Japanese white miso, or shiro miso (白味噌), is generally distinguished by its pale colour, smooth texture and mild flavour, which can sometimes be distinctly sweet. Its often high proportion of rice koji and relatively short fermentation give it a less intense flavour than red miso.
However, not all white miso are alike: Shinshu white miso remains fairly versatile and still provides plenty of umami, while Kyoto-style Saikyo miso is much milder and sweeter. The latter is particularly suitable for sauces, dressings, dengaku, vegetables and fish marinades, whereas a more balanced shiro miso is easy to use in an everyday miso soup.
It is best to add it gradually, as its mild flavour does not necessarily mean that it is low in salt. For deeper seasoning without moving directly to a very strong miso, it can also be blended with one of our other types of miso.
