Supermarket miso pastes were put through a 'soup test' to determine which have an authentic flavour and which are nothing like the real thing. The results showed that, with one exception, the least authentic and most processed products were also some of the most expensive, even though they are little more than synthetic imitations cut with thickeners, colourants, acidulants and preservatives.
How the test was done
Miso is traditionally made by fermenting pulses (usually soya beans) with salt and koji, typically a grain (rice or barley, and more recently oats, say) inoculated with Aspergillus oryzae mould. For the test, advice was sought from Jono Hope from Slow Sauce, a miso and shoyu brewery in Scotland, who recommended not tasting it straight from the jar, as its intense, salty flavour would ruin the palate. Instead, he advised mixing a teaspoon with warm water, then drinking it – “the soup test”.
The best supermarket miso pastes
Best overall: Hikari Maru-Yu additive-free koji miso – £5.49 for 375g at the Japan Centre (£1.46/100g) – five stars. A glossy, burnt sienna paste with a granular texture and rich, floral, sweet and earthy aroma. Soup test: fresh, sweet on the nose, with a salty, fruity flavour. Made simply.
Best bargain: Yutaka organic miso paste – £3.30 for 300g at Sainsbury’s (£1.10/100g) – five stars. A very smooth, sienna-coloured caramel paste with a velvety texture and yeasty, umami aroma. The soup is mild and very sweet, with notes of barley. Great Taste two-star winner in 2024. A perfectly simple recipe formula (34% soya beans, rice, 11.9% salt) and incredible value.
Other notable products
Slow Sauce organic pink miso – £13 for 200g at Slow Sauce (£6.50/100g) – five stars. A coarse yellow paste with a sweet and fruity aroma. Soup test: a soft, sweet lactic aroma and a clean taste. Made with Scottish oat koji, flamingo peas and sea salt, all magnified through the slow fermentation. Sweet, young, funky and alive – and this week’s best splurge.
Clearspring organic brown rice miso – £5 for 300g at Waitrose (£1.67/100g) or £5.10 for 300g at Ocado (£1.70/100g) – four stars. A shiny, dark chocolate brown paste with an unfathomably rich and mature soy sauce aroma. Soup test: a sweet, subtle aroma, and a deep, meaty, mushroom flavour with an underlying sour twang. Made from brown rice koji.
Miso Tasty red miso – £3.10 for 200g at Tesco (£1.55/100g) or £3.10 for 200g at Amazon (£1.55/100g) – three stars. A matt, umber-violet paste with a smooth texture and deep, rich and floral aroma. Soup test: a sweet, fruity scent and a rich but mildly astringent taste. Made to a simple formula. Great Taste one star in 2025.
Marukome miso with dashi – £5.99 for 375g at Japan Centre (£1.60/100g) – three stars. A glossy, yellow paste with a super-smooth texture and a deep, smoky, fishy aroma. Soup test: a smoked bonito and fruity, sweet sake lees aroma, perfect for instant miso soups and noodles. An ultra-processed recipe, though, including MSG, bonito, disodium inosinate and disodium guanylate.
Itsu traditional Miso’easy – £2 for 105g (5 x 21g sachets) at Asda (£1.90/100g) or £2 for 105g (5 x 21g sachets) at Ocado (£1.90/100g) – two stars. Thin, glossy, caramel-coloured paste with the aroma of ethanol, acetic acid and soy sauce. Soup test: mild, sweet and simple in flavour. Made with 53% miso cut with water, alcohol and yeast extract.
Blue Dragon miso paste – £2 for 135g at Morrisons (£1.48/100g) or £2.50 for 135g at Asda (£1.85/100g) – one star. A thin, glossy, brown sugar-coloured paste with a sour but rounded umami aroma. Soup test: an acidic aroma and intensely salty taste with rich umami notes in the background. It’s 55% miso paste cut with salt, sugar, acidity regulators and preservatives.
Sainsbury’s Inspired to Cook miso paste – £1.90 for 100g at Sainsbury’s (£1.90/100g) – one star. A thin, ochre paste with an acidic umami aroma. Soup test: sour-forward with a rounded, earthy flavour. Made with 45% miso paste cut with cornflour, acidity regulator and preservative potassium sorbate.
Tesco miso paste – £1.80 for 100g at Tesco (£1.80/100g) – zero stars. A thin, shiny, yellow paste with an odd sour but still umami aroma. Soup test: unexpectedly sour. If AI were asked to make miso, it would taste like this synthetic impression of miso that’s nothing like the real thing. Contains citric acid, colour (plain caramel) and potassium sorbate.
