32 miso recipes

What is miso?

Miso, a cornerstone of Japanese cuisine, emerges from a centuries-old tradition of fermenting cooked soybeans with salt, koji (a special culture), and sometimes grains like rice or barley. Left to mature for extended periods, often up to three years, this process yields a rich, umami-laden paste. Varieties abound: delicate white miso boasts sweetness and subtlety, while bold red miso delivers a robust, salty punch, and deep, intense dark miso offers a complex flavour profile unparalleled in depth.

For further information, check out our guide on miso to learn more and where to buy it.

Recipes using miso paste

Miso soup with chilli chicken and noodles

Fry shredded chicken in miso and gochujang and add to this nutritious broth for a gut-friendly meal.

Sticky ginger aubergine

Miso brings deep umami to this sticky ginger aubergine bake, coating the roasted slices in a glossy, savoury-sweet glaze. This flavour-packed vegetarian dish works beautifully with rice or noodles for a relaxed garden lunch.

Grilled corn salad with tahini miso dressing

Griddle corn for a charred flavour that complements the sweet cherry tomatoes in this salad. Sprinkle over crumbled feta and dress in a tahini, miso and maple dressing.

Miso salmon

A fresh new way to serve salmon – with a white miso, rice vinegar and finely grated ginger sauce. This recipe is high in protein and low in salt.

Miso ginger dressing

A quick, no-fuss dressing made from white miso paste, fresh ginger and a couple of storecupboard ingredients.

Sweetcorn with lime and miso butter

Pep up corn on the cob with an umami miso and zingy lime butter for a speedy veggie starter or side dish.

Miso buttered radishes

Peppery pink radishes take centre stage in this simple side dish, topped with white miso, sesame seeds and soy sauce.

Miso caramel chicken wings

These chicken wings will be deliciously crisp whether they're baked in the oven or grilled. Once cooked, they’re covered in a sweet and salty caramel dressing that’s incredibly moreish.

Vegan shredded veg miso soup

Shred ginger, leeks and carrots into this rich soup and top up with quinoa and kale for a nourishing, low-calorie meal.

Miso and chilli squash tarte tatin

Serve this vibrant savoury tart with a couple of winter salads for an impressive but simple dinner party dish.

Miso aubergines

Miso and aubergine is a match made in heaven, and this recipe is perfect for the barbecue this summer. Make sure you check the miso is vegan and gluten free, if needed.

Fried artichoke with miso mayonnaise

Try this crispy fried artichoke paired with a punchy miso mayonnaise sauce. This easy recipe comes from Kudu in Peckham, a modern European restaurant with a South African twist.

Spring vegetable rolls with kale pesto

Fresh, bright and ready in 30 minutes, Hetty McKinnon’s Vietnamese-style spring rolls featuring miso and veg are a roll-it-yourself midweek dinner.

Spicy miso ramen

This punchy ramen is from the hip Japanese restaurant Bone Daddies. It takes a little time but the result is worth it: rich pork broth with noodles and perfectly balanced accompaniments. Prepare and marinade the eggs and the meat the night before for best results.

Miso polenta

Red miso is whisked into polenta to add a savoury complexity. Topped with peppers, spring onions and sesame seeds, it makes a great midweek meal.

Miso chicken with sweet and sour salad

This recipe for sesame miso chicken with a sweet and sour salad is really easy, ready in 30 minutes and under 500 calories. Miso paste keeps for ages in the fridge, too.

Miso tofu soup

Silken tofu helps make this miso-rich noodle broth smooth and creamy without the addition of dairy – a nourishing veggie dinner that's ready in just 15 minutes. Top with a gorgeously jammy egg.

Miso salmon and seafood fry

After a new take on miso salmon? This recipe includes homemade condiments like miso butter, yuzu hollandaise and kimchi mayo, as well as different kinds of seafood.

Sweet potato and miso mash

Sweet potato reaches new heights with the savoury depth of miso and a satisfying crunch from pumpkin seeds. Quick to prepare, vegetarian, and ideal as a side dish, this mash is as nourishing as it is delicious. Packed with soluble and insoluble fibre, sweet potatoes help support digestive health. At the same time, their high beta-carotene content, which converts to vitamin A, plays a vital role in strengthening gut immunity. A truly moreish addition to any meal.

Miso roasted cauliflower, avocado and lentil salad

Fibre-rich cauliflower is roasted in a miso dressing – also filled with probiotics – and turned into a rustic salad with pickled onions and lentils. It's delicious and great for your gut, too.

Miso-buttered cod with broccoli, sesame and beans

Check out this nourishing miso fish recipe with broccoli and beans. The Japanese miso paste gives this baked cod a rich and warming flavour.

Miso and sweet potato soup

Velvety, wholesome and packed with plenty of flavour from white miso, this sweet potato soup is simple to make and low in calories.

Miso caramel and chocolate tart

A nutty cereal base, rich dark chocolate ganache and umami miso caramel come together to create this indulgent dessert. It makes an impressive dinner party dish when entertaining friends.

Miso ribs with slaw

Check out these melt-in-the-mouth baby back ribs with a miso marinade and a crunchy, vibrant slaw for your next barbecue.

Sticky miso nuts and seeds

If salted caramel is your bag, then get ready for miso caramel – a heady mix of the salt and sweet combination. Check out more of our best caramel recipes.

Miso chickpeas and avocado on toast

Turn a storecupboard staple into a twist on a popular brunch dish, with a miso-spiked chickpea paste. It's livened up even further with sesame seeds, lemon and spring onions.

Miso-glazed sea bass with ginger greens

Eating healthily doesn't have to mean compromising on great flavours. This miso-glazed sea bass with ginger greens is quick and easy to make and under 300 calories.

Miso mackerel with chilli brown rice

Try this quick, Japanese-style recipe for mackerel. Grilling is an easy way to cook oily fish and the miso-mirin marinade takes minutes to make. Serve with brown rice.

Yakitori chicken skewers with miso

This Japanese glaze is ideal for grilled meat, poultry or fish. It is so easy to make – the mix of miso, sugar and mirin makes these healthy chicken skewers deliciously sticky.

Miso chocolate cookies

Miso adds a subtle umami note and balances the sweetness in these seriously moreish and chewy triple chocolate cookies.

Miso crème brûlée

Recreate modern pub food in the comfort of your own home with this easy miso-laced dessert recipe from Islington’s Four Legs.

Maple and miso celeriac soup

Make the most of this underused root vegetable with a rich soup. White miso balances the earthy celeriac and sweet maple syrup. Swap the double cream for a plant-based cream to make this vegan.

Sweet miso caramels

These moreish toffees are the perfect combination of sweet and salty. Wrap them up in white greaseproof paper and give them as gifts – or just eat them all yourself!

Sticky miso roast sprouts

Level up your sprouts with umami miso and zingy lime, then roast until golden and caramelised.