Equipment
Ingredients
Base Ingredients
- 120 g mayonnaise
- 30 g white miso paste, room temperature
Optional Enhancements
- 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
- 89 kcal
- Protein
- 1 g
- Carbohydrates
- 1 g
- Fat
- 9 g
- Fiber
- 0 g
- Sugar
- 0 g
- Sodium
- 188 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 1 g
- Trans Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 2 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 6 g
- Cholesterol
- 5 mg
- Potassium
- 9 mg
- Calcium
- 3 mg
- Iron
- 0.1 mg
- Magnesium
- 2 mg
- Phosphorus
- 7 mg
- Zinc
- 0.1 mg
- Vitamin A
- 2 mcg
- Vitamin D
- 0.0 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 0.4 mg
- Vitamin K
- 20 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.0 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.0 mcg
- Riboflavin
- 0.01 mg
- Niacin
- 0.0 mg
- Folate
- 1 mcg
- Water
- 4 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Measure the mayonnaise and room-temperature white miso paste into a small mixing bowl.
Whisk the ingredients vigorously until the miso is completely incorporated into the mayonnaise, ensuring no lumps of paste remain. If using rice vinegar or toasted sesame oil, whisk them in now.
Cover the bowl and let the mixture rest in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. This resting phase allows the complex fermented notes of the miso to expand and marry fully with the fat of the mayonnaise.
Chef's Notes
- For the most authentic izakaya-style flavor, seek out Japanese mayonnaise. It is made using only egg yolks rather than whole eggs, and utilizes rice or apple cider vinegar instead of distilled white vinegar.
- White miso, or shiro miso, undergoes a shorter fermentation period and has a higher rice-to-soybean ratio, providing the sweet, mellow umami needed for this delicate condiment without overpowering it.
- This mayonnaise acts as a brilliant canvas. Try folding in a splash of yuzu juice for a floral citrus kick, or a pinch of shichimi togarashi if you prefer a subtle, lingering heat.
- Because miso is a living fermented food, it contains active enzymes. When mixed with mayonnaise, it can gradually thin the consistency over several days. Make only what you plan to consume within a week.
Storage
Refrigerator: 1 week — Store in an airtight container. Separation may occur over time; simply stir before using.
Troubleshooting
Lumpy texture with streaks of unmixed paste
Cause: Miso paste was too cold and stiff, or mixing was insufficient
Fix: Press the mixture through a fine mesh sieve, or use a small food processor to blend until smooth
Prevention: Allow the miso paste to sit at room temperature for 10 to 15 minutes before mixing
Overly salty or overwhelming fermented flavor
Cause: Used a dark or red miso paste instead of white miso, or ratio of miso to mayo was too high
Fix: Add more mayonnaise in 15g increments until the flavor balances out
Prevention: Always use white shiro miso for a gentle, sweet flavor profile. Measure accurately.
Cultural Context
Miso and mayonnaise represent a popular modern flavor bridge in Japanese culinary culture, frequently served at casual dining pubs known as izakayas. The combination perfectly balances the rich, mouth-coating fat of Western-style mayonnaise with the salty, deeply savory, and ancient fermented depth of traditional soy paste, making it an ideal dipping sauce for crunchy vegetables, karaage, or grilled seafood.
