What Is Miso? Ingredients, Flavor, and How to Use It

What is miso paste? A staple in Japanese cooking, miso adds rich umami flavor to soups, marinades, and more. Discover its types, ingredients, and how to use it in various dishes!

What is Miso Paste Made Of

Miso paste is a fermented condiment made from soybeans, koji, and salt. “Koji” is the key ingredient that is created by cultivating “Koji-kin”, a type of fungus, on grains like rice, barley, and soybeans. It plays a crucial role in making miso as well as other Japanese fermented foods.

How Is Miso Paste Made?

How to make miso is surprisingly straightforward. All it requires is some patience, as it needs to ferment and mature for six months or longer. Here are how to make it in a nutshell:

Collect ingredients: soybeans, salt, and rice koji.
Cook soybeans in a pressure cooker until soft.
Mash the soybeans and mix them with salt and koji.
Transfer the mixture to a large airtight container.
Ferment in a dark, cool place for six months or longer.
Check the color and taste, and enjoy!

Check out this simple miso paste recipe. It yields a small batch, making it easy to start with.

homemade miso paste. — my 18 months of miso

This homemade miso has aged for 18 months! The outcome is a dark red miso, which turned out to be less sweet than I initially intended. While it might not be perfect for making soup, it’s fantastic for stir-frying and dressing.

What Does Miso Paste Taste Like?

If you take a small taste of miso paste, you will experience a uniquely complex flavor that combines the five basic tastes of sweet, salty, umami, sour, and bitter. The texture is creamy and thick, similar to that of tahini sauce or peanut butter.

Miso comes in a wide range of varieties, so whether you prefer sweet or savory, there’s a miso paste to suit your taste perfectly. Learn more about miso’s flavor in What Does Miso Taste Like? Exploring the Japanese Flavor.

Different Types of Miso Paste (By Color)

There are many types of miso paste, each with its own unique flavor, color, and texture. This section will discover different miso paste varieties categorized by color.

Why do the colors vary? Even within the same type of rice miso, which I’ll mention shortly, color differences arise from ingredient ratios and fermentation duration. A deeper color indicates a longer aging process, resulting in a richer, less sweet flavor due to the Maillard reaction.

Here are different types of miso paste by color:

White miso paste (shiro miso): Short fermentation (1 to 3 months). Low salt content with a sweet flavor. This miso is a perfect blend of sweetness, umami, and saltiness – an easy entry point for any curious beginner.
Yellow miso paste (awairo miso): Medium fermentation (4 to 8 months). The most common types of miso.
Red miso paste (aka miso): Long fermentation (one year or more). Rich and salty, red miso is a delightfully complex condiment. Its lengthy aging process creates a full-bodied flavor that can enhance any meal.

Different Types of Miso Paste (by Koji)

Miso is also categorized based on the type of koji used: rice, barley, or beans. Rice Miso is made by rice koji, while Barley Miso uses barley koji. Bean miso, on the other hand, is made exclusively from soybeans. Here are different types of miso paste by koji:

Rice Miso (kome miso): The most commonly used miso in Japan, which makes up 80% of the country’s production. It’s consumed throughout Japan and comes in a wide range of flavors, from sweet to salty, and in colors ranging from white to red.
Barley Miso (mugi miso): Primarily consumed in the Kyushu region of southern Japan. Compared to rice miso, barley miso has a shorter fermentation period of 2 to 6 months and is known for its distinct barley aroma.
Bean Miso (mame miso): Aged for 1 to 3 years, bean miso is characterized by its low sweetness, full-bodied taste, and dark brown color. It’s commonly consumed in central Japan, and Hacho miso is the most famous variety.
Blend Miso (awase miso): This type is a mixture of two or more varieties of miso. Most have a mild flavor and are versatile for various dishes.

Which Miso Paste to Choose?

