Use This Unexpected Japanese Ingredient For The Most Flavorful Granola Bars

A delicious, and often quite crumbly snack that you might bring on hikes, to the park, or pack in your kid's school lunch is the ever-popular granola bar. There is a clever way, though, to liven up and give an extra oomph to the taste of this super popular snack: By adding the Japanese ingredient miso paste to it. Most of the time, people loop in miso with soup or other larger meals like roast chicken, but the fermented paste, which is made from soybeans, can also add a whole new layer of savory goodness to your favorite crunchy treat.

Miso adds a slight tinge of saltiness and a richness that balances the sweetness of both store-bought and homemade granola bars. The paste's consistency is similar to the texture of peanut butter, which can contribute to the overall formation of the snack too. It helps bind the ingredients together, creating a  lovely chewiness in the process. Miso paste also adds a slightly salty, umami-like layer that would pair exceptionally well with homemade peanut butter chocolate granola bars, in particular. The paste draws out the nutty flavors, while balancing the sweeter notes of the chocolate with a more savory undertone.

Notably, there are several different types and flavors of miso out there. White miso (or shiro miso) is a mild, slightly sweet option that would pair nicely with a dark chocolate and peanut butter granola bar. Red miso, which endures a longer fermentation process, has a stronger, saltier, and bolder flavor that might work better with a lighter almond butter to help mute the saltiness. Yellow miso, also known as shinshu miso, is a safe middle ground paste that has a moderate saltiness and sweet profile and would therefore be great mixed with milk, or even white, chocolate and peanut butter granola bars.

The nuts themselves are another ingredient you can experiment with pretty easily. Unsalted peanuts add brightness to your bars while darker nuts like almonds, pecans, and walnuts introduce a deeper, earthier flavor with a touch of sweetness hidden beneath the layers. Any of the aforementioned miso pastes would pair well with dried fruit granola bars, too. Since miso has a hint of umami, cranberries, raisins, mango pieces, or apricots would be a great match to elevate the sweeter elements. 

Take it a step further by crushing your new granola bar creation up and mixing it into a peanut butter sandwich for an added crunchy texture. The seasonings and spices should also excite you because the possibilities are endless when finding different miso recipes that work. You can add grated ginger or a sprinkle of cinnamon to add a warm note to the lighter parts of miso paste and dried cranberries. To really play with the Japanese-inspired flavors, add a small splash of aged sake to pair it with the mix, to create a stronger, caramel nutty taste.