Miso Butter is a delicious and easy compound butter than can be used in so many different ways. The basic version only needs 5 minutes and 2 ingredients - miso and butter- but I also show you how to jazz it up.
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⭐ Why This Recipe is a Star
- Miso butter is 1 of the easiest spreads you can make: the basic miso butter recipe only requires only 2 ingredients and 5 minutes, but I also show you how to make it better by adding another 2 (garlic and an acid.)
- The recipe is very versatile: You can make it with any type of miso and the amount of miso used is also totally up to you. (I use a 1:4 miso: butter ratio, but you can even use a 1:2 ratio if using a lighter soybean paste.)
- Goes with so many foods: like gochujang butter, it goes with almost everything. It tastes great with these Asian breads, sweet potatoes, pan-fried salmon, meat or grilled vegetables!
What is Miso Butter?
It's an Asian compound butter made with butter and miso (みそ/ 味噌.)
Miso is a condiment widely used in Japanese cuisine. (You'll have tasted it in miso soup!) It is made by combining fermented soy beans, salt and koji (a fungus.) Thanks to the fermentation, this soybean paste has a lot of umami flavor.
If you want to find out more about this Japanese cooking ingredient, see the section on FAQs below.
🥘 Ingredients
You only need 2 basic ingredients to make homemade miso butter:
- butter: I prefer unsalted butter as some brands of miso can be very salty. (You can always season with a pinch of salt if you find the compound butter tastes bland.) If you use salted butter, start by adding just a bit of miso and taste as you go along.
- miso: red miso (aka miso), yellow miso, blended awase miso or white miso paste (shiro miso) all work. (I used dark red miso.) Do cover your miso paste with parchment paper after use, to prevent it from oxidising (and store in the fridge after opening, not at room temperature!) If you can't get it, you can also use Korean doenjjang as a substitute.
Although you only need 2 ingredients, the following ingredients will make it taste better:
- lime juice: or white vinegar
- garlic: I use minced fresh garlic but you can also use roasted garlic for a milder flavor
- I also add some sliced chives for texture and to make the miso butter more attractive but this is totally optional. You won't be able to actually taste it! (because the garlic flavor overpowers it.) Alternatively, you can also add sliced spring onions for that pop of green.
📖 Variations
- Sesame miso butter: mix in a teaspoon or 2 of sesame oil and lightly toasted sesame seeds. (Not too much sesame oil or the butter may not set well.)
- Spicy butter: stir in red pepper flakes or gochugaru
🔪 Step-by-Step Instructions
- Mix the miso with the softened butter in a small bowl and, if using, minced garlic and lime juice/ vinegar.
Note: the butter should be soft to touch but not so melted it's greasy. You can mix it even when it's hard straight out of the fridge, but it'll take a bit more effort.
This is what you'll get after mixing everything together (assuming you use a dark miso. If you use a white miso, the spread will be lighter in color.)
🥗 How to Use
Substitute the olive oil or plain butter for this delicious creamy butter when cooking fish, meat or vegetables. You can combine with vegetable stock to make a sauce for miso butter noodles, or drizzle the melted butter over blanched bok choy.
Personally, I love miso butter salmon!
🥡 How to Store
You can make a huge batch of this Asian compound butter and store in the fridge in an airtight container for 1-2 weeks. I like to store mine in ice cube containers, for easy use.
Alternatively, freeze for up to a month.
Note: to get a nice pat of butter like you see at restaurants (if serving with bread), roll in parchment paper into a log shape, then cut. (I don't recommend rolling in cling film/ plastic wrap, as it'll leave wrinkles on the side of the butter.)
Do note that miso butter will be softer than regular butter after chilling, especially if you add the lime juice or rice vinegar.
👩🏻🍳 Expert Tips
Tip #1: If you want to season your butter, adding light soy sauce instead of salt will give the miso butter more oomph. (Butter + Soy is an umami powerhouse, as seen in this soy sauce popcorn and soy butter mushrooms.)
Tip #2: If making a big batch of this miso butter sauce, you can do it in a food processor or with a hand mixer. If so, there's no need to wait for the butter to soften.
💭 Recipe FAQs
There are over 1300 types of miso in Japan, made from different types of koji, fermented for different lengths of time. The main varieties are white, yellow and red. White (shirt miso) is made from rice (traditionally more expensive) whilst yellow miso is made from barley or brown rice. Red miso (Aka miso) has been fermented for a longer period of time and has a stronger flavor. The color can be so deep it can even look black!
🥗 Other Asian Spreads
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Miso Butter
Equipment
- Small bowl and spoon/ fork Substitute: food processor or hand mixer for bigger batches
Ingredients
- 1 Tablespoon Miso paste Any type is fine but may want to vary the quantity accordingly. (More miso if you use the more delicate lighter misos and less if you use a darker one. I used a red miso and hence a 1:4 miso: butter ratio. You can go up to 1:2 if using a light miso.)
- 4 Tablespoons Unsalted butter, softened The butter should be soft to touch but not so melted it's greasy. You can mix it even when it's hard straight out of the fridge, but it'll take a bit more effort.
Optional ingredients
- 1 clove fresh garlic peeled and minced
- 1 teaspoon fresh lime juice Substitute: white rice vinegar or white wine vinegar
- 1 sprig spring onions This is more for texture than taste as the garlic flavor is quite strong! Substitute: coriander or 1 of these green onion alternatives
- light soy sauce to taste (if your miso isn't flavorful enough.) Substitute: salt
Instructions
- Mix the miso with the softened butter in a small bowl and, if using, minced garlic and lime juice/ vinegar.
Notes
Note: the nutritional information is an estimate automatically calculated using the WPRM recipe maker and I am not responsible for its veracity.
Nutrition
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