Miso Paste Isn't Just For Soup: 5 Unique Ways To Use It

There's no denying that miso soup is a comfort classic. Equal parts simple and spellbinding, miso soup is traditionally made by dissolving miso paste into a delicate dashi stock to create a spoonable, savory dish that often includes tofu and scallions for extra flair and flavor. Although this cozy, nourishing provision is one of the most well-known uses for miso paste, there is a world of possibilities beyond the bowl.

Miso is a traditional Japanese paste made by fermenting soybeans with koji fungus and salt. What makes miso so enticing is that it's a pure umami bomb that can add a deeply savory edge to your favorite dishes. There are many types of miso, each marked by varying degrees of umami, but the primary categories are white, yellow, and red. Thanks to its extended fermentation process and high soybean content, red miso paste flaunts a pungent complexity, an on-the-nose saltiness, and a more pronounced umami flavor than its counterparts. White miso paste, on the other hand, takes less time to ferment and flaunts a mild umami presence with delicate whispers of sweetness. Yellow miso is the best of both worlds, striking a balance between the strapping taste of red miso and the mild-mannered quality of white miso.

No shade of miso paste is necessarily better than the other. Each type has its own culinary strengths, and you'd be surprised at just how diverse their culinary applications are. From meat infusions to sweet treats and boozy libations, miso paste is a worthy companion to far more than just dashi.

Savory flavors and cocktails aren't exactly synonymous, but ask any dirty martini maven and they'll tell you otherwise. But we're not here to talk about olive brine and Grey Goose, we're here to spread the gospel of miso-kissed cocktails.

Adding miso to cocktails might sound unconventional, but a small amount of this behind-the-bar secret weapon can add weighted layers of savory, sophisticated depth to a drink while balancing, curbing, or amplifying the flavors of its other ingredients. Simply whisk a quarter or half teaspoon of miso into your shaker with other liquid ingredients, shake well, and strain for a smooth, umami-tinted finish. You can also try making a miso simple syrup to keep on the shelf. Because the idea is to build a savory trim around the periphery of a cocktail without dominating its flavor profile, white miso paste is ideal.

Miso paste pairs particularly well with cocktails starring bourbon, dark rum, and scotch along with warm ingredients such as maple, caramel, brown sugar, toffee, espresso, and vanilla. However, miso paste can also temper zippy cocktails featuring bright ingredients like ginger and citrus. Whiskey, maple syrup, sour mix, egg whites, and miso culminate in a rich, cozy, and exciting take on the classic whiskey sour. Consider giving an espresso martini a facelift by infusing it with salted caramel, miso paste, and coconut cream foam. Or, use miso paste to round out the bitter, sweet, and citrusy flavors of an old fashioned with complexity and heartiness.

Although they're discerningly delicious, miso cocktails are eccentric, so if you something a bit more conventional and down-to-earth, meet miso butter. Easy to make and versatile to boot, miso butter imparts a fatty, savory, and milky goodness into dozens of recipes, both savory and sweet.

The salty, fermented depth of miso melds seamlessly with butter's silky texture, culminating in a spread that's equally at home on a crusty baguette as it is melting over a sizzling steak or dripping onto a batch of roasted veggies. Of course, miso butter isn't just for hearty recipes. Use this savory, creamy relish in sweet recipes where it can temper cloying tastes, complement caramelized notes, or act as a culinary yin and yang to sugary flavors. From nutty caramel sticky buns to chocolate chip cookies and maple pound cakes, miso makes baked treats all the more interesting.

To make miso butter, all you have to do is mash miso paste into a stick of butter and re-shape it. A food processor can make the process easier, but you can get along just as well by using a fork or clean hands to combine the two ingredients. The type of miso you select for the compound butter depends on how you intend to use it. Opt for white miso when buttering up sweet treats, yellow when using it for everyday bites, and red for basting or glazing meat.

Whether you're a pitmaster or a backyard barbecue buff, marinating is an essential step in the meat cooking process. The three pillars of a marinade are acid, fat, and seasonings. Together, these otherwise basic ingredients transform meats by tenderizing their gristly bits, preserving their moisture content, and infusing them with flavor from the inside out. A marinade roster can be as simple as olive oil, distilled white vinegar, and salt and pepper; but if you're no fundamentalist foodie and have a taste for the finer things in life, then miso paste is an apt selection for your next marinade.

Miso paste deepens the meaty machismo of a marinade, making your meat all the more mouthwatering. Its rich, heavy flavor harmonizes with the hearty taste of red meats and provides a more present umami kick to the flavor of lighter, more mild-tasting proteins like fish and poultry. Thanks to its enzymatic activity, miso paste also aids in tenderizing meats for a juicer, more toothsome bite. Miso paste is equally as useful in vegetable and plant-based protein marinades, giving them a meaty taste sans meat.

Use red miso paste for hearty meats, and yellow or white for lighter dishes. Regardless of which variety you use, miso paste marries well with dozens of marinade ingredients, but some common options include soy sauce, sesame oil, garlic, ginger, scallions, and rice vinegar. Don't hesitate to get experimental, though. While this roasted miso maple salmon recipe uses a miso-maple marinade, honey, spicy jalapeños, and citrus are artful additions, too.

If miso sticky buns caught your eye, just wait until you get the scoop on miso ice cream. Sweet, savory, refreshing, and indulgent, miso ice cream balances the creamy chill of the portable dessert with the dynamic, umami-threaded taste of the Japanese spread.

They say opposites attract, and miso-studded ice cream is a prime example of culinary courtship by way of contrast. Not only is the strong taste of miso the perfect counterpart to the rich, sugary, and creamy essence of ice cream, but its saltiness brings out the nuanced flavors of the frozen dessert with distinction. Thanks to its naturally spreadable consistency, miso paste can create a smoother, more velvety texture in ice cream, allowing for a uniform blend of flavors without any gritty or uneven edges.

To make miso ice cream, spoon a small amount (a little bit goes a long way) of the paste into your favorite ice cream base while simmering. To avoid disrupting the balance of your ice cream, use white miso paste. Complementary ingredients may include vanilla, toffee, bittersweet chocolate chips, and butterscotch. Top miso ice cream with sesame seeds for a nutty, toasty, and crunchy finish.

Some canned foods are must-haves in your pantry that make cooking convenient. Although many canned foodstuffs are just as tasty as their fresh counterparts, some shelf-stable meals and ingredients lack the heart and soul of a scratch-made dish. Enter miso paste — an excellent way to upgrade canned food.

Many canned foods lack depth and flavor. However, miso is bold, dynamic, and complex enough to revive their one-dimensional taste. Miso paste gives canned goods a homemade feel and a mouthwateringly savory finish. Introducing miso paste into canned foods doesn't compromise convenience, either. Simply add a small amount of the umami-rich paste into a saucepan or skillet when cooking your go-to canned foods.

Miso can add a meaty flavor to earthy green beans, temper the acidity of tomato-based pasta sauce, add dimension to beans, and even deepen the flavor of canned meat like chicken and tuna. White or yellow miso paste is best for canned veggies, but red miso works wonders in canned chili, Spam, or corned beef.