What is Umami

Umami is one of the five universal basic tastes.  Found in ingredients and cuisines throughout the world, umami can be the secret to truly transcendent food.

Umami was discovered by Dr. Kikunae Ikeda, who thought there was a quality in Dashi different from the other four basic tastes (sweet, salty, bitter, sour).

Umami is a Japanese word coined by Dr. Ikeda, often translated into English to mean a “pleasant savory taste.”

What is Umami

The simplest way to define umami is any food with glutamic acid, whether it occurs naturally or is present after cooking, aging, or fermentation.

What Umami Tastes Like

Umami has a savory flavor that provides food with a richness and mouthfeel that coats the tongue.  Umami is often described as mouthwatering, subtle, and pleasant.

Umami Taste Test

Our simple taste test uses vegetable stock, MSG, and Umami Powder to show how umami works and what umami tastes like.

Umami Ingredients

Use umami rich ingredients such as asparagus, parmesan cheese, aged beef, tomatoes, and mushrooms.

Umami Techniques

For more umami flavor, use techniques that ad savoriness, such as dry aging, curing, smoking, and fermentation.

The Umami Effect

To maximize the amount of umami flavor in a dish, use a combination of vegetables with lots of glutamates and meat with lots of inosinates.

Favorite Umami  Recipes

Black Garlic Risotto with Mushrooms

Tender Instant Pot Pot Roast

Homemade Tomato Sauce

Learn More About Umami

To learn more about the umami's discovery, the science behind it, and how to add more umami to your cooking, read the full article.