What is miso?

Miso is essentially a thick, savoury cooking paste, most famous for making miso soups. It is made from fermented soybeans, and it originates from China, before being developed and refined further in Japan. It can be used as a soup or noodle base, as a marinade or dressing, even in desserts!

Miso is made from a few simple ingredients – soybeans, salt, rice, koji and water and is fermented from 3 to 36 months depending on your desired flavour and texture.

Miso is an absolutely essential ingredient in Japanese cooking but increasingly being used as an umami rich flavour for many other cuisines too. There are infinite types of miso like wine or cheese and full of complex flavours from sweet custardy flavours through to deep chocolate and nutty tones.