A happy and yummy meal is always one of the great reasons for that smile on your face. Relishing on a flavorsome meal, even after a very long day, running around the clock, feels extremely blissful! Wondering how to amp up your own cooking with umami goodness? It’s simpler than you think. Follow our easy tips and you can have an umami-rich experience with every meal!

1. Use umami rich ingredients

Some foods naturally pack a ton of umami. Ripe tomatoes, dried mushrooms, kombu (kelp), anchovies, parmesan cheese, etc..— all of these bring the savory deliciousness of umami to recipes.
Here’s a flavorful Mediterranean dish that uses tomato for the extra umami boost.

2. Use fermented foods

Fermented foods have high umami content. Try using ingredients such as miso paste and soy sauce in your cooking. Be experimental!
Adding this miso twist to your usual pasta will create some umami heaven.

3. Use cured meats

Aged or cured meats abound in umami. Bacon, aged sausages and salami will all bring an umami boost to any recipe.
Try this refreshing carpaccio, which gets its umami from cured ham.

4. Use aged cheeses

Parmesan isn’t only for pasta —Check this vegetarian pizza made with four types of cheese, each adding a punch of umami making you want more!

5. Use umami-rich seasonings

Using umami-rich seasonings such as ketchup, molasses, tomato paste, fish sauce, soy sauce, oyster sauce, Worcestershire sauce, Marmite, or miso paste is a quick fix of umami. Don’t be afraid to innovate. Give this Umami Meatloaf Burger a try and experience for yourself.

6. Use pure umami aka bột ngọt

Or you can simply achieve an umami boost by adding monosodium glutamate, aka bột ngọt. Next time you’re cooking, put a pinch of bột ngọt into your soups, pasta sauce, salad dressings, meat marinades, and stir-fries. bột ngọt does not add extra calories, unnecessary color or unwanted, complex tastes. It just brings pure umami depth of flavor. Try this Beef and Vegetable Stir-fry to experience the power of umami!