25 Miso Recipes That Are Easy, Impressive and Teeming with Umami (2024)

food

From miso noodle soup to miso-honey chicken

By Taryn Pire

•

Published Feb 3, 2024

Maria Siriano/The Probiotic Kitchen

If your experience with miso starts and ends with that Styrofoam cup of soup that comes with your sushi delivery, it's time you branched out. The traditional Japanese ingredient, which is made from fermented soybeans and a mold called kōji, is endlessly versatile—and pretty good for you, too. (Hi, gut-friendly probiotics.) It can give almost any ho-hum dish a boost of umami, whether it's dinner or dessert. Here are 25 miso recipes to start with, ranging from miso-glazed salmon with gochujang rice to soba noodles with asparagus, miso butter and egg.

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MANDALYN RENICKER/THE HUCKLE AND GOOSE COOKBOOK

1. Sheet Pan Miso-Glazed Fish with Broccoli and Coconut Rice

Time Commitment: 1 hour and 20 minutes
Why We Love It: high protein, sheet pan recipe, beginner-friendly

Whether you opt for salmon, sea bass, cod or halibut, this sheet pan wonder is sure to win you over at first bite. Use red miso paste for a more intensely flavored glaze or white miso paste if you'd prefer it milder.

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CAROLINA RODRIGUEZ/THE LULA CAFE COOKBOOK

2. Sweet Potato Miso Soup

Time Commitment: 4 hours and 20 minutes
Why We Love It: vegetarian, special occasion-worthy, make ahead

The secret ingredient here (besides salty red miso, of course) is brown butter, aka liquid gold. Onions, mushrooms and apples are caramelized in it for a deeply nutty soul-soother. Substitute store-bought vegetable stock to cut down on prep time.

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CONNIE MILLER OF CB CREATIVES/MILK STREET: NOODLES

3. Soba Noodles with Asparagus, Miso Butter and Egg

Time Commitment: 25 minutes
Why We Love It: <30 minutes, beginner-friendly, <10 ingredients

For busy weeknights when you don't feel like cooking, this lightning-fast dish will save dinnertime. Nutty, earthy buckwheat noodles are the ultimate match for funky white miso and sharp ginger, while salted butter rounds it all out.

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Photo: Nico Schinco/Styling: Aran Goyoaga

4. Roasted Winter Vegetable Platter with Miso Aioli and Romesco Sauce

Time Commitment: 50 minutes
Why We Love It: special occasion-worthy, beginner-friendly, gluten free

The recipe calls for making the aioli from scratch, but you can save time by starting with store-bought mayo. As for the roasted veggies, swap in any less-than-perfect produce that you have on hand; just be sure to cut it uniformly so the pieces cook on the sheet pan at the same rate.

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Yuki Sugiura/Love Japan

5. Miso-Honey Broiled Chicken

Time Commitment: 35 minutes (plus marinating time)
Why We Love It: high protein, beginner-friendly, <10 ingredients

The sauce for this protein-packed powerhouse essentially cooks itself. A two-ingredient marinade of red or blended miso and honey tenderize the chicken overnight. Then, it caramelizes under a blazing hot broiler with butter and pan juices.

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Maria Siriano/The Probiotic Kitchen

Food Editor

Taryn Pire is PureWow’s food editor and has been writing about all things delicious since 2016. She’s developed recipes, reviewed restaurants and investigated food trends at...

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25 Miso Recipes That Are Easy, Impressive and Teeming with Umami (2024)

FAQs

Does miso add umami? ›

When we talk about umami, red meat, mushrooms and soy sauce often come to mind. But there's another widely used, intensely flavored ingredient that packs a major umami punch: miso.

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What can I add to miso soup to make it more flavorful? ›

If you love a vibrant taste, use your miso soup as the foundation on which you build other great flavors. Add ingredients like mushrooms, red and green peppers, edamame, onions, leeks and other vegetables. The combination of such foods thickens the broth and benefits more than your tastebuds.

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What Flavours pair well with miso? ›

As a rule of thumb, pairing miso with earthy, woodsy flavors — think winter squashes like pumpkin, kabocha, and butternut; toasty, nutty flavors like brown butter, sesame, chocolate, and caramel; or hearty fruits like apples and bananas — adds its deep, dynamic flavor without being overpoweringly funky or salty.

