Bean

Miso Hummus

by:
July  9, 2014
4.6
5 Ratings
Photo by Mark Weinberg
  • Prep time 5 minutes
  • Serves 4 or more
Author Notes

Mellow white miso is super tasty. I've been adding it to my hummus lately. It adds a great umami flavor to the dish.

My favorite brand is Miso Master Organic. Seek it out if you can, or use another good quality brand. —mrslarkin

Test Kitchen Notes

Thank you, mrslarkin, for the ingenious idea to replace one Asian mainstay with another. Miso does indeed add a certain umami-ness to this hummus, such that one does not even miss the traditional tahini. Serving the hummus with olive oil per the recipe replaces some of the creaminess that is lost without tahini, but it isn’t necessary.

This miso hummus is delicious with typical dippers like crudités, apple slices and pita, but inspired by mrslarkin’s ingredient swap, I enjoyed it on a buckwheat crepe with sautéed spring vegetables, combining miso and buckwheat in a whole new context! —Cbmcleod

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Ingredients
  • 1 (15.5 ounce / 439 g) can garbanzo beans
  • 1 fat garlic clove, peeled and crushed
  • Juice of half a lemon
  • 2 tablespoons sweet white miso
  • 2 tablespoons water, plus more as needed
  • Olive oil
  • Black pepper
Directions
  1. Rinse and drain the garbanzo beans. Place beans, garlic, lemon juice, miso, and 2 tablespoons water in the bowl of a mini chopper or food processor. Process for a couple of minutes, until very soft and smooth. Add more water by the spooonful until you get a spreadable consistency. Transfer the mixture to a serving dish, and garnish with olive oil and a generous grinding of black pepper. Serve with pita, crudités, crostini, breadsticks, and/or crackers.

See what other Food52ers are saying.

13 Reviews

Danielle September 2, 2023
I’ve made this recipe so many times with white, red, and mixed misos and I love them all. I’d half the amount of garlic because it comes through very strong and plan on adding more water than us recommended. I love it!
Cynthia T. March 3, 2022
When I prepared this exactly according to the recipe it just didn't taste quite right. My family loves the taste of miso, so I quadrupled the amount of miso and OMG this rocks!!
Douglas B. June 1, 2019
fantastic idea to add miso for a probiotic aspect. I also added roasted butternut squash to get some vegetable into the action.
Chef K. March 1, 2015
The miso should be labeled "shiro koji miso" , Saikyo, or Kyoto-style. Many light colored misos (tanshoko miso) are yellowish and are often referred to as "white" miso.
QueenSashy March 1, 2015
The miso I used is shiro, but it was still stronger flavored compared to some of the white miso's I used before.
mrslarkin February 28, 2015
Sorry you didn't like it guys. I agree, the brands of miso vary greatly. Some are stronger than others, which is why I love Miso Master - very mild. I found South River to be very strong. I'm curious which brands you used?
QueenSashy February 28, 2015
I suspected that I have to be very careful with the miso, given that you wrote "sweet white miso". I used Maruman Yuki Nama organic white miso :) I bought it in a small Japanese supermarket in my neighborhood. This is the first time I am using it, and noticed that it was more strongly flavored than the white miso's I bought in the past. I will have to give Miso Master a try.
Aura March 1, 2015
I used Kabuto Mild and Smooth Miso because I had some in my fridge, but I really know nothing about various miso brands. I actually just heard about white miso recently, when I bought some for a smitten kitchen recipe.
Aura March 1, 2015
Now I feel so whiney for my original comment!
Aura February 28, 2015
I was so excited to make this. It tastes like fermented hummus. I guess I should've anticipated that, but for some reason it wasn't what I envisioned.
QueenSashy February 28, 2015
Aura, I had similar experience. But I think that my white miso was too strong. I now realize how the type and flavor of miso that goes into this dish is absolutely essential.
Aura February 28, 2015
Perhaps you're right. But if it doesn't taste like miso, then what's the point of making miso hummus? I think that I just don't like miso in my hummus after all. Someone else would probably love it.
QueenSashy February 26, 2015
Simple and effective -- and I have all ingredients for it ready. Cannot wait to give it a try. Congrats on the CP!