Cooking With Miso

Think of it as peanut butter, albeit a salty, pungent peanut butter made from soybeans instead of peanuts. Miso, pronounced MEE-soh, is fermented soybean paste. While it comes in a variety of forms—red or white (also referred to as dark or light), rice and barley, they’re all fairly similar and can be used interchangeably. Miso is the primary flavor in many Asian dishes including miso soup. We like its deep flavor and ease of use. It also keeps indefinitely in the fridge, which doesn’t hurt either. Look for it in the refrigerated section next to the tofu.