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Home » Recipes » Noodle

Wafu Pasta (Japanese-Style Spaghetti)

Published: Sep 6, 2024 | Modified: Jun 26, 2025 By Ryo Hikita | Leave a Comment

If you are looking for a popular Japanese pasta recipe, this Wafu Pasta is definitely worth trying. Its unique flavor, created by combining butter, soy sauce, and mushrooms, is sure to captivate you.

↓ Step-by-Step Recipe  

Wafu Pasta (Japanesem mushroom and butter soy sauce spaghetti)
Jump to:
  • What is Wafu Pasta?
  • The role of mushrooms
  • Topping options
  • Other Japanese-style pasta dishes
  • 📋Step-by-step recipe
  • Recipe card

What is Wafu Pasta?

Wafu Pasta refers to pasta dishes made with Japanese ingredients and seasonings. "Wafu" means Japanese-style, and in Japan, pasta made with Japanese ingredients is called "wafu pasta." Interestingly, there is no specific flavor profile that defines the dish.

In other words, the seasonings used can vary widely. Soy sauce, dashi stock, and mentsuyu (a Japanese noodle soup base) are commonly used, and mushrooms and vegetables familiar in Japanese cuisine are often added as ingredients. As long as a dish includes pasta and some of these elements, it can be considered wafu pasta.

Among the various types of wafu pasta, one of the most popular versions is made with butter, soy sauce, and mushrooms. This combination is well-known in Japan and is an easy way to create a Japanese-style flavor. It is one of the dishes many Japanese people think of when they hear the term "wafu pasta." Try making it with this recipe!

Wafu Pasta (Japanesem mushroom and butter soy sauce spaghetti)

The role of mushrooms

Among the many Japanese ingredients used in wafu pasta, one of the most common is mushrooms.

Mushrooms have long been a staple in Japanese cuisine, and they are known for being rich in the umami component—glutamic acid. This umami pairs well with Japanese seasonings such as soy sauce, miso, and dashi, adding depth to the dish. Typical Japanese mushrooms include the following:

  • Shimeji
  • Shiitake
  • Maitake
  • Enoki
  • Matsutake

Among these, shimeji mushrooms are the most popular choice for wafu pasta. They are rich in umami, and their pleasant texture adds a nice contrast.

While you can make this dish with other types of mushrooms or even omit them, I highly recommend using shimeji if they are available. They add a distinct flavor and texture, making your wafu pasta even more delicious.

Topping options

You can add a variety of toppings to this dish.

Popular ingredients include green onions (scallions), nori seaweed, and shiso leaves (perilla), which add both color and flavor. While the recipe calls for green onions, you can use other toppings to suit your taste.

Toppings aren't required, but adding them can really enhance the dish and make it more visually appealing—so be sure to give it a try.

Other Japanese-style pasta dishes

There are many unique pasta dishes that have been developed independently in Japan. All of them can be classified as "wafu pasta" because they incorporate Japanese elements, but they are usually referred to by their own distinct names. On my blog, I feature the following Japanese pasta dishes:

  • Napolitan (Japanese Ketchup Pasta)
  • Tarako Spaghetti

Each of these has a flavor profile that is quite different from the wafu pasta featured on this page. If you are interested in exploring more Japanese pasta recipes, be sure to give these a try. Each has its own unique characteristics and is well worth tasting.

Wafu Pasta (Japanesem mushroom and butter soy sauce spaghetti)

📋Step-by-step recipe

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Recipe Card

Ingredients

Servings: 1

US Customary - Metric
  • 3.5 oz spaghetti
  • 3.5 oz shimeji mushrooms or other types of mushrooms
  • 0.35 oz salted butter (for the mushrooms)
  • pinch of salt (for the mushrooms)
  • 1 green onion / scallion
  • ⅓ cup pasta cooking water (prepared in step 2)

Seasonings:

  • 0.35 oz salted butter
  • 2 tsp soy sauce
Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

🕒 Total: 15 mins mins
wafu pasta_instruction-1

Step 1
Trim off the base of the mushrooms and separate them into individual pieces. Thinly slice the green onion.


wafu pasta_instruction-2

Step 2
Bring a large pot of water to a boil, then add salt (about 1% of the water's volume; not included in the recipe) and stir to dissolve. Cook the spaghetti for about 30 seconds less than the time indicated on the package. In the meantime, proceed with the next step.