What are the 2 main ingredients in miso? ›

Miso, a.k.a. fermented soybean paste, is made by combining just three simple ingredients—soybeans, salt, and koji (a type of fungus cultivated on rice and other grains)—and allowing the mixture to age for months or even years.

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Which miso has the most umami? ›

Gozen miso

It is said to be a sweet red miso of Tokushima Prefecture, which contains a high ratio of koji-mold and has a rich umami.

What is umami secret ingredient? ›

Seaweeds and umami are intertwined topics. Seaweeds like Kelp and Kombu offer concentrated, plant-based sources of umami taste. 'Umami' is regarded by many Japanese as 'critical to delicious cooking'.

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Why do I feel better after having miso soup? ›

Improves digestion: Because miso is high in probiotics, it helps the body maintain healthy bacteria levels. This bacteria contributes to digestive health, reducing gas, diarrhea, bloating and constipation.

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Is miso soup good for your gut? ›

Miso soup contains several beneficial vitamins, minerals, and components that may improve your gut and heart health and may lower your risk of cancer. If you are on a low-salt diet, read the label on packaged miso soup to choose one that's low in sodium.

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What is the secret ingredient in miso paste? ›

The secret ingredient: Aspergillus oryzae, a grain-loving fungus that under the microscope looks like a delicate flower on stem. Fermented with soybeans, grain, and, salt, it becomes miso paste, a staple of Japanese cuisine.

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What do Japanese eat with miso? ›

This comes down to personal preference, although typical additions include crisp or sliced spring onions, tofu, wakame seaweed mushrooms, fish, and/or shellfish. The soup is generally served as a small portion side dish to complement a meal, such as a bowl of rice, sashimi or steak.

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What do Japanese people eat with miso soup? ›

When served at breakfast, the soup is usually served alongside rice, eggs, fish, and pickles. At lunch or dinner, miso soup is served along with the main course or enjoyed at the very end of a meal, as a way to help settle the food.

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How long does miso last in fridge? ›

So, how long can I keep miso? Miso is a “preservative food,” that can be kept for a long period of time due to its salt content. If kept in your refrigerator, miso itself does not go bad. In terms of the quality of the taste, miso should remain relatively consistent for up to one year.

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How long does miso paste last once opened? ›

Sweet miso should be consumed within three weeks of opening, white miso within 3 months. Darker misos, such as barley, brown rice and red miso keep for at least 6 months, and soybean miso for 12 months. Beyond these periods the miso wont spoil, but the flavour and colour will change becoming less aromatic.

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Does miso paste go bad? ›

Generally, it is recommended to store miso in the refrigerator after opening, as it can spoil if left at room temperature for too long. However, if the miso is unopened and stored in a cool, dry place, it can last for several months, and even up to a year in some cases.

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Does miso have MSG? ›

To recap: Miso paste is a fermented paste made by aging soy beans with salt, koji and other ingredients until they have a very concentrated flavor. It contains high amounts of glutamic acid and salt, but not MSG extract.

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Is umami and miso the same? ›

Miso is so much more than the name of a delicious savory soup. You probably know umami as the incredibly delicious, savory essence in many Asian dishes; and miso is one ingredient that's the epitome of umami flavor. Miso paste serves as the base for classic miso soup, as well as an unusual (but delicious!)

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Is miso salty or umami? ›

Miso is acclaimed for its salty, umami, sweet and fermented notes that can transform a dish in an instant. In the event that you need to substitute out this Japanese cooking staple, here's what to use instead of miso paste.

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What ingredient has the most umami? ›

Tomatoes are one of the best plant-based sources of umami flavor. In fact, their sweet-yet-savory flavor comes from their high glutamic acid content. Regular tomatoes contain 150–250 mg of glutamic acid per 3.5 ounces (100 grams), while cherry tomatoes provide 170–280 mg in the same serving.

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What ingredients have high umami? ›

Use umami-rich seasonings

Using umami-rich seasonings such as ketchup, molasses, tomato paste, fish sauce, soy sauce, oyster sauce, Worcestershire sauce, Marmite, or miso paste will give you a quick fix of umami. Don't be afraid to innovate.

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