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Are there natural spices that taste umami? I don't want to use MSG in my food, but I'd like to add some umami flavour.

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  • Note that this isn't the same as What foods are high in umami - I'm asking about spices.
    – configurator
    Mar 13, 2011 at 17:42
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    Are you or someone you know/love allergic to MSG? If not, what is your opposition to using it? It is a naturally-occurring substance but as with many things, a small number of people are allergic to it.
    – Dear Home Cook
    Mar 13, 2011 at 18:43
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    Umami is literally defined by glutamates; if you don't want to use MSG, and the foods you're making aren't already high in glutamates, then you're out of luck. If the unfounded mass hysteria over MSG has somehow turned you off of it, rest assured that it is perfectly safe.
    – Aaronut
    Mar 13, 2011 at 21:11
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    @Aaronut: I don't care about mass hysteria but the people I cook for might :)
    – configurator
    Mar 14, 2011 at 12:47
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    You might be able to find potassium glutamate, or calcium glutamate. Heck, you could make them with MSG and an appropriate ion exchange column. Both would likely have a strong umami flavor. Polyglutamic acid, as found in Nattō, apparently has a different flavor. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natt%C5%8D
    – Wayfaring Stranger
    Apr 6, 2016 at 18:21

12 Answers 12

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As others have said, there are few spices with umami. However, if you're looking for something that you can use in the same way as a spice, then I suggest simply blitzing dried porcini (cep) mushrooms in a blender or grinder into a fine powder and using that. It has a deep umami flavour - try rubbing it on a steak before cooking and you'll be blown away.

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  • Sounds like a really good trick - I'll try it!
    – configurator
    Mar 14, 2011 at 12:49
  • This mushroom powder is fantastic -- but be aware that unlike most spices, it won't completely dissolve in solution. You'll be left with tiny grains.
    – Martha F.
    Mar 14, 2011 at 15:50
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    Yes. It works best in a dish with some liquid or in a sauce. If you are using it as a steak rub it needs to be totally powdered, or you can blitz it coarsely, then soak in boiling water for 30 minutes, and strain through muslin/cheesecloth to make a kind of super-mushroomy duxelle.
    – ElendilTheTall
    Mar 14, 2011 at 19:42
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Again, not a spice, but similar to ElendilTheTall's suggestion of powdered mushrooms would be to grind up dried kelp. You might be able to find 'dashi kombu' powder in some asian markets, or order it online.

(note, there are other 'dashi' powders, and some of them come from fish; you specifically want 'kombu')

I've personally never used the stuff, so I don't know how readily it'll absorb into other foods; you might need to experiment with it.

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    Kelp broth is actually how umami was discovered, so this should be a home run!
    – SourDoh
    Apr 6, 2016 at 4:59
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Though not exactly a spice, fish sauce (nam pla in Thai i believe) is a great source of umami.

Besides MSG you are not going to find umami-rich spices. Not exactly. There are certain foods are a produced as a concentration (such as fish sauce) to maximize glutamates (that which makes umami, umami) and others that are used as an umami source such as the rind from a block of Parmesan cheese in certain soup stocks.

Word of caution about fish sauce: It is very powerful and cannot be used nearly as ubiquitously as MSG. It is very pungent and a drop too many in a bowl of soup will make its presence known, and that is not that you want. With that said, fish sauce is my secret weapon in the kitchen. I use it in any savory dish that lacks depth of flavor (umami.) I've used in classic chilis, all sorts of soups and chowders and of course in Asian-style stir fries.

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Turmeric is the superstar spice to add umami - unfortunately, it also adds stain factor.

It works best with fatty/ oily dishes.

Mace and nutmeg can add umami with meat dishes.

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As far as spices go, there are not a lot of options.

Kombu has a fairly clean umami-taste, so as a umami-spice it might be your best option. Usually it is used to make stock, although ground kombu could be used like a spice. http://www.cookingissues.com/2010/01/19/umami-nation-kombu-dashi-smackdown/

The other option that could be used like a spice would be ground mushrooms, particularly shiitake, maybe porcini. Of course this is going to give you a strong mushroom-taste along with the umami. Some people recommend to combine them with miso for more umami and a more balanced taste.

