The Umami Bomb Your Next Tuna Salad Needs

Tuna salad is a pretty simple recipe — it's really just canned tuna, celery, and mayo mixed together. Of course, adding a few other ingredients, like onions or relish, can go a long way toward making this classic dish really stand out. That malleability is partly what makes tuna salad so widely beloved, which explains why the introduction of miso into its medley of flavors has been such a hit.

Miso, a fermented soybean paste with a salty and savory umami profile, pairs perfectly with the mayo-slathered tuna that you'd normally add salt to anyway. If you think you've never had it, you probably have. It has wide applications across Japanese cuisine and even has its own soup. Miso's popularity is evident in its accessibility: These days, you can find it in tubs in just about any major supermarket, often next to the tofu. It's generally categorized by color, which corresponds to the flavor profile. So if you're looking for miso for your tuna salad, white miso's sweeter taste might be the best choice.

There are a lot of ingredients you can add to a tuna salad with miso paste to really bring out that umami burst of flavor. Try a little fish sauce or curry powder, and for solid ingredients, give bell peppers or even kimchi a shot.

The real secret ingredient that pairs best with miso is Kewpie mayonnaise. The Japanese brand has made inroads stateside in big ways, so there's no excuse not to try it if you're a mayo fan. Compared to American mayo's whole eggs and white vinegar, Kewpie uses egg yolks and rice vinegar for a silkier texture and more complex flavor.

Together with the white miso paste, your tuna salad will become a much creamier meal with a bold sweet and salty taste. Once you've made your miso tuna salad (with Kewpie mayo!), don't just throw it in a bowl. Try wrapping it up in seaweed or grabbing some sturdy multigrain bread and lettuce for a good old tuna sandwich.