusing part here is that Alaska Pollock is not a member of the Pollachius (Pollock) genus, but rather Gadus (cod), so although it's sometimes labeled as "Pollack roe," mentaiko is actually Cod roe.

    The roe is prepared by brining the whole roe sacks, and then seasoning it with powdered chilies. Prepared without the chilies, the brined roe is called Tarako (鱈子). While Mentaiko usually refers to the spicy variety, there are regions of Japan where both the mild version is called mentaiko, and the spicy one is called Karashi Mentaiko (辛子明太子). If in doubt, just look at the color. If it's bright red with visible chili flakes on the surface, it's probably the spicy kind, while a lighter pink or coral color is most likely the milder tarako.

    Ingredients for Creamy Mentaiko Pasta

    Pasta

    The traditional pasta is spaghetti, but I think that has more to do with the fact that it was one of the only shapes of pasta around when the dish was created rather than being the best shape suited for the sauce. I love making Mentaiko Pasta with other shapes that are good at holding onto the rich, savory sauce. Buccatini and Rotini are both great options, and I've even made this with Macaroni.

    Flavor

    Mentaiko is loaded with umami as well as salt, so the pasta gets most of its flavor from its namesake ingredient, but I like to take it up a notch by adding a bit of grated Parmigiano Reggiano. This really cranks up the umami, without making the sauce too salty. If you have some, adding just a bit of yuzu kosho adds a wonderful citrusy zing while taking the heat up a level.

    Fat

    Like any pasta, it's important to include some kind of fat in the sauce to help keep the noodles from sticking together. If I'm making this without cream, I'll sometimes use a combination of butter and olive oil, but because I've added cream to this version, I use olive oil as the main source of fat.

    Liquid

    To get the Mentaiko to coat the noodles evenly, it's important to have some kind of liquid. The traditional preparation of Mentaiko Pasta calls for cream as the liquid, which is why I've used it here, but you can make a lighter-style by using the boiling liquid from the pasta instead.

    Garnish

    For the garnish, I like topping my Mentaiko Pasta with some thinly sliced nori and green shiso. The nori complements the briny flavor of the Mentaiko while the shiso adds a fresh herbal pop that accents the rich sauce.

    How to Make Creamy Mentaiko Pasta

    Like most pasta's the process is super simple. I like to start by boiling the pasta in well-salted water, and then I prepare the sauce while the pasta is going. For the sauce, it's just a matter of whisking all the ingredients together. There's not a lot of precision needed here, and you can adjust the amount of liquid, oil, and cheese to suit your tastes. Since the pasta does not get cooked together with the sauce, it's important to cook it through to your desired level of doneness. Once you've drained the pasta, it's just a matter of tossing it together with the sauce before plating and garnishing it.

    Other Mentaiko Recipes

    • Creamy Mentaiko Dip
    • Onigiri

    📖 Recipe

    With spaghetti and spicy cod roe in a creamy sauce, this Mentaiko Pasta is a classic Japanese-Italian mashup that's as easy to make as it is delicous.

    Creamy Mentaiko Pasta (明太子パスタ)

    4.57 from 23 votes
    Print Pin Discuss
    Prep Time 3 minutes mins
    Cook Time 9 minutes mins
    Total Time 12 minutes mins
    Yield 3 servings

    Units

    Ingredients 

    • 90 grams karashi mentaiko (about 2 pieces)
    • 2 tablespoons olive oil
    • ¼ cup half and half (half cream, half milk)
    • 9 grams Parmigiano Reggiano (grated)
    • 200 grams dry spaghetti
    • ¼ sheet nori (cut into thin strips with scissors, for garnish)
    • 3 leaves green shiso (thinly sliced, for garnish)

