12 Easy Miso Recipes That Will Explode Your Tastebuds (2024)

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These miso recipes feature all the best ways to use this flavor-packed paste! It makes kitchen magic in stir fries, ramen, and even…pesto.

12 Easy Miso Recipes That Will Explode Your Tastebuds (1)

Got miso paste and want to use it? Miso is a kitchen trick: it makes everything it touches irresistible. This Japanese fermented soybean paste is known for its intense savory flavor or umami: the fifth flavor. Here are all the best miso recipes for using this magical ingredient! It’s often used in Japanese-style recipes like miso salmon and miso ramen, but you can think outside the box too. There’s almost nothing that miso doesn’t make a little better.

And now…our top miso recipes to try!

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Miso Salmon

Here’s an impressive miso recipe that’s packed with umami and fantastically irresistible: miso salmon! Miso makes magic in the kitchen: it adds incredible savory flavor to everything it touches. Here it features in a miso glaze that’s so full of flavor, you’ll want to brush a glossy swipe onto just about everything. One of the ultimate ways to use it? On a tender fillet of salmon.

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Easy Miso Dressing

Here’s a dressing that’s packed with flavor and seriously simple to whisk up: this tastyMiso Dressing! This fermented soybean paste holds the key to savory, umami flavor in recipes of all kinds, fromsalmontovegan pesto. It’s absolutely perfect for an all-purpose dressing: combine it with soy sauce and orange juice and it’s out of this world good! It works wonders on salads, or drizzled on fish or bowl meals like this Simple Salmon Bowl.

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Miso Butter

Here's a fun way to use mis in recipes: miso butter! We came across this magical condiment at a restaurant: it was mixed with rice and our son gobbled it up immediately and asked for more. Here’s how to make miso butter at home: it’s just 2 ingredients and takes minutes to make! It adds a rich, savory umami flavor to everything it touches: from rice to pasta to fish.

Want a sauce that’s full of irresistible flavor? Try our go-toMiso Glaze! This umami-packed glaze is perfect for fish, meat, tofu or vegetables. It’s so packed with savory, tangy and salty flavor that it makes you immediately want to take another bite. We often use it on salmon, but it's also perfect on pan fried cod(also delicious). Even better: it takes just 5 minutes to whip up.

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Miso Ramen

Here’s a flavor-packed miso recipe you can make in no time: miso ramen! Authentic ramen from a Japanese restaurant is the absolutebest. But the next best thing? Making it homemade. Miso paste brings big flavor in a short cook time: just 30 minutes! The broth is so savory, also flavored with soy sauce, mirin, and a little coconut milk to make it creamy. Top with a soft boiled egg and you’ve got comfort food to the max.

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Cauliflower Stir Fry

Here’s another favorite miso recipe: miso is perfect in stir fries! Fry cauliflower until lightly charred and tender, then add bell peppers and a punchy stir fry sauce flavored with miso. It’s the best way to make eating your veggies irresistible! Try it as a healthy side dish or an easy plant based dinner (with the protein adders in the recipe).

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Quick Soba Noodles

Need a quick noodle fix? Try these simple soba noodles! Soba are a Japanese buckwheat noodle, and they’re perfect as a component for a fast and easy dinner. Done in about 15 minutes, they’re covered in a zingy sauce of miso, soy sauce, sesame oil, and honey and sprinkled with toasted sesame seeds. Throw them in a bowl and top with an egg or sauteed shrimp, and you’ve got dinner!

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Go-To Stir Fry Sauce

Want to make a killer stir fry? Here’s your Go-To Stir Fry Sauce! This one has a fantastic blend of flavors that’s savory, tangy and sweet, and it has just the right silky texture when you add it to the pan. Of course it stars miso paste to give it lots of complexity and umami.All you need is 6 ingredients (plus water), so this sauce is ultra simple to whip up.

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Tofu Stir Fry

Want to fall in love with tofu? This healthy vegan protein is great for incorporating into your meal prep repertoire. Come taste this tofu stir fry. It’s got the most flavor-packed stir fry sauce with miso (above) that works with any veggie, and the tofu is crisped on the outside and perfectly seasoned.

