Equipment
Ingredients
Base
- 100 g japanese mayonnaise
- 20 g white miso paste, room temperature
Flavor Enhancers
- 5 ml rice vinegar
- 2 ml toasted sesame oil
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 48 kcal
- Protein
- 1 g
- Carbohydrates
- 1 g
- Fat
- 4 g
- Fiber
- 0 g
- Sugar
- 0 g
- Sodium
- 190 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 0 g
- Trans Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 1 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 2 g
- Potassium
- 14 mg
- Calcium
- 8 mg
- Iron
- 0.1 mg
- Magnesium
- 8 mg
- Phosphorus
- 10 mg
- Zinc
- 0.1 mg
- Vitamin A
- 0 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 0.3 mg
- Vitamin K
- 7 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.0 mg
- Thiamin
- 0.01 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.01 mg
- Niacin
- 0.0 mg
- Folate
- 1 mcg
- Water
- 8 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Combine the room temperature white miso paste and rice vinegar in the small mixing bowl.
Whisk the miso and vinegar together until perfectly smooth. Breaking down the miso with a liquid first prevents stubborn lumps from forming in the mayonnaise.
Add the Japanese mayonnaise and the optional toasted sesame oil to the miso slurry. Whisk vigorously until the mixture is cohesive, glossy, and evenly colored.
Cover the bowl and let the mixture rest in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before serving. This resting period is crucial for the flavors to meld and harmonize.
Chef's Notes
- Japanese mayonnaise (like Kewpie) uses only egg yolks and incorporates MSG, which exponentially amplifies the umami of the miso. If using Western whole-egg mayonnaise, add a tiny pinch of MSG or an extra drop of vinegar to mimic the profile.
- For a spicy variation, fold in 5g of togarashi (Japanese seven-spice) or 10g of chili crisp during the final mixing stage.
- Always check your miso label if cooking for individuals with Celiac disease. While miso is traditionally gluten-free, some varieties like mugi miso are fermented with barley instead of rice.
Storage
Refrigerator: 1 week — Store in an airtight container. Separation may occur over time; simply stir to recombine.
Troubleshooting
Lumps of miso in the finished sauce
Cause: Cold miso was added directly to thick mayonnaise without being thinned first
Fix: Press the mixture through a fine mesh sieve with a spatula
Prevention: Always thin the miso with the vinegar or a tiny splash of warm water before adding the mayonnaise
Sauce is overwhelmingly salty
Cause: Used a dark or red miso instead of sweet white miso, or mismeasured
Fix: Whisk in an additional 30g of mayonnaise and 2ml of honey or sugar to balance the salt
Prevention: Weigh the miso precisely and use shiro (white) miso for a balanced profile
Cultural Context
The marriage of mayonnaise and miso is a beloved staple of modern Japanese izakaya (pub) fare. It perfectly demonstrates the Japanese culinary philosophy of yoshoku, blending traditional domestic ingredients with Western imports to create entirely new, highly craveable flavor profiles. It is frequently served alongside raw vegetable sticks (morokyu) or as a dip for karaage.
