10 Unexpected Ways to Use Miso Paste

As this recipe really showcases, miso paste adds a savory, almost meaty quality to many vegan recipes. The other star of the show here is cashews! "Cashews are basically vegan dairy," says isachandra. "Blend them with a little liquid and you've got a smooth cream, similar to half-and-half. Mixed with broth, nutritional yeast, miso and seasonings along with the macaroni and you've got delish mac 'n cheese."

You might also like miso paste in:

Wake up to miso in the mornings!  "A Japanese visitor said miso soup is a classic breakfast soup, and I thought why not add oatmeal instead of tofu," says Nancy Williamson Farrell. "Now it's a must each morning for me and much more satisfying than a green smoothie or sweet oatmeal!"

Diana71 submitted this cookie recipe, and she explains the wisdom behind adding miso paste to the batter: "Miso adds a subtle richness to baked goods, and also makes it more wholesome!" she says. She recommends using plain shiro, or white, miso for this recipe. "Be sure it's not flavored! You'll be pleasantly surprised with the complexity of flavor and creaminess that this ingredient adds to chocolate chip cookies!"

As we've seen before, miso paste adds essential savory flavor to many vegan recipes. And gravy may be where miso paste reaches its peak potential in terms of delivering on the promise of major umami. "This delicious vegan gravy is great to make biscuits and gravy or over mashed potatoes," says Becky.

Yellow miso paste mixes it up with pickled ginger, sesame seeds, green cabbage, and Asian pears. This sensational slaw is terrific paired with roasted meats, chicken, and barbecued ribs. And, of course, it's even more delicious on day two! "Love this unique coleslaw with sticky sweet spicy Asian type BBQ chicken," says Keeli. "We found we prefer Napa cabbage instead of regular."

Here's another vegan recipe that pairs savory miso paste with rich, buttery cashews. This tasty tart also features chickpeas, fresh tomatoes, and jalapeno pepper. 

For a big burst of flavor, try this miso paste and wasabi paste combo as a condiment for ham and cheese sandwiches. Try it grilled, too!

Here, lentils and shiitake mushrooms get the sloppy-joe treatment with a tangy sauce that features tomatoes, miso paste, barbeque sauce, ketchup, allspice, and garlic. If you like, add hot sauce or ground cayenne pepper to taste. Serve over rice, potatoes, bread, or any other grain," says Timothy O'Hara. "My son had one and halfway through the second sandwich he said, 'There's no meat in this!' and finished eating the sandwich."

When you're fakin' bacon, it's miso paste to the rescue. "To mimic the intoxicating aroma that we have come to love in the real thing, we used a combination of liquid smoke, miso paste, soy sauce, maple syrup, and paprika to achieve similar results," says MyNutriCounter. "This recipe not only offers a completely meat-free bacon, but one that is low in fat and calories." 

The vegan alfredo sauce features mellow white miso, nutritional yeast, cashews, and vegetable broth. This autumn recipe easily converts to a year-round option, just replace the roasted butternut squash with canned pumpkin or squash puree. Joni rates this recipe 5 stars: "Sweet, creamy, depth of flavor. Definitely recommend!"