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Grilled Bok Choy

This one wins easy side dish hit of the summer:grilled bok choy! This tasty veggie is a type of Chinese cabbage, with a satisfying crunch and a peppery kick. Tossed on the grill with a quick soy miso sauce, it comes out lightly smoky, sweet, and perfectly seasoned. In the winter, you can use a grill pan to make the same recipe. It’s easy and comes out impressive, the perfect side for grilledsalmonortofu.

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Vegetarian Shepherd’s Pie

Here's an unexpected miso recipe: shepherd's pie! This vegetarian shepherd’s pie absolutely worth the effort to end up with a cozy, creamy Parmesan mashed potato topping over the most savory and delicious lentils. The trick to the lentils? Miso! It adds a meaty, savory flavor and makes them seriously satisfying.

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Vegan Basil Pesto

Here's a fun trick: you can use light miso (white miso) is used to achieve a complexity of flavor in pesto that mimics the traditional Parmesan! Of course, miso is a Japanese ingredient, not an Italian one, but it works remarkably well. It makes for a classic basil pesto that's totally dairy free and vegan: and delicious.

Types of miso

Misois a Japanese fermented soybean paste that’s full of nutrients and savory flavor. You can find miso in the international foods aisle near the Japanese ingredients. There are many different types of miso, and they all taste different. In most of our recipes, we specify to use white or yellow miso: sometimes they’re labeled as “light miso.” Here are the major types of miso:

  • White miso(Shiro miso): This variety has a mild, more delicate flavor and less salt than darker miso.
  • Yellow miso:This type is fermented a little longer than white miso and has a mild, lightly sweet flavor.
  • Red or dark miso:This variety is fermented longer than white or yellow miso. It has a very strong flavor and can overwhelm the flavors in a dish, so we don’t recommend using it here.

More ways to use miso

Didn’t find what you were looking for in these miso recipes? Here are a few more ways you can use miso paste in your cooking:

  • Add it to peanut butter cookies
  • Swirl it into Korean ramen
  • Add a dollop into mashed potatoes
  • Whisk a bit into salad dressing
  • Add a smear to spicy mayo

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12 Easy Miso Recipes That Will Explode Your Tastebuds (14)

Miso Salmon (& More Miso Recipes!)

★★★★★5 from 1 review
  • Author: Sonja Overhiser
  • Prep Time: 20 minutes
  • Cook Time: 10 minutes
  • Total Time: 30 minutes
  • Yield: 4 1x
Print Recipe

Description

Prepare to be amazed by this miso salmon! The savory glaze is the perfect accent for this broiled fish and makes an easy dinner.

Ingredients

Scale

  • 1 to 1 1/2 pounds high quality skin-on salmon fillets, wild caught if possible
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons light or yellow miso
  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce (or tamari or coconut aminos)
  • 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon sugar (or maple syrup)
  • ¼ teaspoon Sriracha hot sauce
  • ¼ teaspoonkosher salt
  • Optional garnish: Sliced green onions, sesame seeds

Instructions

  1. Let salmon rest at room temperature for 20 minutes.
  2. Meanwhile, make the miso glaze: Whisk the miso, soy sauce, rice vinegar, sugar, Sriracha andkosher salttogether in a small bowl until smooth (the miso may have a few lumps depending on its texture, which is okay).
  3. Preheat the broiler to high. Place a large sheet of aluminum foil on a baking sheet and brush it with olive oil. Pat each piece of salmon dry and place it on the foil skin side down. Brush salmon liberally with the glaze (1 to 2 tablespoons).
  4. Broil about 4 to 5 minutes for very thin salmon or 7 to 10 minutes for 1-inch thick salmon, until just tender and pink at the center (the internal temperature should be between 125 to 130F in the center). Brush with more of the glaze and serve.
  • Category: Main Dish
  • Method: Broiled
  • Cuisine: Asian inspired
  • Diet: Gluten Free

Keywords: Miso recipes

Published on / Last updated on

Categorized In:

  • Recipe Collections

Tagged with:

  • Miso
  • Roundup

About the authors

12 Easy Miso Recipes That Will Explode Your Tastebuds (15)

Sonja & Alex

Hi, we’re Alex and Sonja Overhiser, married cookbook authors, food bloggers, and recipe developers. We founded A Couple Cooks to share fresh, seasonal recipes for memorable kitchen moments! Our recipes are made by two real people and work every time.

