Salty, tangy, intense, umami, ferment-y – I’ll never forget the first time I tried miso. All the flavours converged to create the ultimate flavour bomb. Never mind a spoonful, you only need a hint of the stuff to wake the taste buds. This fermented soybean paste packs a massive flavour punch and if you don’t know how to use miso, it could be an assault on your taste buds. Make the most of it with these creative recipes.

There are many types of miso out there and they all differ in colour, taste and texture; some are super salty, whereas others are sweeter or have a funky, earthy or pronounced nutty, soybean flavour. A little bit goes a long way. If you’ve never cooked with miso, less is more.

The best way to understand any novel ingredient and find the right balance when cooking is to taste it and get a feel for what you’re working with – treat it like a wine or an olive oil tasting. Is it salty, slightly sour, sweeter than you imagined, or mild and umami; does it remind you of something you’ve tried before, or do you need another taste to really nail the flavour profile?

Experiment with different types of miso and discover which type your taste buds agree with. You’re bound to find your flavour hidden in the isle of a quaint grocery store or your favourite one-stop-condiment shop – all cooks have one.

How To Use Miso

If you are new to the world of miso, get creative with these recipe ideas.

Caramel Sauce

You’ll love this play on salted caramel. Miso adds a salty and umami kick, balancing the sweetness of caramel and adding a good complexity. Miso usually has a good amount of sodium, so ‘less is more’ might be the best approach depending on the type of miso used. For contrast, try hatcho miso – it has a rich, chocolaty flavour and is less sweet compared to other types. For a less intense flavour, try something milder like saikyo miso.

Suggestion: Topped over Sticky Toffee Pudding or cheesecake; drizzled on vanilla, chocolate ice cream or nutty stracciatella; enjoyed with French toast.

Salad Dressing

The salty, slightly acidic taste of miso works wonders in salad dressings. Combine it with an earthy ingredient like peanut butter for an Asian-style salad dressing; incorporate olive oil, vinegar, water and a small amount of miso – add more if needed. If you are sceptical, try a milder version like mugi miso or saikyo miso to balance the saltier flavours.

Suggestion: Create salad dressings or incorporate a small amount into a peanut dipping sauce for a well-rounded flavour. Mix miso with salad cream or mayo.

Compound Butter

Create umami-packed compound butter by incorporating a touch of miso into your creamy butter. The flavour transforms the simplest of dishes and allows fresh produce to shine. The miso adds a salty-sweet-fermented flavour to the butter, making it a great addition to sautéed vegetables, roasted potatoes, and more.

Suggestion: Caramelise onions with miso butter alongside pan-grilled steaks for a simple yet satisfying dish. This compound butter also complements hearty gourds like pumpkin and butternut squash sprinkled with cinnamon or nutmeg. Braise and baste cabbage steaks with the butter; the salty flavours from the miso brings out the sweetness of the cabbage. 

Stock, Soups & Stew

The most obvious and common way to use miso. Instead of using stock cubes, add a touch of miso to soups and stews for a pleasant umami flavour. The type of miso used will depend on the flavour profile of the stock or soup. Add it to a mix of sesame oil, water, ginger and chicken stock for a delicious base for ramen; or simply add it to your soup ingredients for a rich, balanced taste.

Suggestion: Add mugi miso to veg and meat soup for a rich barley flavour; instead of adding beef stock, add miso to Beef & Mushroom Stew to enhance the umami flavour. Add miso to ramen as a base for the flavour. 

Glazed Meat & Vegetables

Besides braised cabbage, this is one of my favourite ways to use miso paste. Create a simple basting sauce by combining rice vinegar, miso, sesame oil and mirin. Taste the mixture before basting the meat and adjust accordingly, depending on what’s needed.

Suggestion: Use it to glaze meat and hearty vegetables to amplify the natural flavours. 

Get a Taste

From desserts to dips, here’s how to make the most of this umami-packed ingredient.

Miso Butter Charred Onion Potjie

These Ottolenghi-inspired onions are taken to another realm of deliciousness with the addition of compound butter; they are caramelised and charred to perfection.

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Roasted Baby Potatoes with Miso Brown Butter Drizzle

Browned butter adds a deliciously nutty and rich flavour to salty miso – the ultimate complement drizzled over roasted spuds and served with sour cream.

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Glazed Aubergines with Vegan Miso Mayo

This dish doubles down on flavour with glazed aubergines and a delicious dip.

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Asian Tuna Fishcakes with Miso Mayo

If you’ve never been a fan of fishcakes, these might convert you. Dunk these crispy bites into the sauce for the best mouthful.

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Roasted Pork Belly

Miso is combined with plum sauce, fish sauce, tamarind and pork stock to create a sweet-sour-salty glaze for pork belly, served alongside Asian-style slaw.

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Chicken Miso and Noodle Soup

A comforting dish combining two classics for the ultimate bowl of umami deliciousness.

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ClemenGold & Miso Glazed Trout

Create the perfect glaze for pan-grilled trout and rice noodles.

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Seared Tuna Salad with Miso Dressing

Bold, punchy flavours shine in this vibrant salad with Japanese-inspired flavours.

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Want more? Take your cooking from bland to bold with umami.
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