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The 11 Absolute Best Ways to Use MSG

By December 2, 2022In the News, MSG
umami flavor

“…Many of America’s greatest chefs love using MSG. So let’s explore the best things that you, like many of those chefs, can make using MSG.”

Quote from a recent article in Tasting Table, November 9, 2022
Author: Michael A. Gardiner, food writer

According to Tasting Table, here are some of the best ways for using MSG in your cooking:

Tomatoes are naturally high in umami from glutamates, which is to say, naturally occurring MSG. As Delish Knowledge points out, this is true of a lot of vegetables besides tomatoes, including onions, asparagus, soy (and soy products like miso paste), broccoli, peas, beets, and mushrooms. The umami in each of these ingredients leads to at least one thing: deliciousness. And the more, the better.”

MSG in CookingMushrooms, like tomatoes, are high in naturally occurring glutamate (via SF Gate). So, again, as Cafe Meeting Place explains, it’s all about layering glutamates. The synergistic effect of combining those ingredients is the key. One is good. More than one is better. And a dash of MSG added to those naturally occurring glutamates can take a dish over the top.”

MSG in CookingEggs and MSG are a natural combination, and, as The Washington Post points out, scrambled eggs, in particular, show just how MSG impacts flavor. As the umami that is MSG comes in powdered form, you can calibrate the exact amount necessary to achieve the deepening, highlighting more savory and delightfully complex flavors the MSG pulls out of the eggs. MSG makes everything taste more like itself, and eggs are no exception (via Prevention). In many ways, MSG is to savory food what sugar is in the world of sweets.”

MSG in Cooking“While mashed potatoes might not seem to be among the most obvious candidates for the MSG treatment, perhaps it is time to give that a reevaluation. Mashed potatoes are a tailor-made umami delivery system. It’s their buttery quality that helps mashed potatoes pair perfectly with umami sources, especially MSG.”

Read the full article — including 7 more “absolute best ways to use MSG” — from Tasting Table here.

 

The MSGdish Team's goal is to provide timely and important information about glutamate, monosodium glutamate (MSG) and the many culinary creations inspired by “umami" while connecting these topics to facts about food, taste, and health. The MSGdish Team is comprised of TGA staff professionals who are recognized as experts in science-based nutrition communications. Read more on the About page.

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