Healthy Highlight: Miso

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Recently, I have seen one flavor profile on many menus, and it has been delicious every time. Miso is a fermented condiment popular in parts of Asia that has made its way to American menus and it is here to stay! Miso paste can be used to make sauces, spreads, and soup stock or to pickle vegetables and meat. 

  • One ounce of miso contains 12% of the recommended daily value for Manganese, 10% for Vitamin K and 6% for Copper
  • Miso helps improve your digestion and gut health
  • Miso can often fight against stomach cancer and doesn't increase the risk of stomach cancer like many other high salt foods can
  • The nutrients in Miso can strengthen your immune system

Recipes:

Miso Beef Noodles (allrecipes.com)

For the Miso Beef Sauce

  • 1/3 cup Red Miso Paste
  • 3 tablespoons Maple Syrup
  • 1/4 cup Rice Vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon Soy Sauce
  • 1/2 teaspoon Garlic Powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground Black Pepper
  • 1 teaspoon Kosher Salt
  • 1 teaspoon Sriracha 
  • 2 1/4 pounds boneless Beef Chuck Roast
  • 1 Medium Yellow Onion, sliced
  • 3 cloves Garlic, minced
  • 2/3 cup Water

For Noodle Dish

  • 3 cups Water
  • 1 cup sliced Red Bell Peppers
  • 1/2 cup sliced Green Onions
  • 3 cups sliced Bok Choy
  • 1/4 cup chopped Cilantro
  • 1 teaspoon Cornstarch
  • 2 teaspoons Water to mix with cornstarch
  • 8 ounces Bucatini or any other noodle
  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
  2. Combine red miso paste, maple syrup, rice vinegar, soy sauce, garlic powder, black pepper, kosher salt, and sriracha in a mixing bowl and whisk until smooth.
  3. Add beef to the bowl and coat thoroughly on both sides, poking beef all over with a fork to allow the marinade to soak into the meat.
  4. Add onions and minced garlic to a braising pan, and distribute evenly. Top with beef, and all the sauce mixture. Spread sauce over top of beef, and add 2/3 cup water around the meat.
  5. Transfer pan to the preheated oven and roast for 1 hour. Remove from oven, flip beef over, and spoon pan drippings over the top. Return to the oven and roast for 1 hour more. Cover pan and continue roasting for 1 more hour.
  6. Remove from the oven and let cool. Spoon the caramelized onions over the meat. Cover and refrigerate overnight (NOTE: meat can be cut up and the recipe finished as shown without the overnight refrigeration step).
  7. The next day, cut cold beef into 1/2 inch pieces, and return to the pan. Add 3 cups of water, place over high heat, and bring to a simmer. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until the meat is tender, about 45 minutes.
  8. Stir bell peppers, green onions, and bok choy into the pan. Raise heat to medium, and cook until vegetables are as tender as desired, 5 to 10 minutes.
  9. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook bucatini in the boiling water, stirring occasionally, until tender yet firm to the bite, 9 to 12 minutes.
  10. Mix cornstarch and 2 teaspoons of water in a small bowl. Stir into the sauce (only if you like a thicker sauce) and cook for about 1 minutes, while stirring. Transfer cooked noodles to the pan using tongs and toss to combine.
  11. Serve immediately with cilantro and green onions if desired.

Miso Chicken (cooking.nytimes.com)

  • 4 tablespoons Unsalted Butter
  • 1/2 cup White Miso
  • 2 tablespoons Honey
  • 1 tablespoon Rice Vinegar
  • Black Pepper
  • 8 skin-on, bone-in Chicken Thighs
  1. Heat oven to 425 degrees. Combine butter, miso, honey, rice vinegar and black pepper in a large bowl and mix with a spatula or spoon until it is well combined.
  2. Add chicken to the bowl and massage the miso-butter mixture all over it. Place the chicken in a single layer in a roasting pan and slide it into the oven. Roast for 30 to 40 minutes, turning the chicken pieces over once or twice, until the skin is golden brown and crisp, and the internal temperature of the meat is 160 to 165 degrees.

Miso Dressing (cookingwithayeh.com)

  • 2 tablespoons White Miso Paste
  • 1/2 teaspoon Grated Ginger
  • 4 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • 1 tablespoon Sesame Oil
  • 1 tablespoon Rice Wine Vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons Soy Sauce
  • 1/2 Lemon or Lime Juice
  • 1/2 teaspoons Water, if needed
  1. In a bowl or mason jar, add the liquids which are the olive oil, soy sauce, sesame oil, rice wine vinegar and the lime or lemon juice
  2. Add the miso paste, finely grate in the ginger and whisk until well combined and there are no clumps. You can also use a blender or food processor. Drizzle this Miso Dressing over a salad such as my chopped asian salad and enjoy!