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

What miso is best for umami? ›

Hatcho Miso

Unlike other varieties, hatcho miso is made solely from soybeans, without the addition of any grains. This gives it a distinct flavor and texture that is loved by miso enthusiasts. This dark, rich, and robust miso has a deep umami flavor with hints of sweetness.

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What is the umami of miso? ›

Glutamate, the umami

Glutamate is the most abundant amino acid in all the miso varieties. Total amount of amino acids in white miso, which has a shorter fermentation period, is smaller than others. The longer the fermentation period, the more amino acids.

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What is the general rule with miso? ›

With thousands of master miso makers across Japan, miso forms a rich culture and can be thought of like beer in that each region of Japan has a slightly different flavour, strength, colour, and taste of miso. As a general rule, the darker the miso, the longer it has been fermenting and the stronger the taste will be.

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Is there a difference between miso and miso paste? ›

One important factor to look for when differentiating the two is texture: regular, traditionally-made miso will generally have small chunks of soybean, koji, and salt. If your miso is a smooth paste, it may be a quick miso, or it may be a blended regular miso -- you'll have to check the ingredients.

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What food has the strongest umami? ›

Some foods that are high in umami compounds are seafood, meats, aged cheeses, seaweeds, soy foods, mushrooms, tomatoes, kimchi, green tea, and many others. Try adding a few umami-rich foods to your diet to reap their flavor and health benefits.

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Are eggs umami? ›

Chicken eggs contain high-quality protein with well-balanced amino acids, as well as the vitamins (B6, etc.) necessary to metabolize the protein inside the body. This is why, along with milk, chicken eggs are called “complete foods.” Egg yolks contain the umami compound glutamic acid.

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Is miso healthy? ›

Is miso soup actually good for you? 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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Which color miso is best? ›

Choose the best miso

Yellow or shinsu miso is an all-purpose miso that has a slightly deeper flavour than shiro because it is fermented longer. Red/brown or aka miso is richer and darker than the others and works well in soups and stews, but too much can spoil the flavour.

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Is umami just MSG? ›

Some foods that have an umami flavor include meats, cheeses, tomatoes, mushrooms, and fermented foods such as miso. MSG is a food additive that gives umami flavor, but it has a bad reputation for causing negative reactions. But there's no evidence to support this, and the FDA says it's safe to eat.

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Does miso need to be refrigerated? ›

Miso should be stored in a covered container and to maintain its colour and flavour, refrigeration is best. As a general rule, the lighter the colour and flavour, the more careful you will need to be and refrigeration is best. Sweet miso should be consumed within three weeks of opening, white miso within 3 months.

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Can you eat too much miso? ›

Miso consumption is generally safe for most people. However, it does contain a large amount of salt. Thus, it may not be a good choice for individuals who need to limit their salt intake due to a medical condition. Finally, most varieties are made from soybeans, which could be considered a goitrogen.

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What temperature kills miso? ›

Boiling miso can harm the probiotic bacteria. At temperatures above 115 degrees Fahrenheit these delicate bacteria are destroyed. We recommend adding miso paste to soups just prior to serving.

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Which miso is healthiest? ›

If you want to avoid sodium, your choice should be White. If you don't need to avoid sodium intake, then Red is the most nutritious. The site says that White Miso makes you relaxed and gives you a good night sleep.

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How long does miso paste last once opened? ›

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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What is the strongest tasting type of miso? ›

From awase, it gets more intense, with red (aka) miso—dark brown miso with the saltiest, strongest flavors, often fermented for more than a year and made with soybean koji—and white (shiro) miso—usually cream to pale gold, with the mildest, sweetest flavors, fermented quickly, and using rice koji.

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Can I use miso instead of umami? ›

Miso is definitely no stranger to umami; from a scientific standpoint, miso soup shares a similar, near-identical glutamate content with chicken consommé and various other Western-style broths.

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Is red or white miso better? ›

White miso is the result of miso made with a large percentage of rice, which results in a milder taste and lighter color. Red miso has more soybeans and is often fermented for a longer period of time, which gives it a darker color and stronger flavor.

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What is the difference between aka miso and Shiro miso? ›

Broadly speaking a six-month rice miso is called “shiro miso” (white miso) and a twelve-month rice miso is called “aka miso” (red miso). White miso is milder in flavour, with gentle sweet & salty tones, while red miso has a much sharper tang with a far more pungent aftertaste.

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