The Magic of Umami

Umami is a Japanese word that translates to craveability. Known as the fifth taste, Asian food culture has long celebrated umami's savory, earthy depth with ingredients like soy sauce, miso, fish sauce, koji, and goju-jian. In the West, umami shows up in ingredients like parmesan, tomato paste, anchovy, and mushroom. Incorporating umami-rich ingredients into your menu development can keep your customers craving another visit.

Let’s take a look at some favorites.

The umami saltiness of miso paste offers broad potential, especially when looking to boost umami in plant-based recipes. Just a spoonful of miso can add tons of flavor to all sorts of soups, noodle dishes, and sauces. Try miso butter with steak, miso caramel cheesecake, miso aioli for sandwiches and dipping sauces, or a roasted carrot and miso spread. 

Tomatoes are rich with glutamic acid. Concentrate them into a paste and they pack a serious flavor-boosting punch. A little tomato paste goes a long way. Even though it’s best known for adding richness to an Italian spaghetti sauce, it also combines well with all sorts of flavors. Use it to make beans extra delicious, boost your braises and soups, or add it to a curry.

People often describe mushrooms as "meaty" and "earthy." This is, in part, because of their inherent umami-backed savoriness. Mushrooms, especially varieties like shiitake and porcini, are rich in natural glutamates. This adds depth and richness that intensifies savory and meaty notes. Try adding porcini powder to marinara sauce or sprinkling it on vegetarian bowls. 

Umaboshi is a fermented and pickled plum. This traditional Japanese ingredient delivers a bold taste with intense salty, sour and astringent flavor. You can find it in its full preserved plum form, as a paste, or vinegar. Try it as a pickling agent for a savory tangy note, add it to a dressing for a burst of acidity and depth, or bring its unique flavor to a favorite rice bowl.

Shio Koji is quite easily made by fermenting a mixture of grain koji (usually made with rice), salt, and water to create a porridge-textured product with a sweet, funky aroma. When used as a marinade, Shio Koji can quickly make meat juicy and tender, or firm up fish in a short amount of time. It can also be used to boost the flavor of sauces, dressings, pickles, baked goods, and even ice cream bases.

There are many more umami-packed ingredients available to add a little magic, and a lot of love to your restaurant’s favorite dishes. Search them all out and see what your customers keep coming back for.