While it can't just be added to the dish to do so, star anise can bring a lot of umami when used right. Specifically, the anethole in it can react with sulfur to create umami-flavors. It's an old chinese trick, and has been rediscovered by Heston Blumenthal, who likes to lightly caramelize onions (as a sulphur-source) with ground star anise (half a star anise per large onion). http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2005/jun/11/foodanddrink.shopping4

Non-spice options:

  • Worcestershire Sauce
  • Soy sauce
  • Miso
  • Parmesan
  • Marmite/Vegemite
  • vine-ripened Tomatoes
  • Fish Sauce
  • Anchovies
  • various fermented bean/fish pastes/sauces

One of the best ways to get umami into a dish is to make a umami-laden stock like this: http://herbivoracious.com/2011/09/umami-packed-vegetarian-broth-recipe-also-vegan.html

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Pretty much umami tastes of umami, spices taste of whichever spice. It's rather like saying which spices taste salty because I don't want to use salt - only spices with salt are going to taste salty

If you don't want to use synthetic MSG you can always use a 'natural' source of it but it's still the same chemical

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The two things that come to mind are Yeast extract (Marmite, Vegemite, Cenovis etc.) and soy sauce. I don't know if you'd classify those as spices, though.

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My secret weapon, before I became the rampant vegetarian I am today, used to be Worcestershire sauce. It is quite high in umami, probably because of the anchovies involved. For that reason, other ideas would be anchovie paste, or any far eastern fish sauce.

Aside from that, any reduced mushroom stock would serve you well. I sometimes pour boiling water over dried shiitake mushrooms and let it sit for a while. Then I reduce the liquid and use that as flavouring.

I'm still looking for a good vegetable (not animal/bacteria/fungus) source of umami. Let me know if you find one. Sadly, I don't think one exists.

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  • Tomatoes are high in umami if I'm not mistaken.
    – configurator
    Mar 14, 2011 at 12:45
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    Those are all good sources of umami but none of them are spices. This answer should be posted to the original question.
    – Aaronut
    Mar 14, 2011 at 13:52
  • Seaweed is very high in umami. See umamiinfo.com/umami-rich_food
    – Martha F.
    Mar 14, 2011 at 15:51
  • @MarthaF. Seaweed is an algae not a vegetable.
    – Jay
    Jun 4, 2013 at 17:11
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I like to use bonito powder spice and red miso powder spice. You can use them on everything, and they're gluten-free!

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  • We generally avoid recommending specific vendors; bonito powder and miso powder are good suggestions, though, so I'll simply edit your answer.
    – Cascabel ♦
    Jun 4, 2013 at 22:09
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I found an article that uses umami interchangeably with savory. It touches on the chemical composistion but offers suggestions of lists of spices and flavors that bring that umami/savory flavor out in a dish. Here's the article: http://www.foodprocessing.com/articles/2005/434.html

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One thing I use to minimize salt is Bragg's Liquid Aminos. I'm not one to make a claim about the health benefits, but I can attest to the following from their site:

• Gourmet healthy alternative to Soy, Tamari, and Worchestershire Sauce

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Try moroccain spices combinations for meats.

I have success with this combo

Sweet Paprika roasted red pepper Ground Cumin Sweet mild curry Very fine chopped onion (sweet or red) Very fine chopped cilantro Salt but more if used as a marinate Olive oil to trap the flavors in

The right ratio of cumin:red pepper:curry will not dominate any one of the spices when well balanced. I believe 1:2:2 parts respectively. The cilantro, onion, salt, and olive oil enhance the flavor but added once the spices are balanced. Not too soapy or bitter from cumin, not to sour from red pepper, not to curryish. They balance each other just right. A sweet mild curry is needed to be able to balance well. Fresh cilantro, olive oil, onion help the balance. Salt brings it further and finally high heat brings the umami into a carmelized saucey surface.

Heat in oven on iron pan on top shelf height at 500 for 5 min to simulate out door fire temperatures.

Fine minced cilantro and onion allow for even distribution around meats. 1 to 2 inch chuncks.

After 2 to 3 hrs marinated seer on high heat 500 degrees for a no more than 5 minutes. Cover to cool before serving.

This high heat for short time. Perhaps out door fire in iron pan moved about quickly to sear each side but not over cook center.

All these steps enhance umami experience on the pallet.

It's more than the spice but the food item, distribution size, method and process of cooking to combine and enhance the flavor.

Use this on tenderloin, sirliin. For chicken add fresh minced tomatoes.

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