There are five basic tastes: sweet, salty, sour, bitter — and umami, the “fifth taste” most people have heard of but couldn’t quite define. In short, umami is savory deliciousness — the flavor behind why a slow-roasted chicken, a rich broth, or aged Parmesan tastes so satisfying. Here’s what it actually is, where it comes from, and a full list of umami-rich foods to work into your cooking.
What Is Umami Flavor?
Umami was identified by Japanese chemist Kikunae Ikeda, who noticed a distinct savory taste in dashi — a Japanese stock made from kombu (kelp). Investigating further, he traced it to glutamate, an amino acid naturally present in many foods. When food is cooked, fermented, or aged, glutamates concentrate, and that savory flavor intensifies.
It’s not one sharp note like “salty” or “sweet” — it’s more of a rounded, mouthwatering depth. Think of the crispy edges of roasted chicken, a good miso soup, crispy bacon, ramens, or a rich, reduced sauce.
Now, Ikeda then learned how to produce that flavour synthetically and that, ladies and gentlemen, is how we got MSG, which is why we love Chinese takeout so much. It’s full of umami!
Umami Foods
Here’s a categorized list of foods naturally rich in umami:
Meat & Poultry
- Beef, especially slow-cooked, roasted, or pan-seared — also beef stock and bone broth
- Pork, especially cured (bacon, ham)
- Chicken, particularly roasted, chicken wings, and chicken stock
Seafood & Fish
- Anchovies and other salted or fermented fish
- Fish sauce
- Seaweed
- Oysters
Fermented & Aged
- Soy sauce and tamari
- Miso
- Parmesan and other aged cheeses
- Worcestershire sauce
Vegetables
- Tomatoes, especially sun-dried or as tomato paste
- Mushrooms, especially dried wild mushrooms and truffles
- Sweet corn, peas, carrots, asparagus
- Onion and garlic, especially cooked or caramelized
Other
- Vegemite or Marmite
- Olives
Pro tip: umami compounds stack. A burger with cheese and tomato sauce, or Bolognese topped with Parmesan, tastes extra savory because you’re layering multiple umami sources at once.
How To Add More Umami To Your Cooking
- Caramelize it. Pan-searing meat, onions, garlic, or vegetables releases more umami than boiling or steaming.
- Combine sources. Pairing two or three umami-rich ingredients (meat + tomato + cheese, for example) compounds the effect.
- Season smart. A little salt enhances umami, but too much can mask it, so go easy.
- Reach for aged and fermented staples. Miso, soy sauce, Parmesan, and fish sauce are some of the fastest ways to add a savory boost to almost any dish.
Umami Powders
For a quick shortcut, look for commercial umami powders and pastes, or make your own mushroom powder at home: blend dried porcini mushrooms (about 1 oz or 30 g) with salt (2/3 cup), red pepper flakes (1 tbsp), dried thyme (2 tsp), and black pepper (1 tsp). Garlic and onion powder also go well here. Store in an airtight container for months, and sprinkle it on almost anything.
Quick FAQ
- Is umami a taste or a flavor? Technically a taste — one of the five your tongue can detect, alongside sweet, salty, sour, and bitter.
- What are the best umami foods? Aged and fermented foods tend to have the strongest umami: Parmesan, soy sauce, miso, and cured meats are some of the most concentrated sources.
- Can you taste umami on its own? Not really — it’s usually experienced as part of a dish rather than as a standalone flavor, which is part of why it’s harder to describe than “sweet” or “salty.”
Also, high in umami are peanut butter or peanuts, palm oil from the african store (not highly processed), and lentils . . . and OF COURSE, butter! I make a lot of soups and I am always thinking about adding umami, aromatic veggies, heat, and whatever veggies I need to use up before they go bad, lol. one other ingredient to add to bump of the flavor of food is an acid (lemon, lime, high quality vinegar, etc.)
That taste diagram was debunked years ago! All parts of your mouth can taste all flavors.