Japan’s love for pasta runs deep. Walk into any Japanese supermarket, and you will find entire aisles dedicated to pasta sauces made with cod roe, shiso, and soy sauce. These “wafu pasta” dishes represent decades of creative fusion between Italian technique and Japanese flavors, and I’ve gathered my favorites here for you to try at home.
1. Japanese-Style Bacon and Mushroom Spaghetti
Bacon and umami-rich shiitake mushrooms meet wilted spinach over perfectly cooked spaghetti, all coated in melted butter and soy sauce.
I recommend trying this one first if wafu pasta is new to you. The “butter shoyu” combination is foundational to Japanese fusion cooking, and this dish is the perfect introduction to the style.
2. Mentaiko Pasta (Cod Roe Spaghetti)
The sauce for this pasta never touches heat. Mentaiko (spicy cod roe), butter, soy sauce, and a splash of milk are mixed in a bowl, and the hot spaghetti melts everything into a glossy, briny coating. Shiso leaves and lemon zest add brightness on top.
This recipe strips mentaiko pasta down to its simplest form, with no cream and no cooking required for the sauce. If you love bold, oceanic flavors, this 15-minute dish delivers restaurant-quality results with minimal effort.
3. Japanese Spaghetti Meat Sauce
Ground beef, diced onion, carrot, and celery simmer in a sweet tomato sauce seasoned with ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, and a pinch of cinnamon. The sauce is served on top of the spaghetti, not mixed in, following Japanese tradition.
Japanese meat sauce looks like Bolognese but tastes noticeably sweeter and more tomato-forward. It’s a beloved “yoshoku” dish that appears on school lunch menus across Japan, making it one of the most approachable recipes in this collection.
4. Ankake Spaghetti (Nagoya-Style)
Thick spaghetti tossed in lard sits beneath a mountain of sauteed sausage and vegetables, all drenched in a spicy, peppery gravy. The combination of textures and the pepper’s heat make this dish truly one of a kind.
Even in Japan, ankake spaghetti is a hidden gem. It’s deeply personal to me as someone from the Nagoya area, and I refined this recipe through multiple attempts to capture the authentic local flavor at home.
5. Spaghetti Napolitan
Napolitan divides opinion. Some find the idea of ketchup on pasta unthinkable and the name (just so you know I didn’t invent it!), while others love the nostalgic sweetness.
Either way, this Yokohama-born classic remains one of Japan’s most enduring comfort foods.
6. Shiso Pesto Pasta
White miso paste is the secret ingredient in this shiso pesto, adding umami depth that anchors the herbaceous, peppery flavor of the shiso leaves. Cashews and pine nuts contribute a creamy richness to the blended sauce.
If you’re looking for an elegant, refreshing pasta for warm weather, this cold shiso pesto hits every mark. Marinated cherry tomatoes with balsamic vinegar and honey add a sweet, tangy finish that ties everything together.
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