Add An Umami Flare To Your Chili With One Simple Addition

Chili, with its simple yet satisfying ingredients (ground beef, onions, tomatoes, seasonings, and the often-debated beans) delivers big, bold flavors without much effort. The fact that it's extremely customizable is an added bonus. While it's a go-to comfort food, it's also one that can sometimes fall flat in terms of depth. 

But, fish sauce is one simple addition that will take your chili to a whole new level of depth and complexity. Yes, that salty, pungent condiment typically found in Asian dishes can work wonders in chili.

Though it might seem like an odd addition, just a dash of this fermented ingredient interacts with the tomato paste or crushed tomatoes and rounds out the acidity to elevate chili's overall flavor profile. The culinary science behind it is simple: Fish sauce is packed with glutamates. This is responsible in enhancing the savory and umami notes in any dish, giving even your simple slow cooker chili recipe a richer, more robust taste that lingers on the palate, without overpowering it. When used correctly, it's the secret ingredient that makes all the difference.

The trick is to add about 3 tablespoons of fish sauce per pound of meat before it browns, then follow it up with your choice of spice blend and other flavoring ingredients. Let it simmer for at least 30 minutes. This ensures the fishy edge disappears, leaving behind nothing but umami goodness.

The origins of fish sauce are as intriguing as its flavor. Much like how Leibniz and Newton individually discovered calculus, both ancient Romans and Asians separately invented their versions of fish sauce. According to journalist and author Mark Kulansky, fish sauce seems to be one of those ideas that emerged independently in both the East and West. The Asian version likely originated in Vietnam, which was influenced by ancient Chinese fermentation practices to create early soy sauce.

Garum, the Roman counterpart, was a fermented sauce made by curing fish in salt and leaving it to age in the sun. While some speculate that garum may have traveled to Asia via the Silk Road, no solid evidence supports this theory. Southeast Asian fish sauce developed its own identity and became a staple in regional cuisines, flavoring everything from Thai pad thai, Korean kimchi, to the Philippines' tinola (a hearty chicken soup in ginger broth).

Today, fish sauce has taken the world stage.  It's been used to enhance tomato-based sauces like marinara and ragu or added to pan-roasted Brussels sprouts for extra umami notes. While the exact moment it gained popularity in the U.S. is unclear, its rise coincides with the increasing mainstream appeal of Southeast Asian cuisines. As more chefs and home cooks integrated the condiment into non-traditional dishes like chili, its influence continued to grow. This once-niche condiment is now a go-to ingredient in both restaurants and home kitchens, far beyond its Southeast Asian roots.

There's been plenty of controversial debate about what ingredients should go into chili, but one thing's certain: adding umami boosters will elevate any version of this dish. Known as the fifth basic taste (alongside sweet, salty, sour, and bitter), umami enhances the overall savory profile of a dish by stimulating specific taste receptors. Whether you're following a family recipe or experimenting with your own version, umami creates a synergistic effect with the flavors that takes chili to the next level.  

If fish sauce isn't readily available, don't worry — there are other pantry staples that can deliver a similar umami punch. Any type of soy sauce is a versatile alternative, as it brings a salty, savory note. Use the same portion as fish sauce: about 3 tablespoons per pound of meat. Stir it in toward the end of cooking to balance the flavors (a pinch of sugar helps offset the saltiness).

Worcestershire sauce likewise adds a tangy, slightly sweet depth with its unique blend of vinegar, molasses, and anchovies. For every pound of meat, use 1 teaspoon, adding it along with your spices to let the flavors meld. For an earthier flavor and creamier texture, miso paste is an excellent option  (use about 4 teaspoons per pound of meat). All can be added with your spices and left to mingle with the other flavors; no extra cooking time is needed for either.