How To Give Your Nut Snack Mixes An Umami Flair With Miso Paste

There are many creative ways to use miso paste in your kitchen. Miso can bring a delightful umami twist to a classic PB&J, and it can also brighten your next snack mix. Whether you want to upgrade a package of store-bought trail mix or are working on putting together a homemade recipe of your own, miso is the easy ingredient that can transform your next batch of seasoned and toasted nuts and seeds. 

Typically made from soybeans but sometimes derived from barley and chickpeas, miso has a range of flavors and varieties available, so you may need to experiment to find the tastes that work for your palate and recipes. White, yellow, and red miso are fermented for varying lengths to produce layers of umami flavors that can be stirred into dressings and soups. Lighter shiro miso will offer a milder flavor than stronger red miso paste. You'll find that not only does miso provide an extra umami oomph to your snack mixes, but the ingredient is packed with vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, and you don't need more than a few spoonfuls to spruce up your recipes.

When looking to introduce miso to sheet pans lined with your favorite kinds of nuts and snacks, reach for the paste. Combine 2 or 3 tablespoons of the paste with equal parts melted butter or coconut oil. You can bring a sweet touch to your snack recipe by stirring honey or coconut sugar into the mix or splashing soy sauce into the melted concoction. Once the ingredients are smoothly combined, coat your choice of ingredients — nuts, seeds, and cereals of your choice — with the oily liquid before placing the trays of nuts into the oven to bake.

Add Chex, pretzels, and sesame sticks to customize your snacks, and keep flavor ratios in mind when creating your own mixes at home. You can consider spreading out ingredients across separate baking pans to make different batches of snack mixes if you're having trouble choosing a particular flavor. Once your baked culinary creations are ready, cool and serve or save the snacks in air-safe containers to enjoy for the next week. Miso-flavored trail mix makes a great meal-prep recipe for busy weeks, and you can use the snack to sprinkle on top of bowls of yogurt and ice cream, crown stacks of pancakes, or simply munch on when afternoon cravings strike.