Bacon and Kinoko Pasta

Bacon and Kinoko Pasta is a favorite in Cafes and Italian Eateries all around Japan. Kinoko (mushrooms) and fresh shiso leaves give this popular favorite a distinctive Japanese flair, and it is loved by adults and children alike. Try it out and see for yourself!

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Bacon and Kinoko Pasta is a favorite in Japan and is on the menu at most Italian restaurants across the country. I guess it’s no surprise that with the huge popularity of noodles in Asian countries that pasta is also widely eaten. There are thousands of Italian eateries across Japan including the iconic “Italian Tomato” based in Tokyo with stores in just about every city.

Kinoko is the Japanese word for “mushroom.” There are many popular types of mushrooms found commonly in Japan including shiitakes, maitakes, matsutake, eryngi, and enoki. But the mushrooms most commonly used to make Kinoko pasta is bunashimeiji. Bunashimeiji, known in English as brown beech mushrooms, are a type of shimeji mushroom, a fungus native to East Asia. When cooked, bunashimeiji have a crunchy texture and a slightly nutty flavor and when cooked with bacon pick up some of the flavoring from the meat.

Bacon and Kinoko Pasta is made with a creamy white sauce and so choosing the pasta is important. I often use Bucatini pasta when making creamy pasta sauces because the Bucatini is shaped like a straw with a hole in the center and it sops up lots of liquid. Capellini is another type of pasta that goes well with Bacon and Kinoko. Thin strands of Capellini soak in the savory white sauce and taste wonderful when you bite into it. But no matter what pasta you use, be sure to prepare it Al dente style. The creamy hot white pasta sauce will continue to heat your pasta for another couple of minutes as it is being prepped to serve.

The next time you are in the mood for pasta, try out this Japanese version of a great Italian pasta recipe and see how you like it! Share your thoughts in the comment section below.

Bacon and Kinoko Pasta

This creamy and heart pasta is made with Bacon and Japanese mushrooms. Be sure to cook the pasta Al dente and use plenty of fresh cheese.

PREP	COOKING	YIELD
10 mins	20 mins	Serves 1

PREP	10 mins
COOKING	20 mins
YIELD	Serves 1

Ingredients:

For each serving:

1/4 lb dry pasta
1/2 cup Bunashimeji (or substitute your favorite) mushrooms
1/4 lb diced slab bacon
1/2 clove garlic chopped finely
2 TBSP grated Parmesan Cheese
1 TBSP Heavy Cream
1 TBSP Butter
1 Fresh Egg Yolk
2 Fresh Shiso (Perilla) leaves
Salt and Pepper to taste

Ingredients for Bacon Kinoko Pasta on a wooden board — Ingredient Board for Bacon and Kinoko Pasta in Cream Sauce.

Instructions:

Chop up the Shiso leaf. Set aside.
Beat the egg yolk with a fork. Set aside.
Sauté the garlic, bacon and butter in a saucepan over medium heat for about 8-10 minutes. Remove from the heat when the bacon is cooked and crispy.

Bacon and Garlic sautéed In a pan

In the meantime, heat up the water in a large pot in accordance with the directions.
Turn the stove back up to medium and add the mushrooms in with the bacon.

Mixing Kinoko in with bacon

Add the pasta to the boiling water.
Sauté the mushrooms stirring occasionally while the pasta cooks. The mushrooms will soften while cooking. Turn the heat off after 7 minutes or when the pasta is finished.
Drain the pasta, return to the pot, and stir in the cream, cheese and egg yolk. Mix together until the ingredients are completely combined.

Mixing pasta in the sauté pan with creamy ingredients

Add the bacon and mushroom mixture. Stir in well.
Add the shiso and stir in until the leaves are softened and combined with the pasta.

Stirring the bacon and Kinoko in with the pasta in a saucepan

Serve hot. Salt and pepper to taste.

Bacon Kinoko pasta in cream sauce served On a white plate with a parsley sprig — Bacon and Kinoko Pasta in Cream sauce Sauce Suggestion

Notes:

Top this amazing pasta off with fresh Parmesan or Romano cheese and some cracked black pepper.
No shiso leaves? No problem. Use some fresh basil or Italian parsley.
Experiment with different types of mushrooms. Chopped eryngi, maitake, and matsutake all provide a fresh and delicious taste.

Jay H

Jay is a Project Manager for a U.S. Company that does business globally. He has worked and lived in many places and has spent time learning how to cook dishes from around the world. Currently based in Japan, he created the Mountain Plums website during the Covid pandemic as a way to express himself though cooking while staying active.

More Recipes by

Jay H

Jay is a Project Manager for a U.S. Company that does business globally. He has worked and lived in many places and has spent time learning how to cook dishes from around the world. Currently based in Japan, he created the Mountain Plums website during the Covid pandemic as a way to express himself though cooking while staying active.