35 Flavor-Packed Recipes To Make After Discovering The Magic Of Miso
Nothing adds umami like it! 🪄
As a former professional chef turned food writer, my kitchen is STOCKED full of condiments and spices; everything from standards like ketchup and vinegars to more fun, off-beat options like hibiscus marmalade or yuzu hot sauce (thanks Trader Joe’s for that last one). I do love them all, but if I had to choose only one, I know what I’d pick—miso! Japanese miso is one of the best ways to add savory, slightly-sweet, almost-meaty depth to a variety of dishes. Everything from chicken, to fish, to vegan recipes…honestly, I can’t think of anything that wouldn’t benefit from a little miso boost. Check out these 35 recipes to see what I mean, then stock up and get ready—your dinners are about to be FULL of umami.
If you’re unfamiliar, umami is one of the top 5 identified flavors (the others being sour, sweet, salty, and bitter). IMO, it’s the best one, but it’s also the hardest to define! All you really need to know is that it’s the savory flavor experience that makes you go, “oh wow this is good” after your first bite, and that miso is one of the best ways to inject it into your meals.
Just getting started with miso? Miso soup, our miso ginger dressing, our miso bolognese, or our melting sweet potatoes are great recipes for dipping your toes into the wonderful world of miso.
Are you the kind of person who thinks a meal isn’t complete without meat? You’ve gotta try one of our meat-free recipes featuring miso. Our vegan white bean chili, our miso mushroom crispy rice, our creamy garlicky Alfredo ditalini, and our shroomami burger are all super satisfying.
Miso’s not just for boosting plant-based recipes, either. It also takes chicken, seafood, and more to a whole new level of amazing. Check out our sweet corn shrimp & rice skillet, our grilled swordfish with hazelnut miso sauce, or our sheet-pan miso chicken & sweet potatoes for inspiration, then try adding it to your favorite recipes.
One-Pot Creamy Vegan Greens
Creamed spinach without the dairy? Yes, please. Did you know that by substituting a few key ingredients, you can make these easy, creamy greens without sacrificing any of the rich flavors you’d usually get from dairy? Not only is it a bit more nutritious, but it’s also just as delicious.
Get the One-Pot Creamy Vegan Greens recipe.
Miso Mushroom Crispy Rice
Punchy flavor and interesting texture are like the Thelma & Louise of excellent food—you just need both, and this crispy rice and miso mushroom skillet delivers. This dish is inspired by Momofuku’s Miso Mushroom Rice, but takes cues from Persian tahdig and Spanish paella, so you know it's good.
Get the Miso Mushroom Crispy Rice recipe.
Miso Salmon & Farro Bowls
Take your Monday night dinner into a Tuesday afternoon lunch with this miso-glazed salmon and charred scallion grain bowl. Salmon always calls for a sidekick, and in this case, we turned to our current obsession: farro.
Get the Miso Salmon & Farro Bowls recipe.
Miso Soup
Classic comfort food, miso soup is the bowl we turn to when we need something cozy yet light. It’s the perfect start to a meal or the most satisfying way to warm up on a cold day. If you’ve only ever ordered it in with your Japanese takeout, you might be surprised how easy it is to make at home too.
Get the Miso Soup recipe.
Sheet-Pan Miso Chicken & Sweet Potatoes
Chicken thighs, sweet potatoes, and shallots get smothered with miso-chili sauce and baked until the sweet potatoes are tender and caramelized and the chicken is juicy and golden brown. The whole thing is topped with a sprinkle of chopped cilantro, then served with a little extra chili crisp to make sure this really packs a punch.
Shroomami Burgers
We here at Delish love a regular burger, but something about a flavor-packed veggie burger can be SO satisfying in its own way. This mushroom-based version is a symphony of salty, complex flavors. Paired with a bright citrus slaw and spicy vegan mayo, it might be our favorite plant-based burger ever.
Get the Shroomami Burgers recipe.
Miso Ginger Dressing
All you need is 6 to 7 ingredients to make this yummy salad dressing: miso, ginger, a little sweetener like honey and brown sugar to balance out the spice, a bright punch of acidity like apple cider vinegar, and a bit of fat like toasted sesame oil and olive oil to make it nice and creamy.
Get the Miso Ginger Dressing recipe.
Creamy Garlicky Alfredo Ditalini
Ginger Miso Carrot Soup
This carrot soup is anything but boring. With ginger & allspice for flavor, miso for some funk and saltiness, and lime juice to brighten it up, this soup hits all the marks. Serve it with a thick slice of toasted sourdough bread and never go back to canned again.
Get the Ginger Miso Carrot Soup recipe.
Vegan Shepherd's Pie
This meatless, dairy-free take on shepherd's pie is packed with veggies (mushrooms! celery! butternut squash! parsnips!) and loaded with flavor. It's also incredibly hearty, thanks to lentils.
Get the Vegan Shepherd's Pie recipe.
Miso Butter Cod
This is an easy and healthy dinner that's ready in just 40 minutes. The cod and bok choy roast together, keeping things simple, but don't worry—this fish is flavor-packed. The miso butter gets a little umami kick from sriracha, honey, garlic, and ginger. Yum!
Get the Miso Butter Cod recipe.
Chickpea Noodle Soup
This is an incredible vegan version of chicken noodle soup, made with chickpeas instead of chicken and orecchiette instead of egg noodles. Cooking the pasta in the soup will yield a velvety, substantial broth, but for a leftover-friendly version, boil the noodles separately so they don’t bloat in the broth over time.
Get the Chickpea Noodle Soup recipe.
Vegan Ramen With Roasted Red Miso Veggies
This completely vegan recipe uses layers of umami-packed flavor to mimic the depth complexity of traditional ramen, and edamame for a protein boost. Feel free to swap in some of your favorite veggies, but don't skip the salty soy sauce balanced with sweet, tangy mirin. It helps round out this warm earthy, slurp-worthy noodle bowl.
Melting Sweet Potatoes
Thought glazed sweet potatoes always needed brown sugar, orange juice, or pecans? Think again. Coated in a savory maple-miso sauce, these melting sweet potatoes are here to challenge everything we think a sweet potato can be—and win us over with their deliciousness.
Get the Melting Sweet Potatoes recipe.
Ultimate Veggie Sandwich
There's something so special and refreshing about a sandwich that is absolutely packed to the gills with veggies. The miso eggplant in here makes this one extra special.
Get the Ultimate Veggie Sandwich recipe.
Baked Chilean Sea Bass
There's nothing worse than splurging on a piece of good fish, only to overcook it or simply feel that it wasn't worth the expense, especially with Chilean sea bass. Enter this foolproof approach, which infuses each bite of fish with umami (aka, savory) flavors from the miso and soy sauce.
Get the Baked Chilean Sea Bass recipe.
Miso Bolognese
Traditional Bolognese sauce might take forever to cook, but this weeknight version is done in just 30 minutes. Delicate and earthy miso paste adds serious depth to the ground beef sauce that you're going to love.
Get the Miso Bolognese recipe.
Firecracker Burgers With Strawberry-Miso Salad
We’re into winners, and we can presume you are, too. So here’s one: the recipe that Delish judges, Executive Editor Carissa Tozzi and Food Director Robert Seixas, crowned the winner on Gordon Ramsay’s Food Stars, Season 2, Episode 4. The victors went all in on capturing the Delish vibe in this flavorful burger and salad combo.
Get the Firecracker Burgers With Strawberry-Miso Salad recipe.
Vegan Seared "Scallops" With Succotash
