Marukome, Red Miso Paste (Aka Miso), 1kg
The bold, salty miso for dishes that need backbone.
Aka miso is the workhorse red miso, fermented longer than its pale counterpart for a deeper colour and a stronger, saltier, more savoury register. Marukome has brewed miso in Nagano since 1854, in the heart of Japan's largest miso region. This 1kg pack is the everyday format for a working kitchen.
Cooking at volume? The same miso comes in a 20kg catering carton.
Why Chefs Choose This
- Longer fermentation: aged further than white miso for a deeper colour and a bolder, saltier umami.
- Holds up: stands its ground in robust dishes where a pale miso would be lost.
- One paste, many jobs: soup base, marinade, glaze and seasoning from a single tub.
- Proven producer: Marukome has brewed miso in Nagano since 1854 for a reliable, repeatable result.
How to Use
- Miso soup: whisk into hot dashi off the heat, never boiling, to keep the aroma.
- Dengaku glaze: blend with mirin and sake, then grill onto aubergine, fish or black cod.
- Braises and tare: stir into ramen tare, braising liquids and stocks for instant depth.
- Beyond Japanese: fold into butters, dressings, caramels and gravies for a savoury backbone.
Where red miso gets its colour
Aka miso (赤味噌) means simply red miso, named for the deep reddish-brown colour it develops as it matures. Miso (味噌) is a paste of soybeans and kōji, the rice culture that drives fermentation, worked with salt and left to age. The longer the ageing runs, the darker and more savoury the paste becomes as its sugars and amino acids brown over months. Marukome brews in Nagano, in the Shinshū region that lends its name to Japan's best-known miso. Miso itself is old: it had entered the samurai diet as soup by the twelfth century. Red sits at the stronger, saltier end of the family, which is why chefs reach for it when a dish needs weight rather than delicacy.
Learn more: What Is Miso?
What does red miso taste like?
Red miso leads with salt and a deep, roasted savouriness, closer to soy and stock than to anything sweet. Where white miso is mellow and faintly sugary, red miso is firmer and more assertive, with a long umami finish that coats the palate. The texture is dense and smooth, easy to whisk out into liquid. Fermented longer, it carries notes of caramel and toasted grain alongside the core soybean savouriness. In a dish it reads as backbone rather than seasoning, so a little goes a long way. Start with less than you think and build, as the salt level is higher than a pale miso.
| Type | Aka miso 赤味噌 (red fermented soybean paste) |
| Brand | Marukome (brewing since 1854) |
| Origin | Nagano (Shinshū), Japan |
| Net Weight | 1kg |
| Best Used As | Soup base, glaze, marinade and braising seasoning |
| Storage | Cool and dry; refrigerate once opened |
What is the difference between red miso and white miso?
The main difference is fermentation time. Red miso (aka miso) is matured longer, which darkens the colour and builds a stronger, saltier, more savoury flavour. White miso (shiro miso) is fermented for a shorter period and tastes milder and slightly sweet. White suits delicate dressings, light soups and fish; red carries heavier dishes such as braises, hearty soups and grilled glazes. Many kitchens keep both and blend them to dial in the exact strength a dish needs. We also stock Marukome white miso paste in the same 1kg format.
How much red miso should you use in miso soup?
As a guide, around 15 to 18 grams of red miso, roughly one tablespoon, seasons a 200ml bowl of dashi. Because red miso is saltier than white, start at the lower end and taste before adding more. Whisk the paste into hot but not boiling dashi, ideally through a small sieve or miso muddler so it disperses without lumps. Take the pan off direct heat once the miso is in, as a hard boil dulls the aroma. For a step-by-step method, see our miso soup recipe.
How should I store miso paste after opening?
Keep it refrigerated once opened and press the surface smooth, or lay a sheet of greaseproof paper directly onto it, to limit contact with air. Miso is a preserved product and keeps for months when stored well. You may notice the surface darken slightly where it meets the air, which is normal oxidation rather than spoilage; stir it back through before use.
SKU : S0337