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    Home » Recipes » Pasta Recipes

    Midnight Pasta Recipe

    Published: Oct 4, 2022 by Emily · This post may contain affiliate links.

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    This midnight pasta recipe is exactly what you'll want when it's late at night and maybe you've had a bit too much to drink. No chopping, 5 ingredients, so good!

    pasta in a bowl with various items in background.

    If there is one thing I love, it is an easy pasta recipe. Even more so, I love a pasta recipe that is easy enough to make at midnight, perhaps after a night of drinking. So good it'll sober you up!

    But really, this midnight pasta is good at any time of day. It's savory, slightly creamy, and full of umami flavor. It is so simple that the drunk and the sleep deprived can make it with no problem.

    Recipe Origins

    While this midnight pasta recipe is my own creation, I would not be surprised at all to see it had been made before. In fact, this midnight pasta is quite similar to the Japanese "wafu-style" pasta.

    "Wafu" means "Japanese style" and it can refer to almost anything that is done in the Japanese style. And, believe it or not, wafu spaghetti is actually quite popular! It isn't an exact recipe, but it usually combines Italian and Japanese ingredients, such as using soy sauce with butter, seaweed with parmesan, and – of course – using traditional Italian spaghetti.

    Additionally, the traditional Italian dish, Aglio e Olio, is often referred to as "midnight pasta." Despite the similar colloquial name, this recipe is quite different from that.

    Watch the video of this recipe:

    Why you'll love this recipe

    • Perfect in a pinch - By the time the noodles are cooked (which is super fast), you're nearly done! Just throw in the extras and mix it all up.
    • Only 5 Ingredients - Pasta, butter, soy sauce, cheese, and kewpie mayo.
    • Dress it up or down - If you're not making this in the middle of the night and stumbling around, feel free to dress this up by adding tofu or egg, scallions, spinach, etc!

    What you need for this recipe

    Ingredients and Substitutions:

    ingredients with labels.
    • Pasta - I recommend using angel hair or cappellini pasta because of how quickly it cooks, but any pasta shape will work!
    • Butter - Salted, cold butter is what I recommend. Vegan butter can be used as well, I recommend Earth Balance stick butter.
    • Soy Sauce - Regular soy sauce is best, though low-sodium can work as well. If gluten-free, substitute with tamari.
    • Kewpie Mayonnaise - I highly recommend using kewpie mayonnaise, as it is the BEST tasting mayo on the market. If you can access it, I do not recommend substituting. Vegan kewpie mayo is available, though hard to find.
    • Parmesan Cheese - Just a small amount of freshly grated parmesan goes a long way! Do not substitute with the green tube cheese shaker. If necessary, use vegan parmesan, I recommend the Violife block.
    • Salt & Pepper

    How to make this recipe

    Step 1: Cook Pasta

    Bring a medium to large pot of water to a rolling boil with a large amount of salt added to the water (around 1 tablespoon).

    Add in the angel hair pasta, stirring immediately to prevent clumping and to encourage even cooking.

    Once cooked to al dente, drain the pasta, but reserve about ¾ cup of pasta water.

    cooked pasta in water in a pot.

    Step 2: Flavor the Pasta

    Add the drained pasta back into the pot, over low or no heat.

    Toss in 1 tablespoon of cold butter and stir vigorously (but not so vigorously that it breaks all the noodles) to allow the butter to emulsify as it melts.

    Add in the soy sauce and kewpie mayo. Stir

    pasta with soy sauce and mayo in a pot.
    pasta with soy sauce and mayo and butter.

    If the pasta feels dry or difficult to stir, add a small amount of pasta water. The pasta should continuously be saucy and glossy.

    Add the next 2 tablespoons of cold butter and stir vigorously again until emulsified.

    Step 3: Finishing Touches

    Once the butter has melted/emulsified, sprinkle in the parmesan cheese and stir once more to combine.

    finished pasta dish in pot.

    Again, if the pasta is not saucy and glossy, add a bit more pasta water and stir until it is the desired sauciness.

    Add salt and pepper to taste.

    Serve hot.

    Optional, garnish with herbs and more parmesan cheese.

    pasta in a blue bowl.

