Make luxurious Mentaiko Pasta with a rich and creamy sauce that’ll make your guest fall in love! They’ll never know this umami-filled cod roe pasta took only 20 minutes to make with a handful of ingredients!
🎥 Video: Watch How to Make the Recipe
🐟 What is Mentaiko Pasta?
Mentaiko Pasta is an Italian Japanese-style dish made with chewy spaghetti noodles tossed in a creamy mentaiko sauce. Mentaiko is cod roe that has been brined and seasoned to make it slightly spicy.
This Mentaiko Pasta recipe is decadent and truly a special treat for those you serve it to.
Unlike Tonkatsu, Salmon Teriyaki, or Teriyaki Chicken this spicy cod roe pasta isn’t a traditional Japanese meal, so you’ll most likely find it at modern Japanese restaurants. Or, you can make it at home with crispy Chicken Karaage as appetizer!
🧾 Ingredients
- Mentaiko: Also known as pollock roe or cod roe. I’ll admit that it can be a little tricky to find and there isn’t a substitution for this recipe since it has a unique flavor. Your best bet would be at local Japanese or Asian markets. They can either be fresh in the fish sac or already packaged.
- Noodles: Spaghetti noodles are typically used for this dish, however, you can check below for substitutions.
- Japanese Mayo: This has become increasingly popular because it adds so much richness and flavor to anything it touches.
- Dashi Stock: This adds a depth of flavor to the dish and I don’t recommend skipping it. You can find it at local Asian or Japanese markets, or on Amazon.
- Unsalted Butter: I recommend using the unsalted option since there’s plenty of salt from the cod roe, soy sauce, and dashi stock.
🔪 Directions
Step 1: Cook the Noodles
Bring a pot of water to a rolling boil, then cook the spaghetti noodles according to the package’s instructions. Drain and set aside.
Step 2: How to Make the Mentaiko Sauce
Making the sauce comes in two parts since the mentaiko and Japanese mayo don’t need to be cooked.
First, in a heat-proof mixing bowl, combine the Japanese mayo, cod roe, and soy sauce. Set aside.
Cook the remaining part of the sauce by sauteing shallots in butter until soft, then pour in the sake. Cook until the alcohol is evaporated, then add the dashi stock and reduce the sauce by half.
Finish the sauce with the cream and parmesan cheese, then stir until the cheese is melted.
Step 3: Toss Together
Carefully, pour the cream sauce into the heat-proof bowl with the mentaiko sauce. Combine well then add in the cooked spaghetti noodles until evenly coated.
Top with shredded nori and a little dollop of mentaiko on top as garnish, if desired.
🍜 Substitutions & Variations
Mentaiko pasta is typically made with spaghetti noodles, however, you can swap it out for udon noodles for an udon version. The extra-thick noodles give an extra chewy texture!
🥡 Storage
This dish is best eaten fresh. If you try to reheat it, the fish eggs become overcooked and it changes the flavor of the dish.
💭 Recipe FAQs
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Mentaiko Pasta Sauce Recipe
Watch How to Make It!
Ingredients
Ingredients:
- 8 ounces spaghetti noodles
- 2 tablespoons Japanese mayo
- 2 oz mentaiko* pollock roe or cod roe
- 1/2 tablespoon soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 large shallot finely diced
- 2 tablespoons sake
- 1/2 cup dashi stock
- 1/2 cup cream
- 2 tablespoon parmesan cheese grated
Toppings (Optional):
- shredded seaweed for garnish
Instructions
- Boil a large pot of water and cook the spaghetti noodles according to the package's instructions. Drain and set aside.
- In a large bowl heatproof, combine Japanese mayo, mentaiko, and light soy sauce. Set aside.
- Heat medium-sized skillet on medium heat. Melt the butter and add in shallots. Cook until they're soft then add in the sake. Cook until the alcohol has evaporated.
- Pour in the dashi stock and cook until the stock has thickened and reduced by half, stirring occasionally.
- Add the cream and parmesan cheese and cook until the cheese has melted. Reduce the heat if needed so the sauce doesn't come to a boil, otherwise, your sauce may have a grainy texture.
- Transfer the cream sauce to the mentaiko mixture, then toss in cooked noodles. Coat well then serve immediately with shredded seaweed garnished on top, if desired. Enjoy!
Notes
- Noodles: Fresh or frozen udon noodles are a great alternative if you love thick chewy noodles! Just double the noodle weight in the recipe when using pre-cooked noodles (like frozen pre-cooked udon)because dried pasta (like the spaghetti in this recipe) doubles in weight after boiling.
- Japanese Mayo: Japanese mayo is slightly sweeter and creamier – I don’t recommend swapping this out because the flavor of the sauce will change! You can easily find it at local Asian markets.
- Mentaiko: Also known as pollock roe or cod roe. I’ll admit that it can be a little tricky to find and there isn’t a substitution for this recipe since it has a unique flavor. Your best bet would be at local Japanese or Asian markets. They can either be fresh in the fish sac or already packaged.
- Dashi Stock: I highly recommend using dashi stock powder if you can find it at your local Asian markets or Amazon. However, if you have trouble, you can use chicken broth instead.
- Serving / Storing: This dish is best eaten fresh. If you try to reheat it, the fish eggs become overcooked and it changes the flavor of the dish.
Nutrition
Exact calculations may vary. For the most accurate nutritional information, use your preferred nutrition calculator, actual ingredients, and quantities used for the recipe. Please consult with your physician or registered dietitian if more precise nutrition calculations are needed for health reasons.
Wow, what an explosion of umami! I followed the recipe exactly, with the exception of adding two minced garlic cloves to the softened shallot and it was beyond delicious. You are right – the dashi is a must! I have enough ingredients to make another batch and cannot wait to eat this again! Thank you for this recipe!
This is the second mentaiko recipe I’ve made and the only one I’ll need moving forward. I’ve already made it twice and plan to make it again soon. It’s such a flavor bomb of umami! The only change I made was adding a couple cloves of minced garlic to the softened shallots. For maximum deliciousness, definitely don’t skip/sub the ingredients of this recipe!
Aww I’m so glad you’re enjoying this recipe, Amy! Garlic is such a good idea to add in! Thanks for sharing 🙂