Mentaiko pasta is a creamy and rich Japanese-style spaghetti with cod roe as its main ingredient. Mentaiko is cod fish eggs or pollock roe that are salt-cured and marinated in spices. It's used to make a gently spiced cream to pour on top of this Japanese cod roe pasta.
It's full of umami deliciousness and is a welcomed alternative to traditional Italian pasta in Japan.
Our recipe will show you how to make mentaiko pasta and alternatives if you're overseas and can't get the star ingredient.
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Mentaiko Pasta Ingredients
Here are the ingredients you'll need for our creamy Japanese cod roe spaghetti.
- Mentaiko
- Spaghetti
- Half and half (milk and cream) or milk and butter
- Olive oil
- Nori seaweed (for garnish, optional)
- Toasted sesame seeds (for garnish, optional)
- Spring onions (for garnish, optional)
Although Japanese cod roe pasta has some crucial ingredients, some items can be substituted.
Mentaiko
Spicy cod roe or pollock roe is vital to this Japanese noodle dish. We typically buy it at a speciality Japanese grocery store. Otherwise, you can purchase it online in mentaiko cans or tubes.
However, as this ingredient can be tricky to find, you can also buy a mentaiko pasta packet instead. Our favourite is S&B mentaiko pasta sauce. If you use a packet of sauce rather than making your own, you won't need half and half or olive oil, as the sauce is pre-made.
While you can substitute mentaiko with tarako, tobiko or masago, we don't recommend it. These other fish eggs do not provide the same salt, spice and umami that cod roe provides. If you use any of these instead, note that it will not taste the same.
Spaghetti
Spaghetti is the most common pasta used in Japan, but in our opinion, it's not a must. You can also choose to use fettucini, rigatoni, or your favourite pasta. We suggest picking a type that best soaks up the sauce.
The texture ranges from al dente to soft, depending on how you like it cooked.
Half And Half (Milk And Cream)
With our recipe, you can use half and half, which is milk and cream, or use milk and butter.
Most mentaiko pasta recipes from the States will use half and half. However, if you can't find this, you can replace half and half using a combination of milk and heavy cream with a ratio of 1 to 1. They will turn out creamy and rich just like using half and half.
We like combining milk and butter to replace half and half for a few reasons. Milk and butter are items we usually have in our pantry, and they make our dish just as delicious. The combination gives us a creamy taste without it being too thick. If you're using milk and butter, use ¼ cup (60 ml) milk and ⅛ cup (30 ml) unsalted butter. For this substitute, we add extra milk and butter to compensate for the creaminess of heavy cream.
Similarly, for a dairy-free version, you can use soy whipping cream and plant-based milk to replace half and half.
Olive Oil
We recommend using olive oil for this pasta, as its aroma enhances the dish. You can replace it with butter or other types of vegetable oils, but it will not result in the same taste and aroma.
Garnish
There are several options for a garnish. We use a combination of nori seaweed, toasted sesame seeds, and spring onions. Many people like nori and beefsteak plants, but you can use whatever you prefer, like a different type of seaweed.
Mentaiko Pasta | Creamy Cod Roe Spaghetti
Ingredients
- 150 g spaghetti pasta of your choice
- 65 g cod roe 2 sacs
- 30 ml milk
- 30 ml cream or use butter (see notes)
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 2 tablespoon pasta water
- ground black pepper to taste
- nori seaweed for garnish, optional
- toasted sesame seeds for garnish, optional
- spring onions green part only, for garnish, optional
Instructions
- Boil the spaghetti noodles until al dente or until entirely cooked. Prepare any garnish.
- Remove the cod roe from each sac by cutting the membrane and squeezing. Place the roe into a large mixing bowl.
- In the same bowl, add milk, cream, olive oil, soy sauce, and black pepper. Whisk to combine.
- Drain the pasta and add it to your large mixing bowl. Stir until spaghetti noodles are thoroughly covered in the sauce.
- Top with garnish and enjoy your mentaiko pasta.
Notes
Nutrition
Calories have been calculated using an online calculator. Nutritional information offered on Honest Food Talks is for general information purposes and is only a rough estimate.
Cooking Tips
As mentioned, this is a simple dish to make, but here are some tips to help you.
Cook Your Noodles Correctly
As you add your noodles to a cold sauce, they will not cook any longer once you have removed them from the boiling water. Therefore, you must cook them to your desired softness initially.
In this dish, we like our noodles al dente, slightly hard. So, we usually remove them one minute before they're fully cooked, as stated on the pasta packaging. We also don't add them to the pot until the water is boiling. However, if you use al dente noodles, it will be a bit difficult to present them as a clumped swirl for an aesthetic look.
