There’s something comforting about miso soup. It could be the fact that it’s scientifically proven to help cure hangovers, or it could be that light, warm soup literally warms the soul (err, belly). But enjoying miso doesn’t have to be limited to takeout or only paired with seaweed. It tastes great with just about everything—even chocolate—and adds a savory touch that’s unlike any other flavor.
These 23 miso recipes range from healthy to just the right amount of indulgence, from breakfast all the way through dessert. Just thinking about them is making mi-so hungry! And we bet they’ll make you hungry and your stomach super happy too.
1. Crispy Garlic- and Miso-Glazed Salmon
Sure, roasting salmon with good ol’ garlic and lemon is great. But what if we told you it’s incredibly easy to spice things up? This recipe uses honey, ginger, garlic, and miso as a sauce, and requires little more than a light whisk, short marinade, and quick roast. Top with scallions, extra sauce, and a drop of Sriracha if you like some heat.
2. Miso-Tahini Avocado Toast With Black Sesame Gomasio
Sick of the same avocado smash? OK, we aren’t either, but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t change it up every once in a while. This variation starts with a tahini-miso layer, is topped with avocado slices, and is then sprinkled with gomasio (a sesame salt), sliced scallions, and chopped dill. It’s fresh, light, flavorful, and all-around wonderful. We recommend using multiseed bread or sourdough.
3. Creamy Miso Peanut Chicken Lettuce Wraps
Miso, crunchy peanut butter, chili-spiced chicken, and grapes? It may sound like an odd combo, but this recipe will surprise and delight you. With just the right amount of sweet and savory, it’s the perfect option for a low-carb dinner or lunch. For extra crunch, add water chestnuts or raw bell pepper.
4. Miso-Carrot Mac and Cheese
Another unexpected flavor pairing, this mac and cheese gets its color from the carrots and a punch of flavor from the miso. We understand if you’re skeptical, but we swear it doesn’t taste overwhelmingly like the orange veg and is instead an adult, umami version of one of your favorite childhood meals.
5. Sesame Ginger Miso Cucumber Salad
Whoever said cucumber is flavorless hasn’t had the pleasure of tasting this salad. Spiralize the veggie into thin, curly ribbons and mix with edamame, julienned carrots, sesame seeds, nori (dried seaweed), and a tangy miso dressing. It’s the perfect complement to any lean protein or hearty soup—especially if it’s on the sweeter side. If you don’t have a spiralizer, don’t fret. It tastes just as good with slices.
6. Salted Miso Chocolate Chunk Cookie Bars
Move over, salted caramel, it’s salted miso’s time to shine. These cookie bars have the texture of a perfectly cooked chocolate chip cookie (ooey gooey, with a hint of crispy) but are gluten-free and use lower glycemic sugar. The miso adds a hint of savory and brings out the sweetness of the chocolate chunks. Bonus: They freeze well, so you don’t have to eat the entire batch at once—unless you want to.
7. Roasted Cauliflower Miso Soup
To call cauliflower soup heavenly wouldn’t be doing it justice. Its velvety texture and rich flavor make it the perfect pick-me-up, and it can be blended with a variety of flavors. We love that this recipe uses almond milk instead of heavy cream and miso in place of cheese. Top with toasted walnuts and thyme or add crunch with homemade croutons.
8. Spicy Miso-Glazed Chicken Wings
There’s no denying buffalo chicken wings are amazing. But it’s quite possible these Korean chicken wings are even more amazing. Grilled and not fried, both spicy and sweet, and a breeze to make, these miso chicken wings are a nice departure from the football-fare favorite.
9. Overnight Oats With Soft-Cooked Egg and Miso-Braised Kale
You’ve heard of overnight oats. But savory overnight oats? The base of the recipe—oats, nut milk, Greek yogurt, and add-ins like flaxseeds—will sound familiar. Where the recipe gets fun is the soft-boiled egg and miso-braised kale. These oats require a bit more kitchen time than most, but the protein-packed, savory result is well worth it.
10. Miso-Marinated Steak Salad
This beautiful salad is the perfect last-minute dish to throw together. Whether you’re cooking for friends or just yourself, its elegant flavor and pop of colors (and nutrients) make it a mouthwatering hit. For extra flavor, let the meat marinate for at least an hour. We also love subbing tofu or chicken or topping with grilled avocado.
11. Eggplant Miso Dip
Yes, hummus is amazing. Yes, we could eat it every day. But this eggplant miso dip is worth changing things up for. Broil eggplant; mix with pine nuts, tahini, miso, vinegar, and a few spices; and sprinkle with parsley and za’atar for one of the most satisfying dips you’ve ever dunked into. Great with veggies, even better with sourdough bread.
