Can miso paste be frozen? The best ways to do it

Miso paste is made from fermented soybeans. Served in the form of a paste, it has a delicious umami flavor, and is an important ingredient for many different Japanese dishes, such as miso soup.

Miso paste is very handy to keep at home, but it doesn’t last as long as some would like when stored in a fridge, leading many to wonder, is it possible to freeze miso paste?

Miso paste can be frozen without any problems and is one of the only ways to prevent the flavor from changing over a long period of time. Since it is a paste, there are a few ways to freeze miso for easy use when you need it. 

Freeze the miso paste

• Freeze the miso paste in an airtight plastic bag . This keeps the miso paste safe from contamination, and stores it safely in a bag that can lay flat in the freezer to save space.
• A trick to freeze miso paste is to do it in ice trays . This allows you to get the right amount of miso paste each time without having to open a whole container of frozen miso paste.
• Miso paste remains quite malleable when frozen.  This allows you to freeze it in a suitable airtight container, and scoop out the amount you need with a measuring spoon without having to thaw all of the pasta.
• You can also freeze the miso paste in separate, smaller containers and place them all in the freezer.  This saves you from having to scoop small batches out of a container each time you need to use miso paste, and allows you to easily thaw miso paste in one container.

Miso paste has a really long shelf life, thanks to being fermented. It keeps very well in an airtight container in the fridge and can last up to a year.

Light miso doesn’t keep as long as dark miso, so play it safe and freeze your miso paste, especially if you use it infrequently.

What does miso taste like?

If you are not familiar with Japanese cuisine, you may not know what miso paste really tastes like. Miso is usually brown or reddish in color and has a very sour and salty taste when eaten plain.

However, miso paste is not meant to be eaten on its own as a condiment, but rather is used to add an umami flavor to salads, soups, stir-fries, sauces, and marinades.

Miso paste is fermented, which means that it is quite healthy for you. It is a good source of probiotics and aids digestion. To keep the probiotics intact, you should never bring the miso to a boil, as this will kill the healthy bacteria. It is best to heat it until hot, without simmering it.

varieties of miso

Miso paste is traditionally made from fermented soybeans, but there are other varieties of miso that can be found. The appearance and taste of miso also depend on the fermentation time and the region of Japan where it is made.

Different types of miso can be substituted for each other in recipes, but it’s important to remember that the darker the color of the miso, the stronger its flavor. Yellow or white miso pastes tend to have a milder flavor than darker brown miso pastes.

Miso paste made from soybeans is gluten-free, but other variants may not. Remember to check the miso label to make sure it’s right for you.

These are the types of miso available for cooking:

kome miso

It is the traditional miso paste, made with soybeans. Miso kome can be white or red, which are the sweetest pastes, while yellow and other red miso pastes can be very flavorful.

suck me miso

This miso is made from rice malt and has a very rich flavor and a dark brown color.

mugi miso

Mugi miso is made from fermented barley malt. The lighter yellow Mugi miso is sweeter, while the red is flavorful, salty, and full-bodied.

Miso Shiro

Shiro miso is common in western countries. It is made from a combination of soybeans and rice and is less salty than traditional miso.

These miso variants are made with different base ingredients, but all help achieve the umami flavor that is vital to much of Japanese cooking, giving that extra kick and depth of flavor to completely transform a dish.

Where can I find miso paste?

Miso paste is a refrigerated product, so you can find it near other refrigerated condiments in grocery stores. If your local store doesn’t carry miso paste, try to find an Asian specialty store near you.

Be sure to look for miso paste labeled as soybean paste, as it is the same thing and will have the same umami strength.

There are also many health food stores that carry miso paste, as it is considered a nutritious product. It shouldn’t be hard to find miso paste at a nearby store. It may have originated in Japan, but it is widely used throughout the world.

Related questions

What can I make with miso paste?

Found primarily in Japanese cuisine, miso paste can be used to flavor a wide variety of recipes. It is one of those ingredients that you have to have at home and that you can use over and over again. It can be used to cook miso soup, ramen noodles, vegetable stir-fries, as a flavor to salad dressings, and as an added ingredient in casseroles .

If you really like the umami flavor it provides, you can use miso paste on almost anything. Just remember not to bring it to a boil.

What are the health benefits of miso paste?

Being fermented, miso paste is packed with many different vitamins and minerals, as well as micro and macronutrients. Miso paste contains a large amount of protein, iron, vitamin K, phosphorus, and zinc. However, its biggest benefit is that miso paste is packed with microorganisms and probiotics that support gut health and aid digestion.

However, remember that these good bacteria can be killed off if the miso paste is overcooked. Add it to your dish just before cooking. Therefore, miso paste must be refrigerated or frozen to preserve these good bacteria.

Miso paste is high in sodium, which could be a problem for those with prehypertension or high blood pressure. Those who are quite sensitive to sodium shouldn’t consume too much miso, but this shouldn’t be too much of a problem, as a little miso is all it takes for a punch of flavor.

Is there a substitute for miso paste?

Miso paste has such a distinctive flavor that it gives dishes a unique umami flavor that perfectly rounds off a recipe. Therefore, there is no other ingredient that can substitute for miso paste. Plus, it’s widely available, so you shouldn’t have any trouble finding miso paste to use in your cooking.

If you are desperate to find a substitute, soy sauce can be used, but you will be able to tell the difference between the two.

Does miso paste need to be refrigerated?

If the unopened miso paste is in an airtight container, it does not need to be refrigerated. However, you will need to refrigerate the miso paste as soon as the container is opened. Be sure to keep the container tightly closed when not in use. Store it in the fridge thereafter, as miso paste retains its qualities best when kept at a low temperature.

Can you eat miso paste raw?

Miso paste is fine to eat raw, but it will taste very strong, salty, and full-bodied. Some people even like to spread miso paste on their breakfast toast, but that’s more of an acquired taste.

Miso paste changes slightly in flavor when cooked, but still maintains the rich, umami flavor that is sought after and that makes miso paste so popular. Since it’s made from fermented soybeans, there’s no harm in eating miso paste raw, and it’s actually a good source of probiotics and other vitamins and minerals.

Freeze the miso paste

Freezing miso paste is really quite simple. You just have to find the method that works best for you, either freezing a big batch of miso paste and scooping out what you need when you need it, or freezing smaller portions for single use, to avoid having to use the same frozen container.

Miso paste is a must-have in any kitchen, adding great flavor and body to many different dishes. It is really easy to cook and has great nutritional value and good bacteria, allowing you to be healthy in the most delicious way.