Make Miso Your New Secret Weapon in the Kitchen

The Japanese staple adds deep umami flavor and a boost of nutrition to myriad dishes—both savory and sweet—including this weeknight-friendly fish.
Make Miso Your New Secret Weapon in the Kitchen
A simple, miso-powered marinade adds savory flavor to mild halibut. Lynda Balslev for Tastefood
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A miso-infused glaze is a handy condiment that lends rich and satisfying flavor to fish, vegetables, and tofu. Miso is a paste made from soybeans that are fermented with salt and a koji starter (kojikin). It’s a complete source of protein and is rich in vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, while its fermentation process promotes the growth of probiotics. In addition to its notable health benefits, miso has an appealing savory, salty-sweet quality, known as umami, which is a powerful flavor enhancer.

Miso is not limited to glazes. Add it to butter, cream sauces, mayonnaise, and dressings for extra umami flavor, or stir a final dollop into soups, mashed potatoes—even pasta. It also adds a wonderful salty note to cookies and sweets.

Lynda Balslev
Lynda Balslev
Author
Lynda Balslev is a cookbook author, food and travel writer, and recipe developer based in the San Francisco Bay Area, where she lives with her Danish husband, two children, a cat, and a dog. Balslev studied cooking at Le Cordon Bleu Ecole de Cuisine in Paris and worked as a personal chef, culinary instructor, and food writer in Switzerland and Denmark. Copyright 2025 Lynda Balslev. Distributed by Andrews McMeel Syndication.
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