• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Full of Plants
  • Home
  • Recipes
    • Appetizers
    • Breakfast
    • Main Dish
    • Soups
    • Sides
    • Salads
    • Desserts
  • Shop
  • About
    • FAQ
  • Resources
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Home
  • Recipes
  • Shop
  • Resources
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • search icon
    Homepage link
    • Home
    • Recipes
    • Shop
    • Resources
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • ×

    Home » Recipes

    How to Make Chickpea Miso

    By: Thomas Published: 14 Jun, 21 Updated: 6 Oct, 21 29 Comments

    RecipePrintComments
    How to Make Chickpea Miso
    How to Make Chickpea Miso
    Chickpea miso in a jar on a wooden board.

    Making miso is something I have been wanting to try for a long time, but I was always pushed back by the long aging time (6 months!). Well, I finally decided to take the plunge and I'm sharing the process with you!

    It's not only easy, but requires very little preparation time, the rest is patience! Let's do it!

    Ingredients to make miso, chickpeas, salt, and koji.

    WHAT IS MISO?

    Miso (味噌) is a traditional Japanese condiment made from beans, rice, salt, and a mold, that is fermented from a few months to a few years. It is used to add umami and flavor to soups like miso-shiru, but can also be used in marinades, dressings, stews, ramen, and more.

    The miso we are making here is prepared using chickpeas and aged for 6 months. It has a delicate and complex flavor with a good balance of sweetness and saltiness. It is not as intense as red miso and much less salty. If you are a miso connoisseur, this one is very close to shiro miso (my favorite!).

    Koji in a bowl to make miso.

    HOW TO MAKE MISO

    Preparing miso is not only easy, but it's also quick. The hardest part is waiting!

    You only need 3 ingredients to get started:

    • Koji: You can get koji here.
    • Chickpeas: start from dried chickpeas. I went with chickpeas to keep the miso soy-free.
    • Salt: to prevent bad mold from growing, and obviously for flavor.
    Koji Rice

    Koji Dried Rice

    Koji is cooked rice that has been inoculated with a culture called Aspergillus oryzae. It is then dried and can be kept at room temperature. It is a key ingredient for making miso, mirin, sake, and other fermented products!

    Buy Koji
    Chickpeas, salt, and koji in a food processor.

    First, you want to cook soaked chickpeas until perfectly tender. I used my Instant Pot, but you can cook the chickpeas in a pressure cooker or in a large pot.

    Next, soak your koji rice with warm water (at a temperature of about 122°F/50°C) to soften it. Make sure the water is not hotter than this temperature or it could kill the cultures of the rice.

    Then, all you have to do is process the chickpeas, soaked koji rice, and salt, until you get a smooth paste.

    Processing chickpeas to make miso.

    The miso is almost done! Transfer the mixture to clean jars and let it age in a dark place at room temperature for 6 months.

    Important note: make sure to pack the mixture very tightly into the jars, to have the least amount of air inside as possible. You also want to add a weight on top so the fermentation doesn't create too much air bubbles. If you have air inside you jar, there are high chances some mold will grow and your miso will turn bad within a few weeks (I had that issue once).

    One more thing, do not fill your jar as much as I did below. Only fill to the ¾ otherwise some liquid will overflow.

    Chickpea miso fermenting in a jar.

    I opened the jar after 6 months and I was incredibly surprised by how delicious this chickpea miso tasted! It's sweet, salty, and packed with umami and buttery notes. Yes, it's THAT good!

    You could probably let it age for a few extra months, but I found that 6 months is already enough to get a very high quality miso, especially if you like sweet white miso. And if you are wondering, you can't even taste the chickpeas, it's pure miso flavor.

    Can this work with other beans? Probably, but I have not personally tried.

    Chickpea miso in a jar with a spoon.

    I hope you will love this recipe, it's a super fun project to make and you will have miso available for weeks, if not months! It's much more cost-effective than buying it, if you are patient enough of course!

    Looking for more fermented recipes? Check out this Fermented Tofu (Chao), Vegan Camembert, Cashew & Almond Yogurt, or this Chickpea Tempeh!

    Let me know in the comments if you try this recipe!

    Chickpea miso on a wooden board.
    How to Make Chickpea Miso

    How to Make Chickpea Miso

    Author: Thomas
    Learn how to make your own chickpea miso from scratch! It's buttery, a bit sweet, and packed with umami! Plus it is soy-free!
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 30 mins
    Aging Time 182 d
    Course Condiment
    Cuisine Asian, Japanese
    Servings 2 large jars (about 3.5lb)
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Ingredients
     
     

    • 18 ounces dried chickpeas soaked overnight
    • 18 ounces koji rice
    • 1 cup water
    • ½ cup coarse salt

    Instructions
     

    Preparation

    • Drain the dried chickpeas and add to an Instant Pot (or pressure cooker). Cover with about 8 cups (2L) of water and pressure cook for 5 minutes. Let the pressure release naturally for 20 minutes before opening the Instant Pot and draining the chickpeas. Set aside and let it cool at room temperature.
      Note: you can also cook the chickpeas in a large pot of water over the stovetop but it will take much longer.
    • Add one cup of water to a small saucepan. Heat over medium heat for 2-3 minutes, do not bring to a boil. Remove from heat and let it cool until it reaches about 122°F (50°C).
    • Add the koji rice to a medium mixing bowl and pour in the warm water. Stir and let it sit for one hour.

