Cooking advice
Building deep umami in vegan cooking
When a dish tastes flat, it may need browning, acidity or savoury depth rather than more salt. Plant-based umami is easy to build with everyday ingredients.
What you need: Mushrooms, tomato paste, miso, soy sauce or nutritional yeast; onion and garlic.
How to do it
- Cook mushrooms in a hot pan until their water evaporates and the edges start to brown.
- Cook a spoonful of tomato paste with onions for a minute or two before adding liquid.
- Stir a little miso or soy sauce into a stew or sauce; taste before adding extra salt.
- Balance the result with a small squeeze of lemon or a splash of mild vinegar.
Common mistake
Layering several salty seasonings without tasting can overwhelm the dish.
Quick tip
For a rich pasta sauce, combine browned mushrooms, tomato paste and a little smoked paprika.