12. Miso-Glazed Sweet Potato Bowls
Talk about a power lunch. This miso sweet potato bowl is filled with turmeric farro, chopped kale, and mushrooms, and topped with sliced avocado and tahini sauce. Packed with fiber, antioxidants, and a whole lot of flavor, it’s the perfect meal to make in abundance. Letting the sweet potato soak in the miso sauce overnight makes it that much tastier.
13. Miso Caramel Sweet Potato Brownies
This is not your average brownie recipe. Filled with all kinds of surprises—dates, miso, ground almonds, and cashew butter, to name a few—they’re as gooey and chocolaty as they are nutritious. We know, it’s hard to believe. The sweet potato gives them a moist center, and the raw cacao adds the deep chocolate flavor we know so well (and love so much). If you eat the entire batch, we won’t blame you.
14. Miso Soba Noodle Soup With Sriracha Tofu and Shiitake Mushrooms
A list of miso recipes wouldn’t be complete without at least one noodle soup. This recipe requires a bit of extra effort but is all kinds of worth it. Roasting the tofu and mushrooms infuses them with Sriracha and also gives them a crisp outside, even after they’re immersed in broth. We love mixing up the leafy greens, adding veggies like snow peas, and throwing in a soft-boiled egg for extra protein.
15. Miso Sweet Potato Soup
We’re all about soups—especially if they take only 20 minutes to make. Simply sauté the ginger, spring onions, sweet potato, and miso; add water and chicken broth; blend; and top with spiced shrimp. To make it vegetarian, use vegetable broth and omit the crustaceans.
16. Kale Salad With Miso-Lemon Vinaigrette
Simple, bright, healthy, fresh… yes, please. This salad can be made in minutes and morphed into whatever you want it to be. For breakfast, add a poached egg. For lunch, top with chicken or farro. The flavor is so versatile you can pair with pretty much any protein or grain. It’d even taste great with sliced avocado and grapefruit.
17. Ginger Chicken Meatballs in Miso Broth
This soup is a fun, Asian spin on an Italian wedding soup. Though cooking meatballs from scratch may sound like a drag, these can be made in roughly 10 minutes and are well worth the endeavor. Drop them in the miso-ginger broth, stir in some bok choy, kick back, relax, and slurp away.
18. Miso-Glazed Eggplant
With only seven ingredients and a cook time of 10 minutes, this may just be our new favorite recipe. Eggplant can be intimidating, but this recipe couldn’t be simpler—or tastier. Simply slice the eggplant, score it, cook, and cover in sauce and sesame seeds. It pairs nicely with rice, miso soup, or a simple salad.
19. Asparagus Stir-Fry With Sesame-Miso Sauce
This is another great recipe for time-crunched dinners or when you’re out of inspiration. Taking 20 minutes or less to make, it’s as easy as sautéing asparagus in the miso sauce, serving it over brown rice, and sprinkling with sesame seeds. For extra protein, add diced chicken, shrimp, steak, or tofu, and experiment with other grains, like quinoa.
20. Creamy Chickpea Miso Vegetable Stew
We didn’t think it could get more comforting than plain miso soup, but then we met this stew. Made creamy with blended chickpeas, celery, and onion, and extra hearty with carrots, cauliflower, rutabaga, and kale, it’s perfect for days you need a little extra warmth—or a some extra love.
21. Sweet Potato Sushi With Miso Glaze
Making sushi is insanely fun and surprisingly simple. And when you’re using veggies instead of seafood, it’s crazy affordable too. Cook red Thai rice in a rice cooker (this tool is essential for sticky rice), marinate the sweet potato sticks in a miso glaze and bake, assemble your sushi mat (another essential tool), pile away, roll, and enjoy. It certainly isn’t a quick-fix meal, but it’s a kitchen adventure worth having.
22. Creamy Miso Carbonara Udon Noodle
Miso carbonara may sound wrong, but trust us: It’s so right. Udon stands in for traditional spaghetti noodles, but the rest is relatively the same. The sauce is made of heavy cream (only 1 tablespoon), egg yolk, and Parmesan, and it’s loaded with bacon and black pepper. Just add miso and a smattering of green onions.
23. Tahini Ice Cream Bars With Miso Caramel and Chocolate
This dessert requires an ice cream maker, but it’s so damn delicious it’s practically worth investing in one just so you can taste it. The ice cream is made with Thai coconut milk, tahini, maple syrup, and vanilla extract, and the sauce is made with a coconut trifecta (coconut milk, sugar, and oil), vanilla extract, and sweet miso paste. For a little crunch, add chopped pistachios while the drizzle is setting.
