What is miso paste?

delicious. team

Written by the expert and completely food-obsessed team behind this website, our social channels and our monthly magazine.

Find more

Miso is a salty paste made from fermented soya beans and literally means ‘fermented beans’ in Japanese.

What types of miso are there?

There are many different types of miso – such as white, yellow and red – with the colour and taste depending on the fermentation time. For example, white miso has been fermented for less time and is generally mellower and sweeter, while a brown miso has been fermented for longer, and is richer, more intense in flavour.

What is miso made from?

Usually from soya beans. But miso can also be made using other ingredients such as barley, millet or brown rice.

It is very popular in Asian cooking due to its ‘umami’ flavour and is best known as the basis for Japan’s miso soup, however, you can also make good use of it in sweet recipes too.

Where can I buy miso paste?

Depending on where you live, miso is often readily available in supermarkets, or buy online if they deliver in your area. Or, you could try online stores such as Japan Centre or Sous Chef.

How to use miso in your cooking, recipes to try:

Caramelised white chocolate and miso brownies

Miso-glazed aubergines

Miso-baked cod

And see our collection of more miso recipes.