ELIZABETH CECIL
Recipes

21 Ways to Cook with Miso

Give your soups, stews, and steaks a salty, umami-packed punch

By SAVEUR Editors


Published on January 14, 2016

Made by fermenting soybeans with salt, rice fungus kōji, and sometimes rice or barley, miso paste imparts a salty, umami-packed punch to soups, salads, roasted vegetables, and more.

Miso comes in a rainbow of colors, from sweet-and-salty white to salty-funky brown. You can substitute one miso paste for another in these recipes, but take note that the darker a miso, the more savory it'll be.

Miso Soup
Miso Soup with Scallions and Shiso

This clean-tasting, simple miso soup from chef Chris Fischer is made with dashi, a fish broth reinforced here with kombu and bonito flakes. Get the recipe for Miso Soup with Scallions and Shiso »

Salmon Foil Yaki
SALMON, SCALLION, AND ENOKI MUSHROOM FOIL YAKI

Your new favorite way to cook salmon: with Asian sauces, scallions, and enoki mushrooms, all wrapped up in a foil pouch.

Edamame Miso Tuna Sandwich
Edamame-Miso Tuna Sandwich

Edamame beans make this sandwich a protein-packed meal while sesame-chile oil gives it a kick.

Noodles in Dashi with Miso-Coated Pork Belly

Red miso paste, more fermented than its blond counterparts, adds piquancy to pork belly cooked with brown sugar, mirin, and sesame seeds.

Seaweed Butter

We developed this compound butter to accompany a gleaming Grilled Seafood Tower, but it works as well simply tossed with boiled noodles as a simple weeknight pasta dinner. Get the recipe for Seaweed Butter

Broiled Spaghetti Squash with Walnut-Miso Glaze
Broiled Spaghetti Squash with Walnut-Miso Glaze

It’s rare that we encounter spaghetti squash not shredded into its eponymous noodle-like threads. But kept intact, it reveals a beautifully yielding texture and a savory, subtle flavor that’s perfectly offset by a rich walnut-miso glaze.

Soba Noodle Salad with Miso and Grilled Prawns
Soba Noodle Salad with Miso and Grilled Prawns

A miso marinade doubles as a dressing for a flavorful salad composed of watercress, scallions, and soba noodles. Get the recipe for Soba Noodle Salad with Miso and Grilled Prawns »

Sardine Miso Ball Soup
Sardine Miso Ball Soup

“Sardines” and “miso soup” probably don’t go in the same sentence very often, but here they make a great pair. Get the recipe for Sardine Miso Ball Soup »

Miso Roasted Scallions
Miso Roasted Scallions

Roasting scallions brings out their sweetness—finished with a tangy miso dressing, this surprising, simple dish makes a great appetizer or side.

Leek and Clam Foil Yaki
Clam, Leek, and King Oyster Mushroom Foil Yaki

Clams, leeks, and king oyster mushrooms get cooked in a foil pouch that resembles a Jiffy Pop. Get the recipe for Clam, Leek, and King Oyster Mushroom Foil Yaki »

Garlic and Red-Miso Porterhouse
Garlic and Red-Miso Porterhouse

A marinade of red miso, ginger, and garlic gives this steak a crisp, flavorful crust and a juicy interior. Get the recipe for Garlic and Red-Miso Porterhouse »

Miso-Mustard Butter Sauce

This sauce has an intense umami flavor and a mustardy zing.

Seaweed Salad with Orange and Macadamia Nuts
Seaweed Salad with Orange and Macadamia Nuts

Seaweed Salad with Orange and Macadamia Nuts

Mushroom Foil Yaki
Mixed Mushroom Foil Yaki

Mushrooms get cooked in a foil pouch with Asian sauces in this effortless “one-foil” dish. Get the recipe for Mixed Mushroom Foil Yaki »

Bitter Melon and Tofu Stir-Fry with Pork Belly and Eggs (Goya Champuru)

Get the recipe for Bitter Melon and Tofu Stir-Fry with Pork Belly and Eggs (Goya Champuru) »

Sweet Miso Corn Cakes with Basil Parsley Pesto

The addition of sweet white miso updates a traditional corn cake recipe, perfectly balanced by a zesty topping of pesto.

Braised Pork Belly with Leeks and Ginger
Braised Pork Belly with Leeks and Ginger

Awamori, a lightly sweet rice distillate, is used to blanch and cook—as well as coat—tender pork belly, resulting in a sticky, umami-rich sauce. Get the recipe for Braised Pork Belly with Leeks and Ginger »

Spinach and Tofu Salad with Peanut–Miso Dressing

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