From soothing soups and salad dressings to savory marinades, miso is the secret ingredient that elevates the flavor of everything you cook. Here are my favorite miso recipes you’ll want to make again and again.

a collage of easy miso recipes

Miso (味噌), or fermented soybean paste, is an essential staple in Japanese cuisine. I use it in my cooking almost every day for its umami-rich flavor, versatility, and healthy probiotics.

There are many types of miso—white, yellow, red, and dark brown—each offering a unique taste. With its long shelf life (up to a year for most), miso is a secret ingredient that can transform any bland dish. Just one spoonful adds instant complexity and depth.

Learn:

What Can You Do with Miso?

The possibilities are truly endless. Beyond miso soup, I love using it as a key flavor or a complementary boost. Try miso paste in these ways:

  • Whisk it into salad dressings, sauces, marinades, and dips
  • Boost stir-fries with extra depth
  • Glaze roasted vegetables, grilled meats, or seafood
  • Mix into mashed potatoes or sweet potatoes for a savory twist
  • Slather it on toast with butter, or stir it into baked goods for added flavor

15 Easy & Delicious Miso Recipes To Make At Home

If you’ve got a tub of miso paste sitting in the fridge, it’s time to put it to good use. Here are my top favorite miso recipes to help you make the most of every spoonful!

1. Homemade Miso Dressing

A glass jar containing homemade Miso Dressing.

This dressing strikes a perfect balance of flavors with just a touch of sweetness. You’ll love it on salads, wakame seaweed, noodles, fish, meat, and tofu!


2. Miso Chicken

Miso chicken over steamed rice, garnished with sesame seeds and green onion.

Here, we marinate juicy chicken thighs in a savory-sweet miso sauce, then pan-fry them until crispy and golden brown. It’s guaranteed to be a winner for your weeknight dinners!

3. Nourishing Miso Soups

Japanese miso soup bowls containing tofu and wakame miso soup.

Ever wonder how to make your favorite miso soup recipe with tofu and wakame? I’ll show you the authentic Japanese method—including a vegan version made with kombu dashi.

a collage of seasonal miso soup recipes

Once you’ve mastered the classic, don’t stop there! There are countless ways to enjoy miso soup, especially with seasonal ingredients. Check out our collection by clicking on the button below!

4. Roasted Cauliflower Kale Salad with Miso Tahini Dressing

A large white bowl containing Roasted Cauliflower Kale Salad tossed with Miso Tahini Dressing.

Dressed with a creamy, savory miso tahini dressing, this salad is packed with caramelized cauliflower, tender kale, sweet glazed pecans, and crunchy croutons. It’s tasty, nutritious, and satisfying.

5. Miso Salmon

White plates containing Broiled Miso Salmon served over ginger rice.

Sweet and savory miso pairs perfectly with salmon, especially when used as a marinade. Serve it with aromatic ginger rice and a sprinkle of chopped scallions on top!

6. Miso Butter Pasta with Tuna and Cabbage 

A blue plate containing Japanese-style Tuna and Cabbage Pasta.

This quick and easy, pantry-friendly pasta gets a flavor boost from miso, butter, soy sauce, mirin, and a fresh grind of black pepper—and it’s ready in just 15 minutes!

7. Miso Ramen

Miso ramen with homemade chashu and ramen egg garnished with nori.

Get ready to satisfy your noodle cravings with this miso ramen recipe! I’ll show you how to make an intensely savory miso broth using a base of pork and chicken broth, plus your favorite toppings.

You’ll be surprised at how easy it is to make homemade ramen that rivals restaurant versions!

8. Miso Cod (Black Cod with Miso)

A rectangular plate containing Miso Cod.

This miso cod makes an impressive main dish—perfect if you’re looking for a classic Japanese recipe to serve guests. Prep it, give it a quick broil in the oven, and dinner is ready. Simple, yet elegant.

9. Grilled Corn with Miso Butter

Grilled corn with miso butter sauce on the wooden cutting board.

