Miso

Leave the hassle of deep-frying cauliflower to the restaurants! You’ll still get beautifully crispy florets by popping them into the oven.

Crispy tofu cubes get tossed in a sweet and savory glaze that hits all the umami notes.

A salty-umami chocolate chip cookie from chefs Marcus Samuelsson and Tiana Gee to add to the Great Chocolate Chip Cookie canon.

My grandma used to make a version of this dish using pork and showers of Parmesan. I have updated it to include ground chicken and miso for a lighter, late-summer dish with equally deep flavor,  but feel free to use whatever ground meat you prefer. Gently poaching the meatballs is not only faster than roasting, but means none of their flavor is lost to a baking sheet.

A quick sear gives corn kernels caramelized edges and concentrated flavor. Here, they're cooked with crisp chickpeas, then tossed with za'atar and dressed with a mixture of ginger, jalapeños, miso, and tahini. 

Imagine a cross between butter pecan ice cream and salted caramel ice cream, except that the “salted” part comes from miso.

This recipe gives off major chicken-soup vibes but is entirely vegetarian—and you don’t have to simmer vegetables or cheese rinds for hours to get there. The lightning-fast broth gets its flavor from caramelized miso and nutritional yeast (a trick we picked up from Bay Area cookbook author and food writer Andrea Nguyen). The gluten-free dumplings are soft on the outside and pleasantly chewy on the inside. 

Hot-and-sour soup inspired this highly nontraditional springtime version. Miso gives just enough body so that you won't need cornstarch to thicken it, and you can use silken tofu or thinly sliced yuba instead of egg for that same silky effect.

Whether you prefer the buttery richness of classic party mix, or you’re on the sugarcoated puppy chow team, this recipe has you covered. 

Miso and 100% whole wheat flour add salty-nutty complexity to this super tender crumb cake.

This fast miso-curry paste and handfuls of charred green beans and peas transform skinless, boneless chicken breasts into a highly craveable dinner.

The tastiest rice is seasoned sushi rice.

Did we lose you with the miso? Don't go!

This recipe is a great way to showcase the eggplants and basil you just hauled from the market.

The perfect recipe for any type of beautiful summer bean you buy at the farmers' market!

The ultimate dinner-to-desk lunch dish.

Spiking fresh orange and lime juices with a shot of rice vinegar gives the sweet citrus flavor an edge to stand up to rich fish and earthy roasted vegetables.

We would never ask you to use your blender if it didn’t make a smoother and better dressing. The effort is worth it; you’ll have enough sauce to get you through a week of lunches.

Toasted sesame seeds can often be found in the Asian sections of some supermarkets, sometimes labeled Gomasio. If ever there was a time of year to keep a big jar of them on hand, pre-toasted and ready to go, this is it. They are the perfect crunchy topper for everything from salads to soups and roasted vegetables.

Feel free to use store-bought jelly, and avoid the temptation to add oil to the pecans when pulsing. They have plenty of natural fat if you just blitz them long enough.