Looking for inspiration to shake up your pasta dinner? These popular Japanese pasta recipes (also known as wafu pasta) are going to be your new favorites. Fast, simple, and full of umami, they are hard to beat.
Can any food compete with pasta when it comes to speed, ease, comfort, and sheer deliciousness? But, if you’re tired of the same old tomato and cheese sauce, it’s time to give Japanese pasta—known as wafu pasta (和風パスタ)—a try.
A quick history of Japanese pasta:
Italian pasta was introduced to Japan during the Meiji period when the country opened its borders to international trade. Initially, pasta was a high-end dish available only at hotels and fancy restaurants, but it became widespread in the post-World War II period.
In the 1980s, Japan experienced a surge in the popularity of Italian cuisine, and pasta grew to be one of the standard popular meals for Japanese people. If you visit Japan today, you will find numerous Italian-style cafes and specialty shops serving a variety of pasta dishes.
While you can find classic Italian-style pasta dishes like bolognese and carbonara in Japan, there are many imaginative recipes that incorporate Japanese flavors. These fusion pasta dishes are considered a major part of ‘Yoshoku’—Western-influenced Japanese cuisine. Regardless of the style of pasta, you can expect serious satisfaction and a full depth of flavors!
Japanese Pasta (Wafu Pasta) Recipes You’ll Love
Here, we have rounded up a collection of our favorite Japanese-style pasta recipes that will enhance your weeknight staples. Here’s why you’ll love them:
- Fast and simple. They take no more than 30 minutes to make!
- Easily adaptable. Yes, you can switch out the proteins and vegetables with whatever you have on hand.
1. Creamy Mushroom & Bacon Pasta
Shiitake mushrooms and shimeji mushrooms are added to give new life to this Western-inspired pasta. For extra umami, just a dash of soy sauce will do the trick! Feel free to omit the bacon and add a spoonful of nutritional yeast for a vegetarian version.
♥ ‘It was easy to make and very tasty indeed, we replaced bacon with seafood and some vegetables (baby spinach and broccoli). My family enjoyed this dish very much and this recipe is for keeps.’ — Ravi
2. Ketchup Spaghetti (Napolitan)
Spaghetti with ketchup may receive serious objections, especially from our Italian friends. However, this pasta has a long history that reflects the openness of Japanese food culture. You need to try it to understand its popularity.
♥ ‘This is surprisingly delicious. I’ve had it several times and I must say the first time I didn’t realize it contained ketchup. (Maybe I was still jetlagged!). Children and some grown men are crazy for ‘Ketchup Spaghetti’. The grown men includes my husband.’ — Kitty
3. Japanese Style Pasta with Shrimp & Broccolini
Seasoned with butter, dashi soy sauce, and garlic chili oil, this easy pasta dish is one everyone will love! With a cook time of 15 minutes, this can easily be your weeknight favorite.
♥ ‘My husband is on a low-carb lifestyle so I used the Healthy Noodle (from Costco) and regular broccoli with tofu (didn’t have shrimp) and it was absolutely delicious!!’ — Laina
4. Creamy Miso Pasta with Tofu and Asparagus
This pasta uses simple ingredients that translate to a wholesome, plant-based, and delightful weeknight dinner.
♥ ‘This recipe is magic. We’ve had increasing difficulty with pasta dishes because dairy is bad for my partner’s digestive system. So many pasta sauces/recipes use either tomato or cheese (or both!), and we’d been having trouble finding any other options. Magic, I tell you. Turned out the first time, solved all our longstanding issues with pasta sauce. My partner loved it (I did too for that matter), and we had everything I needed just lying around the house.’ — DC
5. Mentaiko Pasta
Mentaiko pasta is very popular in Japan for good reasons! The noodles are coated in a buttery cream sauce and salty-spicy cod roe. Top with a fistful of nori and julienned shiso leaves, it makes an elegant and refined dish.
♥ ‘It was great. Thank you. Substituted Mentaiko with haddock roe from the fishmonger with salt and cayenne pepper, worked decently well.’ — 及川
6. Shiso Garlic Pasta
A Japanese take on the classic Spaghetti Aglio, Olio, the dish is simple yet so good. Toss the al dente noodles with plenty of garlic-and-chili-infused olive oil, and add in some chopped shiso leaves for a special touch. You can find shiso leaves from Japanese grocery stores, or grow them in your backyard. This aromatic herb comes in handy for many delicious Japanese dishes.
‘Easy to make, light on the tummy and full of flavor. So yummy! ‘ — Yui
7. Miso Butter Pasta with Tuna & Cabbage
This is another favorite pantry-led pasta. All you need is canned fish, pasta, cabbage, and basic Japanese seasonings to turn it into a full-blown meal.
♥ ‘I was initially dubious about a tuna and cabbage pasta but my three-year-old inhaled hers! That butter miso… goes down a treat!’ — Rebecca C
8. Ume Shiso Pasta
The combo of umeboshi (Japanese salted plum) and shiso lends a truly unique Japanese character to this simple pasta. To bulk it up, I added chicken and shimeji mushrooms. You can switch the chicken with lobster, salmon, scallop, or leave it out for a vegan pasta.
♥ ‘I just made this last night and it was super yummy! Thanks for the tasty recipe!’ — Kennedy
9. Clam Pasta
Infused with garlic, briny clams, white wine, and chili flakes, this clam pasta is very popular in Japan. It will remind you of a trip to the ocean.
♥ ‘Thanks for such an easy but yummy recipe. I made it twice n my kids love it!’ — Wendy
10. Japanese Pasta with Shrimp and Asparagus
Seasoned with soy sauce and flavorful dashi broth, this Japanese-style Pasta with Shrimp and Asparagus is light yet satisfying. Not a fan of asparagus? Try sweet peas, snap peas, mustard greens, watercress, artichoke, or collard greens!
♥ ‘Absolute FAVORITE!!! The Japanese dashi really brought out the flavor and made this outstanding. Fresh, spicy with the chili flakes and with a deep depth from the asparagus and shrimp. Such a wonderful recipe.’ — Don P
Amazing post as always. Can we possibly have a natto pasta recipe? A combination I never imagined working together but turned out surprisingly delicious after I tried in Tokyo.
Hi Sean, Thank you very much for your kind words and request! We currently don’t have the recipe on the site. We’ll make sure to add the Natto Pasta to Nami’s list. Thank you! 🙂
Inspirational post. I cook for one so fast and easy pasta dishes with variations is a great way to get out of the rut of the 4 main Italian (olive oil and garlic, marinara, Alfredo, carbonara) pasta sauce ideas.
Hi A_Boleyn, Thank you very much for trying recipes and for your kind feedback! We are glad to hear you enjoyed Japanese style pasta!☺️
How about an uni pasta recipe?
Hi Chuck! We currently don’t have the recipe on the site. We’ll make sure to add the recipe to Nami’s list. Thanks for your request!
Hi Nami-san,
Over the past few months, I’ve made 5 of these 10 pasta dishes and all were very good and very easy and quick to make. I haven’t made the Ketchup pasta yet but after seeing the positive comments from so many of your fans, I will make it in the near future. My wife doesn’t care for the taste of shiso and fresh clams are not readily available so haven’t made those but she liked the rest and my personal favorite is the Miso Butter Pasta w/tuna & cabbage — so easy and things that I like!
Hi Dan, Thank you very much for trying many of Nami’s recipes and for your kind feedback! We are glad to hear you found your favorite Japanese pasta!🙂