I Am a Food Blog’s Miso Tuna Salad Doubles Down on the Umami — And I’m Here for It

When gathering contenders for our tuna salad recipe showdown, it felt like a missed opportunity not to include a tuna salad that uses rich, creamy, tangy-sweet Kewpie mayo. When I ran across i am a food blog’s version, which uses not only Kewpie but also umami-packed white miso paste, I knew I had to give it a try.

Get the recipe: i am a food blog’s Miso Tuna Salad

To start, mix the miso and Kewpie together until they’re completely incorporated. Add 1 can of drained tuna, diced celery, and sliced green onions. Season with salt or more miso and black pepper. Serve with crackers, bread, or seaweed. 

I was really into the flavors of this salad. I thought the miso paste did a great job of seasoning the salad while adding a boost of rich savoriness. The Kewpie was stellar, and if there’s any takeaway from this tuna salad, it’s that all tuna salad should be made with Kewpie. Sorry if your mayo allegiance lies elsewhere — I really dig Kewpie.

The recipe doesn’t specify if the tuna should be packed in oil or water (although it gets drained so it’s probably not too crucial). I went ahead and used oil-packed tuna because the recipe only called for 2 tablespoons of mayonnaise and I wanted to make sure the salad had enough fat. I added just a little extra Kewpie to help the salad come together and a little extra miso to up the saltiness, but otherwise, all of the ratios were on-point.

• Don’t be afraid to season the salad with a little extra Kewpie or miso if it needs a boost of creaminess or saltiness.
• Definitely try the salad with seaweed. The crispy, salty seaweed and creamy tuna salad is a super delicious pairing.

Rating: 8/10