umami flavor
Brothy, rich deliciousness
Umami flavor is the savory, brothy taste that rounds out the classic quartet of sweet, sour, salty, and bitter.
It comes from glutamates found in aged cheeses, fermented foods, mushrooms, and meats.
The Japanese word means "pleasant savory taste." Umami gives depth to dishes—the reason a splash of soy sauce or sprinkle of parmesan transforms a meal.
- mushroomsSpore-bearing fruiting bodies
- soy sauceFermented bean condiment
- taste budsFlavor-detecting tongue cells
- Japanese cuisineFood from Tokyo's homeland
- Parmesan cheeseHard aged Italian dairy
aged cheese · mouthfeel · seaweed · dried shiitake · tomato paste · fermented foods · amino acids · glutamate · fish sauce · Worcestershire sauce · anchovies · bone marrow · cured meats · synergy · parmesan · cured · fermented · pungent
umami flavorsweet flavor
Sugary taste sensation
bitter flavor · tart flavor · sweetness · sourness · bitterness
umami flavorblandness
Absence of distinctive qualities
flavorlessness · tastelessness · insipidness · wateriness · flatness
umami, flavor, flavors, flavored, flavoring, flavorful, flavorless, savory, savor