    Instructions

    • Boil the pasta according to the package directions in well-salted water (about 1 tablespoon salt per 5 cups of water).
      Boiling spaghetti in a pot for Mentaiko Pasta
    • Whole mentaiko comes in the roe sacks which have a tough outer membrane. Pierce one end of it and then squeeze the roe out of membrane into the bowl, like you're squeezing toothpaste out of the tube.
      Separating Mentaiko roe from the membrane.
    • Add the olive oil, half and half, and Parmigiano Reggiano and then whisk to combine.
      Separating Mentaiko roe from the membrane.
    • Prepare the garnishes.
      Cutting nori into garnish-size strips.
    • When the pasta is done, drain it and then add it immediately to the bowl with the Mentaiko sauce. Toss to coat the pasta evenly.
      Tossing spaghetti with creamy Mentaiko pasta sauce.
    • You can plate it using tongs and a small bowl or ladle and then garnish it with the nori and shiso.
      Plating Mentaiko pasta using a bowl.
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    Nutrition

    Calories 410kcalCarbohydrates 51gProtein 17gFat 15gSaturated Fat 3gCholesterol 121mgSodium 87mgPotassium 241mgFiber 2gSugar 1gVitamin A 185IUVitamin C 4.8mgCalcium 77mgIron 1mg

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      Recipe Rating




    1. Eileen says

      April 13, 2019 at 3:03 pm

      Thanks for posting this recipe! We will try it soon,.

      Reply
      • Marc Matsumoto says

        April 13, 2019 at 3:53 pm

        You're welcome, I hope you enjoy it!

        Reply
    2. Fiona Manoon says

      April 20, 2019 at 3:52 pm

      I Love Chinese Food. And I loved your pasta recipe too.
      Thanks for sharing this amazing post .
      Would love to try this out .
      Keep Blogging !!

      Reply
      • Marc Matsumoto says

        April 22, 2019 at 8:42 pm

        Hi Fiona, that's for stopping by! This is a Japanese recipe, but glad to hear you enjoy Chinese food too!

        Reply
        • Oksana says

          October 02, 2020 at 9:03 pm

          :)))))

          Reply
    3. Oksana says

      October 02, 2020 at 9:02 pm

      Marc... I made it... almost like you said (used wakame and combu, because didn't have nori) And for 200 gr spagetti used around 35 gr of Mentaiko. But is was amazing!!!! This is the best! The problem is that to buy Mentaiko in Spain is the price of gold:)))
      Do you have a recipe how to make Mentaiko from scrach at home?
      Regards
      Oksana

      Reply
      • Marc Matsumoto says

        October 05, 2020 at 2:26 am

        Hi Oksana, I'm glad to hear you enjoyed this! I don't have a recipe for making Mentaiko, but the basic process is to salt the cod roe until it's rock hard (this is to kill any parasites that may be in it). Then its soaked in water a few times to reduce the salt content. After that, it can be seasoned with a brine including dashi, sake, and chili powder.

        Reply
        • oksana says

          October 13, 2020 at 2:24 am

          Thank you!

          Reply
      • Monica says

        December 15, 2020 at 6:54 am

        Hi, this may be hard to find, but there’s a processed food packet from S&B with Cod Roe that you can add to cooked spaghetti to make instant Mentaiko. You can find it on Amazon.

        Reply
    4. William Tang says

      May 26, 2021 at 1:33 pm

      Great recipe! Works so well. My family loves it.

      Reply
      • Marc Matsumoto says

        May 26, 2021 at 5:40 pm

        Thanks William! I'm glad to hear your family enjoyed it!

        Reply
    5. Karyn Hirsch says

      August 07, 2021 at 10:42 am

      Sounds great! A friend just told me about mentaiko and I think it's the next ingredient I will be experimenting with. Thank you for the thorough explanation and beautiful pictures.

      Reply
      • Marc Matsumoto says

        August 07, 2021 at 2:25 pm

        You're welcome Karyn! There are lots of ways to use it and I have several recipes on here including a tasty dip for bread, so I hope you enjoy it!

        Reply
    6. Bev says

      April 12, 2022 at 5:52 am

      I would love to try this but not sure where to buy some ingredients.

      Reply
      • Marc Matsumoto says

        April 12, 2022 at 10:09 am

        Hi Bev, for the mentaiko, try looking for a Japanese or Korean grocery store in your area. It's usually sold frozen, or in the refrigerated section with fish.

        Reply

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