Where to Find Miso Paste in the Grocery Store

Miso paste is a special Japanese paste made from soybeans mixed with salt and koji (mold used to make miso, sake and soy sauce). Sometimes, rice, barley, and seaweed are also added to give it a richer taste.

A wooden bowl filled with miso paste

If you’re looking where to buy miso paste at affordable prices and high quality, search no further. We crafted this guide to help you easily navigate the grocery store in search of miso paste.

Where is miso paste in the grocery store?

Miso paste is often disguised as soybean paste in the grocery store. So always keep an eye out for both names. It comes in plastic tubs, or sometimes jars in, and you’d mostly find them in Asian grocery stores.

But in any grocery store you find yourself, check the refrigerator section. You’ll also find tofu, tempeh, and vegan meats near it.

Refrigerator section in a grocery store containing dairy products

Some stores stash miso paste in the international aisle since it’s a popular Asian condiment. However, store layouts vary, so it’s best to ask for directions from the store employees.

Where can I find miso paste?

The following grocery stores are where to buy miso paste at the best qualities and price deals:

Amazon

Amazon is the best online store to search for miso paste if you don’t feel like stepping out of your house. At the click of a few buttons, you can order the paste straight to your doorstep.

To make your selection easier, we’ve handpicked our top 3 miso paste brands from Amazon’s collection:

Sale
Miko - Awase Miso Soyabean Paste (Aka + Shiro) - 500 Gram - GMO Free Japanese Miso Paste
  • Unique taste and delicious soup
  • Product of Japan
  • Soybean paste
Hikari Organic Miso Paste, White, 17.6 oz
  • Organic white miso paste
  • Add miso paste to boiling water to make miso soup or use as marinade
  • USDA certified organic. No MSG. Gluten Free
  • Product of Japan

Walmart

At Walmart, you’ll find miso paste in plastic bags on a shelf. You can find this shelf in the refrigerator section of the international aisle, which is near the produce area and the canned goods section.

If you want to avoid the busiest shopping days at the grocery store, you can just order miso paste online from the website.

Kroger

Kroger offers cheap price deals for most of the grocery items in its inventory. So if you crave affordability, it’s where to buy miso paste. 

Currently, Kroger has brands like the Norita white miso soybean paste in stock. You can use the online store locator to find the right store and aisle in your region.

Unfortunately, the store Kroger doesn’t accept Apple Pay. So be sure to go with cash or credit cards.

Whole Foods Market

If you’re looking for where to buy miso paste organically, then check Whole Foods Market. It’s the leading source of organic, natural and healthy food items worldwide.

You’ll find miso paste at the Asian section of the International aisle at Whole Foods. But if you’d prefer to order it online, unfortunately that’s not possible.

Whole Foods currently does not run delivery services. So you’d have to pick up the miso paste in-store or use grocery delivery services like Instacart.

Trader Joe’s

Trader Joe’s makes its own miso paste, which makes it more enjoyable and original. The store stashes the paste in the refrigerated section in varieties.

Just like Whole Foods, the store doesn’t offer grocery delivery services, at the moment. So you’ll have to visit any of the branches to get Trader Joe’s miso paste.

Target

Target keeps the miso paste in the refrigerated section. Alternatively, you can search the aisle with jams and food dressings as miso paste can come in jars. 

It can also be packaged in tubes, so you’ll want to search near the aisle with soybean paste. 

Meijer

Like Kroger, Meijer offers some of the best price deals for grocery items. You can find notable brand names like the Hikari organic miso paste there.

You can use the online store locator to get more information about the product, as well as its aisle location and the availability status.


FAQs

What is miso paste used for?

Miso paste is used for cooking broths and soups, making glazes and food dressings, and also goes well with mushrooms and tofu.

Miso paste can also be used for stir fry, making miso butter, and for marinating steak to achieve a deeper and richer flavor.

What can I use as a substitute for miso paste?

Soy sauce is the best alternative to miso paste. It has a much similar salty taste to the paste.

But if you have no luck finding it, you can use tahini or coconut aminos instead. Fish sauce is another great substitute for miso paste, and also for soy sauce.

Is umami paste the same as miso?

No, umami isn’t the same as miso paste. Miso paste is fermented soybeans mixed with salt and Koji, while umami is one of the 5 basic tastes humans are accustomed with. 

Umami is typically associated with a meaty or broth flavor, which is most common in seafood, meats, cheeses, seaweeds, soy foods, mushrooms, tomatoes, etc.


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