Mentaiko Pasta Sauce Recipe

Holding plate of mentaiko pasta with chopsticks.

5 from 4 votes

Mentaiko Pasta Sauce Recipe

Treat yourself to luxurious Mentaiko Pasta with a creamy sauce that's so delicious and made with only a few ingredients! This recipe is the epitome of proving that a fast meal can be full of flavor! Indulge in a restaurant-quality meal that's sure to impress!

Prep Time5

Cook Time15

Total Time20

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Asian, Japanese

Servings: servings

Calories: 448kcal

Author: Mikha S.

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!

Video

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