    Expert Tips & Tricks

    • Emulsifying the butter is important in this recipe. When you just melt butter, the fat and the milk solids separate. When emulsifying, it basically keeps the fat and milk solids suspended in each other even when melted, so it creates a creamier texture that is less oily. Stirring cold butter continuously while it melts is how to create the emulsification.
    • If you're gluten-free, use your favorite GF pasta and tamari instead of soy sauce.
    • I highly recommend using kewpie mayonnaise, as it is the BEST tasting mayo on the market. If you can access it, I do not recommend substituting. Vegan kewpie mayo is available, though hard to find.

    Recipe FAQs

    Why is this recipe called Midnight Pasta?

    I named this pasta "midnight pasta" because it is so easy and satisfying, it's the perfect midnight meal (especially if you've had a drink or two). There is no need for a knife or a cutting board at all, and it cooks SO fast!

    Can I save leftovers for later?

    This midnight pasta saves relatively well. Store it in an airtight container. The past will likely be softer when reheated, but still delicious!

    Can I make this recipe vegan?

    This recipe is easily veganized! Instead of regular butter, use vegan butter (I recommend Earth Balance buttery sticks), and use vegan mayonnaise (if you can find vegan kewpie that is best). Either omit parmesan or use Violife parmesan block.

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    Love a recipe you've tried? Please leave a 5-star🌟 rating in the recipe card below and/or a review in the comments section further down the page. Don't forget to tag me on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook when you try one of my recipes!

    pasta in a bowl.

    Midnight Pasta Recipe

    This midnight pasta recipe is exactly what you'll want when it's late at night and maybe you've had a bit too much to drink. No chopping, 5 ingredients, so good!
    5 from 4 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: American, Asian, Italian
    Diet: Vegetarian
    Prep Time: 0 minutes
    Cook Time: 10 minutes
    Total Time: 10 minutes
    Servings: 2 people
    Calories: 401kcal
    Author: Emily

    Equipment

    • 1 Medium-sized pot
    • 1 Strainer
    • 1 Wooden Spoon or Rubber Spatula

    Ingredients

    • 4 oz Angel hair pasta
    • 1 tablespoon Soy Sauce
    • 3 tablespoon Salted butter cold, sliced into thirds
    • ½ tablespoon Kewpie mayonnaise
    • 1-2 tablespoon Parmesan cheese grated
    • Salt to taste
    • Pepper to taste

    Instructions

    • Bring a medium to large pot of water to a rolling boil with a large amount of salt added to the water (around 1 tablespoon).
    • Add in the angel hair pasta, stirring immediately to prevent clumping and to encourage even cooking.
    • Once cooked to al dente, drain the pasta, but reserve about ¾ cup of pasta water.
    • Add the drained pasta back into the pot, over low or no heat.
    • Toss in 1 tablespoon of cold butter and stir vigorously (but not so vigorously that it breaks all the noodles) to allow the butter to emulsify as it melts.
    • Add in the soy sauce and kewpie mayo. Stir.
    • If the pasta feels dry or difficult to stir, add a small amount of pasta water. The pasta should continuously be saucy and glossy.
    • Add the next 2 tablespoons of cold butter and stir vigorously again until emulsified.
    • Once the butter has melted/emulsified, sprinkle in the parmesan cheese and stir once more to combine.
    • Again, if the pasta is not saucy and glossy, add a bit more pasta water and stir until it is the desired sauciness.
    • Add salt and pepper to taste.
    • Serve hot.
    • Optional, garnish with herbs and more parmesan cheese.

    Notes

    • Emulsifying the butter is important in this recipe. When you just melt butter, the fat and the milk solids separate. When emulsifying, it basically keeps the fat and milk solids suspended in each other even when melted, so it creates a creamier texture that is less oily. Stirring cold butter continuously while it melts is how to create the emulsification.
    • If you're gluten-free, use your favorite GF pasta and tamari instead of soy sauce.
    • I highly recommend using kewpie mayonnaise, as it is the BEST tasting mayo on the market. If you can access it, I do not recommend substituting. Vegan kewpie mayo is available, though hard to find.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 401kcal | Carbohydrates: 43g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 49mg | Sodium: 707mg | Potassium: 156mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 549IU | Calcium: 41mg | Iron: 1mg
    Tried this Recipe? Pin it for Later!Mention @LegallyHealthyBlonde or tag #LegallyHealthyBlonde!

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      Recipe Rating




    1. Kaylee

      October 27, 2022 at 5:17 pm

      5 stars
      So good! The flavours all compliment eachother so well, and nothing is over powering or strong. Definitely try this one!!

      Reply

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