To make your noodles softer, cook them longer. Wait over as they cook, as they could become soggy.
Adjust The Creaminess
Our mentaiko pasta recipe will result in a creamy sauce that is not too dry nor too saucy. So, we recommend adding more milk and cream if you want more sauce. If you're using butter, you'll want to double the amount.
Another option is to adjust the ratio of sauce to noodles.
Add more pasta water to make it less creamy, which will thin the sauce a bit. Be careful to add only a little, as it could become too runny.
We don't recommend omitting the pasta water step. Pasta water helps add a sense of base umami to the dish, improving the flavour.
Whisk Well
To make your sauce creamy, you need to whisk it well. Gently whisk the ingredients in a bowl. You don't want to press down or vigorously whisk as you risk breaking the cod roe. You want to preserve them as much as possible so that you can enjoy them in their fullness as you eat the pasta.
Perform The Steps In The Correct Order
Part of our recipe's appeal is its simplicity and short cooking time. Of course, following the steps correctly in a recipe is always essential, especially with this one. We wrote our recipe to optimize the time it takes to make the mentaiko sauce and make it as simple as possible. Deviating from our recipe too much will add to your cooking time.
Don't Reheat It
Although it isn't exactly a cooking tip, it is something to note. You should not reheat Japanese cod roe spaghetti because it'll cook the roe. Once the cod roe cooks through, the texture will be ruined, and it will lose some of its flavour. This is also why we've made our recipe for 2 servings so it's easier to control the heat and avoid waste. So there's only a need to store it if you like cold pasta.
Dishes To Serve With Mentaiko Pasta
Japanese cod roe pasta is delicious and filling enough for a complete meal. However, this recipe only serves two, so you may want to add other dishes to your meal if serving more people. Here are some of our favourites to use.
Seared Salmon
Adding a slice of seared salmon is our favourite way to add more volume to this pasta dish. Moreover, the addition will balance the pasta dish flavour-wise and complement the texture.
To do so, season the salmon fillet with salt and pepper. Then, air fry at 200°C (400°F) for 16 minutes for a crispy exterior yet still juicy inside. If you're pan frying, pan fry skin-side down for 2-3 minutes or until opaque halfway up, then flip around to fry for another 2 minutes.
Seared Scallops
Seared scallops are another underwater protein that complements this Japanese noodle dish. Their tender texture makes them the perfect addition to the noodles, or you can put them right on top of them.
Kani Salad
Keep the creamy and spicy theme alive with a Kani salad. You'll get protein from the crab and more nutrients from all the vegetables.
Difference Between Tarako And Mentaiko
Tarako is salted cod roe, while mentaiko is spiced and marinated cod roe. As a result, their tastes and methods of preparation are different.
You can use tarako for this dish instead of mentaiko, but it will be far less flavorful. Instead of having a bit of a spicy kick, the dish will be simply salty.
Difference Between Tobiko And Mentaiko
Tobiko is flying fish roe, while mentaiko is spicy cod roe. There is a significant difference in colour and flavour. Chefs most commonly use tobiko for sushi.
Taste-wise, tobiko is more similar to masago than spicy cod roe.
You can use tobiko for this dish, but it will also change the flavour. It'll be smoky and a little sweet rather than spicy. You could use tobiko as a garnish, though. Again, it's uncommon, but it would add a new flavour dimension and colour.
Variations
You can make mentaiko pasta with other noodles than just pasta. Here are some of our favourite variations on the Japanese fusion dish:
- Mentaiko Udon - This dish uses udon noodles instead of spaghetti. It adds a welcome change in texture.
- Mentaiko Mayo Pasta - This dish uses mayo for extra creaminess.
- Mentaiko Mayo Pasta with Shimeji Mushrooms—This dish is essentially the same as the variation above, but it adds mushrooms, making it a more nutritious and flavorful meal.
Popularity
Mentaiko is very popular. In family restaurants, Mentaiko pasta is a staple on the menu. You can also find instant flavour packs to make this fashion dish in Japanese convenience stores and supermarkets.
You can also use this type of Japanese cod roe in Udon, onigiri, rice bowls, and salads.
Calories
Our mentaiko pasta has about 554 calories per serving.
Other Western-Influenced Japanese Recipes To Try
If you love this mentaiko pasta recipe, you'll love our other Western-influenced Japanese recipes, too. Check these out:
Love our Japanese home recipes? Follow us on Instagram @honestfoodtalks to get updates on new easy Asian home recipes.
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