Miso Mayo
This miso mayo is a simple three-ingredient sauce that will elevate your meals with loads of umami flavour. Serve it on tacos, burgers, sushi or salads. Or use it as a miso dipping sauce for vegetables.
Treat yourself to a delicious and flavourful miso mayo with this easy recipe. The creamy and umami-packed sauce is perfect for adding a boost of flavour to tacos, burgers, sushi, salads and more. Or serve it as a miso dipping sauce for veggies.
This miso mayonnaise recipe uses three main ingredients: Japanese kewpie mayonnaise, white miso paste and mirin. Boost the savoury umami flavour with a pinch of hondashi if you have, but don’t worry if you don’t.
It takes only a few minutes to whip up this creamy and delicious condiment. And with a few simple tweaks, you can customize it to your liking.
Why you’ll love miso mayo
This three-ingredient miso mayo is one of the easiest and tastiest sauces you can whip up in a minute. It’s perfect for adding a savoury umami flavour to any meal, from tacos to sushi.
Here are a few reasons why you’ll love this miso mayo recipe:
- It’s indulgently creamy: A combination of Japanese kewpie mayonnaise and miso paste makes this sauce super creamy and flavourful.
- It’s easy to make: All you need to do is whisk everything together in a bowl.
- It’s super versatile: Serve the miso mayonnaise as a dipping sauce, a topping for tacos and burgers, or spread it on sandwiches and toast.
- It’s flavour-packed: The combination of white miso paste, mayonnaise and mirin gives this sauce a salty umami flavour with a hint of sweetness. Add (optional) hondashi for an extra savoury boost.
Ingredients and substitutes
Miso mayo is a creamy and delicious condiment that takes only minutes to prepare. It’s a fantastic dip, sandwich spread or salad dressing.
And the best part? It’s made with only three main ingredients!
- Mayonnaise: Japanese Kewpie mayonnaise is the star of this miso mayo recipe. It’s richer and creamier than regular store-bought mayonnaise, and it adds an extra layer of umami flavour. If Kewpie mayo isn’t available, you can use regular heavy mayonnaise or plant-based mayonnaise.
- Miso paste: White miso paste is the key ingredient. It adds a subtle umami flavour and creaminess to the mayonnaise. You can also use red miso or yellow miso paste. For a more intense umami flavour, double the amount of miso paste. Use gluten-free miso if you need a gluten-free mayo sauce. Or try one of these miso substitutes if you’ve run out.
- Mirin: This sweet Japanese rice wine adds complexity and sweetness to the miso mayo. If you don’t have any, substitute the mirin with a teaspoon of sake and half a teaspoon of white sugar. Or simply add a touch of sweetness with a splash of maple syrup.
- Hondashi: This optional Japanese fish stock powder gives the miso mayonnaise an extra savoury depth. If you don’t have any, leave it out.
No miso paste? Don’t worry! If you don’t have miso paste, you can try one of these miso alternatives.
How to make miso mayonnaise
Miso mayo is a creamy, savoury condiment with a hint of umami. It’s perfect for sandwiches, salads, and as a dipping sauce for French fries.
And it’s super easy to make in two simple steps.
Step 1: Prep the ingredients
Grab a small mixing bowl, and add:
- a quarter cup of Japanese kewpie mayonnaise,
- one tablespoon of white miso paste,
- one teaspoon of mirin,
- and optionally half a teaspoon of hondashi powder to add a savoury umami flavour.
Step 2: Combine
Stir all the ingredients together until well combined.
Taste and adjust the seasoning to your preference. If you want a more intense umami flavour, add more white miso paste.
Step 3: Serve or store
Your miso mayo is ready to serve.
Or transfer the sauce to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to five days.
Serving suggestions
Creamy miso mayo sauce is an incredibly versatile condiment. It adds a delicious umami flavour to a variety of dishes.
Sandwiches: Use miso mayo as a spread for sandwiches. Spread it on bread or toast and top with your favourite fillings.
Veggie dip: Use miso mayonnaise as a veggie dip. It goes well with raw or steamed veggies.
Rice bowls: Drizzle the miso mayo sauce over simple rice bowls. Try it with gyeran bap (Korean rice with fried eggs) or gochujang fried rice.
Salads: Drizzle miso mayo onto salads for a creamy, umami dressing and sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds. Or mix it with soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil and chilli flakes for a zesty miso vinaigrette.
Tacos & Burgers: Spread it on tacos or burgers for an extra flavour punch.
Sushi & Sashimi: Use it as a miso dipping sauce for sushi or sashimi. Or drizzle it over simple avocado sushi rolls for an instant flavour boost.
Miso mayo is a great way to add a touch of umami to your meals. Experiment with different ingredients to make your own unique miso mayo sauce.
Frequently asked questions
Miso mayo is a combination of miso, mayonnaise, and sometimes other ingredients like rice vinegar, sesame oil, or honey.
No, miso is not spicy. Miso’s flavour profile is savoury and slightly sweet with a slight tanginess that comes from the fermentation process.
Japanese miso is traditionally made from soybeans, salt, and a grain (typically barley or rice) inoculated with koji (a filamentous fungus).
Ingredients
- ¼ cup Japanese kewpie mayonnaise* , or heavy mayo
- 1 tablespoon white miso paste
- 1 teaspoon mirin
- ½ teaspoon hondashi (optional)
Instructions
- Grab a small mixing bowl and add the mayonnaise, miso paste, mirin and hondashi (if using). Stir until well combined.
- Store in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 5 days.
Notes
- I adore the combination of miso paste and Japanese kewpie mayonnaise, but you can use any heavy mayonnaise. Add half a teaspoon of hondashi powder to your plain mayo to add a savoury umami flavour. (Hondashi is not suitable for vegetarians.)
- The white miso paste gives this miso mayo a mild miso flavour. Use red miso paste for a more intense umami flavour, or double the white miso paste.