wafu pasta_instruction-3

Step 3
Heat butter in a pan over medium heat. Once the butter has melted, add the mushrooms and sauté until lightly browned. Then, add the pasta cooking water (as specified in the recipe) and let it simmer for about 1 minute before turning off the heat.


wafu pasta_instruction-4

Step 4
Once the spaghetti is cooked, drain it in a colander. Add the spaghetti to the pan and cook over medium heat, tossing to combine until only a small amount of liquid remains.


wafu pasta_instruction-5

Step 5
Turn off the heat, then add butter and soy sauce to the pan, tossing the spaghetti until the butter has melted from the residual heat.


wafu pasta_instruction-6

Step 6
Serve on a plate and top with the green onions.


To store

You can store it in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. However, it is best to consume it as soon as possible after cooking to enjoy its optimal texture.

Wafu Pasta (Japanesem mushroom and butter soy sauce spaghetti)

If you try this recipe, I’d love to hear what you think. Please consider leaving a review and star rating in the comments below. If you enjoyed it, I’d really appreciate it if you shared it with your friends.

Recipe card

Wafu Pasta (Japanesem mushroom and butter soy sauce spaghetti)

Wafu Pasta (Japanese-Style Spaghetti)

If you are looking for a popular Japanese pasta recipe, this Wafu Pasta is definitely worth trying. Its unique flavor, created by combining butter, soy sauce, and mushrooms, is sure to captivate you.
No ratings yet
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time: 2 minutes mins
Cook Time: 13 minutes mins
Total Time: 15 minutes mins
Servings: 1

Ingredients
 
 

  • 3.5 oz spaghetti
  • 3.5 oz shimeji mushrooms or other types of mushrooms
  • 0.35 oz salted butter (for the mushrooms)
  • pinch of salt (for the mushrooms)
  • 1 green onion / scallion
  • ⅓ cup pasta cooking water (prepared in step 2)

Seasonings:

  • 0.35 oz salted butter
  • 2 tsp soy sauce
Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions
 

  • Trim off the base of the mushrooms and separate them into individual pieces. Thinly slice the green onion.
    wafu pasta_instruction-1
  • Bring a large pot of water to a boil, then add salt (about 1% of the water's volume; not included in the recipe) and stir to dissolve. Cook the spaghetti for about 30 seconds less than the time indicated on the package. In the meantime, proceed with the next step.
    wafu pasta_instruction-2
  • Heat butter in a pan over medium heat. Once the butter has melted, add the mushrooms and sauté until lightly browned. Then, add the pasta cooking water (as specified in the recipe) and let it simmer for about 1 minute before turning off the heat.
    wafu pasta_instruction-3
  • Once the spaghetti is cooked, drain it in a colander. Add the spaghetti to the pan and cook over medium heat, tossing to combine until only a small amount of liquid remains.
    wafu pasta_instruction-4
  • Turn off the heat, then add butter and soy sauce to the pan, tossing the spaghetti until the butter has melted from the residual heat.
    wafu pasta_instruction-5
  • Serve on a plate and top with the green onions.
    wafu pasta_instruction-6

Notes

  • You can store it in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. However, it is best to consume it as soon as possible after cooking to enjoy its optimal texture.

Nutrition

Calories: 544.54kcal Carbohydrates: 79.97g Protein: 17g Fat: 18.13g Saturated Fat: 10.47g Polyunsaturated Fat: 1.18g Monounsaturated Fat: 4.33g Trans Fat: 0.66g Cholesterol: 42.66mg Sodium: 817.46mg Potassium: 614.96mg Fiber: 6.29g Sugar: 4.46g Vitamin A: 615.56IU Vitamin C: 2.26mg Calcium: 37.67mg Iron: 2.26mg
Author: Ryo Hikita (Umami Pot)
Cuisine: Japanese
Category: Main Dishes, Noodle Dishes, Quick
Keyword: butter, pasta, shimeji mushrooms, soy sauce
Enjoyed this recipe?I’d really appreciate it if you shared it with your friends.

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Welcome to Umami Pot!

I'm Ryo, a Japanese culinary expert living in Osaka, Japan. Here, I would like to share with you how to make Japanese dishes actually enjoyed in Japan, from traditional to modern, as clearly, concisely, and deliciously as possible.

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