Corn on the cob, grilled until nicely charred and brushed with sweet miso honey butter—this is sure to become your favorite way to enjoy this summertime must-have.

10. Miso Glazed Eggplant

A rectangular plate containing Miso Glazed Eggplant garnished with yuzu kosho paste on a green maple leaf on the side.

Eggplant, so good on its own, but when it’s glazed with miso and grilled until lightly charred, the vegetable can really shine. Use slender Japanese or Asian eggplants if possible.

11. Miso Pork and Eggplant Stir-Fry

A bowl containing Miso Pork and Eggplant Stir-Fry over steamed rice.

This protein- and fiber-packed stir-fry makes a deliciously easy weeknight meal. To finish it off, sprinkle with sesame seeds and a scatter of chopped green onions.

12. Garlic Miso Chicken Wings

An oval ceramic white plate containing Garlic Miso Chicken Wings.

These wings are coated in a punchy, garlicky, umami-packed sauce and come out of the oven crispy on the outside and perfectly juicy inside. My family loves them for our Friday movie nights.

13. Miso Butter Mushrooms in Foil

Assortment of mushrooms are wrapped and cooked in foil with miso and butter.

These miso butter mushrooms in foil packets are easy to make using a medley of Japanese mushrooms like shiitake mushroom, enoki, and shimeji.

They’re creamy, savory, and rich in flavor. Serve them as a main or a side dish.

14. All-Purpose Miso Meat Sauce

All-Purpose Miso Meat Sauce (Niku Miso) over steamed rice.

This all-purpose sauce is easily one of my favorite meal-prep staples. I use red miso for a deeper flavor, but feel free to try other varieties. Serve it anytime you need a protein boost for steamed rice, noodles, or lettuce wraps!

Vegan or vegetarian? Cubed firm tofu and mushrooms work great as a substitute in this recipe.

15. Miso Butter Cookies

Miso Butter Cookies stored in the glass container.

Crisp, buttery, and melt-in-your-mouth, these miso butter cookies make an insanely delicious afternoon treat!

They hit all the right notes with serious depth of flavor. Plus, you only need 7 pantry ingredients.


More Easy Japanese Recipes Collections

Ready to cook more Japanese dishes at home? I think you’re going to enjoy these recipes too:

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I love all foods with miso. Thank you so much for the recipes! I always have a light and dark miso in the fridge.

Thank you for these great recipes. I am excited to try them out/

Hi Susan! We hope you enjoy them all as much as we do!😆
Thank you so much for reading Nami’s post and trying her recipes!

I saw somewhere on here that you can put miso on burgers. I was skeptical at first, but after trying it, I have been changed forever

Hi Patrick! Thank you for sharing your experience with us!
We are glad to hear you liked it!

Mmmmmm so good, I’ll make all of your recipes for my family. 😉

Hi Carlson! Aww. Thank you very much for your kind feedback.
Nami and JOC team are so happy to know that you enjoy Nami’s recipes. Happy Cooking!

I’m so happy today when you sent me email most important food recipes,thank you so much,

I have a recipe,so I’m all set, but I think many people would like a recipe for Miso Carrot Salad Dressing, such as you receive in a sushi restaurant.

A long time ago, I had raw Japanese cucumbers with a bumpy miso on them. It was delicious. After some research, I think it was Moromi Miso. I want to buy some to enjoy with my veggies, but can’t find it. Would you know if this is the correct miso for vegetables? Help!

Hello nami, for the Japanese recipes that require miso that you recommend? In my Asian grocery store you get Marukome and Hikari

In Kyoto I tried the most amazing dish of chilled pork miso on top of chilled sprouts at a gyoza shop called gyoza hohei. I never thought miso could be sooooo good 🙂

Hi Nami, thank you so much for sharing so many recipes. i have tried a lot of them. you are my go to if i need to whip up some home cooked japanese food. Nowadays, i cook a ton of japanese food just because it is simple and healthier than other type of food. I like that most of the recipes call for common ingredients that are already staples in my pantry (sake, mirin, soy sauce, sugar, salt,)