So which miso to choose? There’s so much to choose from, but here are some tips for you!

miso paste section at a grocery store. — Variety of miso paste at a Japanese grocery store

If you are looking for an authentic flavor, choose miso without added flavors. Traditional miso is made with soybeans, rice (or barley), and salt, though some varieties include extra ingredients to enhance flavor and maintain quality.
You might also see alcohol on the ingredients list—it’s added to stop fermentation. While it doesn’t affect the miso’s quality, it may have a slight alcohol aroma.
Mild rice miso is a great choice if you’re new to miso. It’s the most common and versatile type, perfect for various dishes, including miso soup.
When choosing by color, remember that lighter misos, like white miso, are typically sweeter, while darker ones, like red miso, are rich and savory. White miso is ideal if you prefer a sweeter flavor, while red miso suits those who enjoy a bolder taste. Both are great options for miso soup!
If the packaging shows the koji ratio or salt content, these can help you decide. For a less salt option, look for a low-salt miso.
Ready to explore further? Barley and bean miso offer unique flavors; bean miso, in particular, has a full-bodied taste that’s excellent in stews and simmered dishes.
If you’d like to customize miso to suit your taste, homemade miso is highly recommended! You can adjust the amount of koji, salt, and fermentation time to create your ideal flavor.

Japanese Miso Brand

Japan has many trusted miso brands with long histories. The well-known brands below offer high-quality miso varieties and are available internationally—you might even find them at your local grocery store! All are based in Nagano, Japan’s top miso-producing region.

How to Use Miso Paste

Here are six ways to use miso paste! Experiment with miso paste in your cooking and discover new ways to enhance the flavor of your dishes! Also, explore more in “14 Flavorful Miso Paste Recipes for Soups, Noodles, and More!“

Miso Soup

Miso soup is the most common and simple way to use miso paste. Just dissolve the paste in dashi (soup stock) and add ingredients like tofu, seaweed, and vegetables. Try these miso soup recipes.

Salad dressings

Whisk miso paste with vinegar, oil, and honey to create a delicious and unique salad dressing. Try this miso dressing recipe.

Dipping sauce

Mix miso paste with mayonnaise or sour cream to create a savory dip for vegetables or chips. Try these dip recipes: Easy miso mayo dipping sauce, Tofu cream cheese with miso paste.

Stir-fried eggplant and tofu served on a plate.

Stir-fry

Add a spoonful of miso paste to your stir fry with vegetables or noodles for a delicious umami flavor. Try these stir-fry dishes: Stir-fried Eggplant With Miso, and Napa cabbage miso stir-fry.

Glaze

Mix miso paste with honey and water to create a sweet glaze for a Japanese dango. Try this glaze recipe: Konnyaku Dengaku and Flavorful Miso-Glazed Eggplant

tofu misozuke on a plate with two forks.

Marinade

Mix miso paste with other ingredients like soy sauce, ginger, and garlic to make a flavorful marinade for meats or vegetables. Try this Tofu misozuke recipe.

Dive Deeper into Miso Paste!

To learn more about miso paste, you can explore these articles:

Your Questions Answered

What is miso paste similar to?

The texture is creamy, thick, and similar to tahini sauce or peanut butter. The taste is similar to soy sauce as it uses soybeans and salt.

What does miso taste like?

If you take a little bite, you might experience a uniquely complex flavor that combines the five tastes of sweet, salty, umami, sour, and bitter.

Is miso a strong flavor?

Yes, in general, it’s salty, savory, and has an intensely strong flavor. However, light-colored miso, like shiro miso (white miso), has a mild and light flavor.

Is miso healthy or not?

Yes! It’s a fermented soybean paste that offers healthy gut bacteria.

Can I eat miso paste raw?

Yes, you can.

Do you need to refrigerate miso paste?

Yes and no. You can keep unopened miso paste at room temperature in a cool and dark place as long as the temperature is below 20C/68F. Otherwise, you want to refrigerate to keep the freshness.

How do you store miso paste once opened?

Once opened, miso paste must be kept in an airtight container and refrigerated to preserve its freshness. Storing at room temperature can quickly diminish the taste and overall quality, so I always keep mine in the fridge.

How long does miso last once opened?

It will last up to a year if you keep it in the fridge.

Get Your Free Vegetarian eBook!

Looking for healthy dinner ideas? I’ve got a free ebook with 10 delicious, easy Japanese vegetarian recipes! Sign up for our newsletter below to get it now!

Grab a copy of our free