About Us

12 Easy Miso Recipes That Will Explode Your Tastebuds (2024)

FAQs

What is the general rule with miso? ›

Every miso has a different level of salt, and the worst thing you want to do is to add too much miso to your soup. A general rule of thumb is to use about 1 tablespoon per cup (U.S. measure, 236.5ml) or 1/4 l (250ml) but if you have a very salty red miso for example, you may need less.

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

Popular vegetables include mushrooms, green onions thinly sliced, spinach, tofu, bean curd, wakame seaweed, nori seaweed, onions, daikon radish, and carrots. Traditionally this Japanese soup use vegetable widely available in Japan for obvious reasons. But you can add any vegetable found in your refrigerator.

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.

What Flavours work 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 happens if you eat too much miso soup? ›

Miso is generally safe for most people; however, if you follow a low-salt (sodium) diet, you may wish to limit your intake because miso has high levels. Soybeans are considered to be goitrogenic. This means if you have a thyroid issue you may be advised to minimise your intake.

Why shouldn't you boil 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.

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.

What pairs well with miso? ›

It is especially good with rustic flavours such as alliums, root vegetables and seaweed, but it has some less likely partners, too.
  • Carrot.
  • Chives.
  • Chocolate.
  • Corn.
  • Egg.
  • Green beans.
  • Honey.
  • Pecan nuts.
May 13, 2023

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.

How do you mimic miso flavor? ›

Tamari/Coconut Aminos

Both are salty and contain plenty of the same free-forming amino acids (which create that umami flavor) found in miso. For an easy miso substitute, blend a few tablespoons of either tamari or coconut aminos with a can of cooked chickpeas. If desired, season with additional sea salt.

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.

How do you mimic miso paste? ›

Soy Sauce/ Aminos

Soy sauce is the most common substitute for miso paste. Miso is thick and creamy, whereas soy sauce is thin like water, but if texture isn't a factor, they are both made of soy and chock full of salty and savory notes.

Which miso is most flavorful? ›

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.

Does miso paste go bad? ›

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.

What can I use instead of dashi in miso soup? ›

The base of any great miso soup is its liquid component. In lieu of dashi, a homemade vegetable broth can be used. Not only does this serve as a dashi substitute, but it also adds a layer of flavor complexity while keeping the dish plant-based and accessible to those on a vegetarian or vegan diet.

What are the 7 phases of miso? ›

The joint MISO process consists of seven phases: planning; target audience analysis (TAA); series development; product development and design; approval; production, distribution, dissemination; and evaluation. Each of these phases is designed to apply to any type or level of operation.

What do you need to know about miso? ›

Miso paste is a fermented soy bean paste that's used a lot in Japanese cooking. It's made by fermenting steamed soy beans with salt, grains (usually rice or barley) and koji, a type of fungus. But don't let that put you off – it's a phenomenal way to add flavour to meat, fish and more.

What is the best way to use miso paste? ›

Here are some of our favorite ways to use miso paste.
  1. Use in ramen broth. Miso is an important ingredient in many ramen recipes. ...
  2. Make miso butter. ...
  3. Add umami flavor to vegetarian soups and stews. ...
  4. Use in a pan sauce. ...
  5. Add to a stir-fry. ...
  6. Make marinades even more flavorful. ...
  7. Enhance a panko crust. ...
  8. Whisk into salad dressing.
Dec 15, 2020

What is the ratio of miso paste to water? ›

I usually do a ratio of 1 tablespoon of miso to 1 to 1½ cups water." As for white kind of miso to use? Both Leone and Sullivan like sweet white miso for a mellow-tasting soup. "Many restaurants use red misos," Sullivan says, adding that yellows are more earthy.

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