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Even though I enjoy making Japanese food, I don’t always have all the necessary components on hand. Several excellent miso paste alternatives are available, so I don’t have to run to the store when I run out.

What’s Miso Paste?

Miso Paste is made of fermented soybeans. I’ve read that Japanese monks created soy sauce and miso to give vegetarian meals a savory, or “umami,” flavor. It is therefore a beneficial component for boosting flavor.

There are several types of miso pastes, which include:

1. Red Miso Paste
2. Brown Miso Paste
3. White Miso Paste
4. Yellow Miso Paste

While each miso has a somewhat different flavor—the darker the miso, the more intense the flavor—white miso paste is a popular choice to have on hand for everyday applications. Also referred to as Shiro miso, it has a mild flavor and can be used in a wide range of recipes.

Ingredient Substitutes

• Oyster Sauce
• Pesto
• Tahini
• The Ultimate Guide to Vegetable Substitutes
• Broccoli
• Cauliflower
• Kale
• Collard Greens
• Miso Paste

The Best Miso Paste Substitutes

1. Soy Sauce

My go-to substitute for miso paste when I run out is soy sauce, which has a comparable savory, umami, and salty taste. I start with less soy and increase as necessary because soy tends to be less creamy and saltier than miso.

2. Salt

It might be sufficient to add a modest pinch of salt to a dish that only calls for a small amount of miso and contains a lot of other ingredients.

3. Tahini

A paste called tahini is created by grinding sesame seeds. It can be used in recipes where you want the miso paste to have more body because it resembles miso paste in appearance and consistency.

Tahini’s flavor profile is more nutty and creamy than miso’s salty, savory flavor, so it generally won’t work in recipes calling for big amounts of miso.

4. Vegetable Stock

A well-flavored vegetable stock can be used in place of miso in soups. But, it will require additional ingredients if you’re creating a pure miso soup.

5. Fish Sauce

Fish sauce contributes umami and saltiness, just like soy sauce does. But remember, a little goes a long way, so begin small.

Which Miso is the Best?

There are numerous varieties of miso. Shiro miso, sometimes referred to as “white miso,” is the most widely used. It is the mildest tasting and has the palest color. I purchase miso like this.

The stronger the flavor of your miso, the darker its color. You can swap out different kinds of miso paste for one another; but, if you use a darker or redder paste, be prepared to use less. As needed, you may always add more.

Tips

It’s advisable to replace miso paste with other components according to the recipe itself. A recipe’s optimal ingredient may not be the best for another.

Any time you replace miso paste, you should consider factors including taste, amount, and the intended textural finish of the recipe.

A single-ingredient substitution may be the best course of action in some situations, but a mixture of the aforementioned substitutions may be more effective in others.