Marukome, Shiro White Miso, 20kg
The mild, sweet miso, in the volume format.
Shiro miso is the pale, short-fermented miso: lower in salt, naturally sweet and the most versatile paste in the kitchen. At 20kg this is the format built for a volume operation. Marukome has brewed miso in Nagano since 1854, in the heart of Japan's largest miso region. One carton seasons soups, dressings and marinades across weeks of service with the same result every time.
Smaller kitchen? The same miso comes in a 1kg pack.
Why Chefs Choose This
- Mild and sweet: short fermentation gives a low-salt, naturally sweet paste that seasons without dominating.
- Batch consistency: a 20kg carton holds the same standard across a full service week.
- Most versatile: the default miso for soup, dressings, marinades and sauces.
- 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 for a mellow, everyday bowl.
- Saikyo-style marinade: blend with mirin and sake to cure black cod or chicken before grilling.
- Dressings: whisk with rice vinegar and oil for a sweet-savoury salad dressing.
- Beyond Japanese: stir into butter, mash or a beurre blanc for gentle umami.
What makes white miso sweet
Shiro miso (白味噌) means white miso, named for its pale colour. Miso (味噌) is a paste of soybeans and kōji, the rice culture that drives fermentation, worked with salt and aged. White miso is made with a higher proportion of rice kōji and fermented for a shorter time, which keeps the colour light and leaves more of the rice's natural sweetness in the paste, with a lower salt level than red miso. Marukome brews in Nagano, in the Shinshū region that lends its name to Japan's best-known miso. Because it is mild and a touch sweet, white miso is the one to reach for when you want miso's savoury depth without its salt taking over.
Learn more: What Is Miso?
What does white miso taste like?
White miso is mellow, smooth and gently sweet, with a soft umami rather than the salt-forward punch of a red miso. The sweetness comes from the rice kōji and the short ferment, giving a rounded, almost creamy savouriness that sits in the background of a dish. It dissolves easily and will not overwhelm delicate ingredients, which is why it suits light soups, fish and dressings. Use a slightly heavier hand than you would with red miso, as the salt and intensity are lower.
| Type | Shiro miso 白味噌 (white fermented soybean paste) |
| Brand | Marukome (brewing since 1854) |
| Origin | Nagano (Shinshū), Japan |
| Net Weight / Format | 20kg catering carton |
| Best Used As | Miso soup, light dressings, marinades and sauces |
| Storage | Cool and dry; refrigerate once opened |
What is the difference between white miso and red miso?
White miso (shiro miso) is fermented for a shorter time with more rice kōji, so it stays pale, mild and slightly sweet with a lower salt level. Red miso (aka miso) is aged longer, darkening to a stronger, saltier, more savoury paste. White suits delicate dressings, light soups and fish; red carries braises, hearty soups and grilled glazes. Many kitchens keep both and blend them. We also stock Marukome red miso in the same 20kg format.
How much white miso should you use in miso soup?
Because white miso is milder and less salty than red, work to around 18 to 20 grams, a generous tablespoon, per 200ml bowl of dashi, and taste as you go. Scaling up for service, work to roughly 90 to 100 grams of miso per litre of dashi. Whisk it into hot but not boiling dashi through a small sieve so it dissolves smoothly, and take the pan off direct heat once the miso is in. For a step-by-step method, see our miso soup recipe.
How do you store a 20kg catering pack of miso?
Keep the carton cool and dry and reseal the inner pack tightly after each use. Once opened, refrigeration is best for a pack this size, as it slows further fermentation and keeps the colour and flavour stable over a long service life. Miso lasts for months when stored well. The surface may darken slightly where it meets the air, which is normal oxidation; stir it back through, or press a sheet of greaseproof paper onto the surface to limit contact with air.
SKU : S0335