    Processing

    • Next, transfer the cooked chickpeas, koji (and the water), and salt to a food processor. Process for 1-2 minutes, or until it forms a paste. It should be almost smooth and all the chickpeas should be puréed. If you have a small food processor, work in batches.
    • Prepare two 1-quart (1L) glass jars: make sure your jars are perfectly clean. I recommend baking your empty jars at 300°F (150°C) for 20 minutes to kill possible bacterias and then let it cool completely.
    • Using gloves or really clean hands, shape balls of the mixture and pack them very tightly into each jar, working one layer at a time to make sure there is no air holes. Repeat until your jars are ¾ full.
    • Flatten the top of the mixture and sprinkle with about ½ tablespoon of fine salt. Cover with plastic film to touch. Now, you want to place something very heavy inside the jar, on top of the miso. I didn't have anything heavy that fitted inside so I filled a plastic bag with coarse salt and placed it inside the jar, on top of the miso. It must be heavy enough to prevent the miso from creating air bubbles due to the fermentation.

    Aging

    • Close your jars with the lid and store in a dark place at room temperature. Your miso will be ready in 6 months, you don't have to do anything else but wait! Do not open the jar in the meantime or mold could grow.
    • After 6 months, transfer the miso to smaller jars and store in the refrigerator. Miso will keep for months! Use in soups, marinades, sauces, dressings, etc!
    DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE? Tag @fullofplants on Instagram and hashtag it #fullofplants
    How to Make Chickpea Miso
    Sign up to the Full of Plants Newsletter
    Subscribe To Our Newsletter
    Receive new recipes straight to your inbox + a free eBook on Vegan Cheese Making!
    Invalid email address
    Thanks for subscribing!

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Rose_Anne

      June 14, 2021 at 6:47 pm

      Thank you, Thomas! I look forward to trying this.

      I don't have anything against soy products, but sometimes tofu is very difficult to find (grocery stores don't always order - or receive - enough). Soy beans themselves are even more difficult to track down. Garbanzo / chick peas, on the other hand? Abundant. Have you / would you consider trying your hand at non-soy tofu?

      Best,
      Rose_Anne

      Reply
      • Thomas

        June 14, 2021 at 7:00 pm

        You're welcome Rose Anne!
        That's true, tofu is not always easy to find if you don't have an Asian store nearby.
        I have never thought about non-soy tofu, but will definitely take it into consideration!
        Thanks for your feedback 🙂

        Reply
        • K

          September 20, 2021 at 2:12 am

          Hi Thomas! I just read a post that made a tofu substitute with chickpea flour. I don't remember where, but I'm sure a quick search will yield results.

          Reply
          • Thomas

            September 20, 2021 at 6:26 am

            Hi K,
            Chickpea flour "tofu" is not what I would consider a good substitute for tofu, it doesn't have the same texture or flavor at all, so I'm not a huge fan of it.

            Reply
    2. Rose_Anne

      June 14, 2021 at 6:52 pm

      Hi again. I received your auto-response, but could not "confirm." The hyperlink is not active.

      Reply
      • Thomas

        June 14, 2021 at 7:01 pm

        Hi Rose,
        May I know which auto-response and link you are talking about?

        Reply
    3. Pat

      June 14, 2021 at 7:23 pm

      Could one cut this recipe in half? Thanks.

      Reply
      • Thomas

        June 15, 2021 at 5:43 am

        No problem! 🙂

        Reply
        • Joann

          June 03, 2022 at 8:56 pm

          I just completed the 6 month fermenting period, and the taste is incredible! Silky smooth, with the perfect balance of sweet and salty! Can't have soy, so this is the solution. Thank-you!

          Reply
          • Thomas

            June 13, 2022 at 7:41 am

            Awesome! Glad you liked this miso 😉

            Reply
    4. Martha

      June 14, 2021 at 8:08 pm

      Are the chickpeas measured before rehydrating or after? That is,, are these 18 ounces of dried chickpeas?

      Is the Komi rice measured as a dry ingredient?

      Thank you

      Reply
      • Thomas

        June 15, 2021 at 5:44 am

        Yes, chickpeas and koji are measured dried.

        Reply
    5. Trina

      June 14, 2021 at 8:59 pm

      I have been thinking of making azuki bean miso, one year fermenting time. Decided to make your chickpea miso instead. Will order the Koji rice, let the fun begin.
      Thank you,
      Trina

      Reply
      • Thomas

        June 15, 2021 at 5:44 am

        Great! Let me know how it goes 🙂

        Reply
    6. Jenn

      June 15, 2021 at 7:31 am

      This looks like a fun project! Just curious about the chickpea cooking time. Normally I soak chickpeas overnight, then pressure cook for 20 minutes. Are the chickpeas supposed to be just barely cooked for this recipe?

      Reply
      • Thomas

        June 15, 2021 at 7:40 am

        I would guess it depends on the type of chickpeas used, the ones I used were quite small so 5 mins + 20 mins natural release, there were very tender. However, if using larger garbanzo beans, you might have to increase the cooking time. You want the chickpeas to be tender, not barely cooked.

        Reply
        • Jenn

          June 15, 2021 at 8:03 am

          Good to know. Thanks for the clarifying 🙂

          Reply
    7. tanya

      June 15, 2021 at 4:50 pm

      hi, what does it mean: cover with plastic film "to touch"?
      kind wishes, tanya

      Reply
      • Thomas

        June 16, 2021 at 6:16 am

        Hi,
        It means the plastic film should be in contact with the mixture.

        Reply
    8. Melissa

      June 15, 2021 at 7:01 pm

      Looks fantastic! Is there any other rice I can use? Why do people use Koji rice?

      Reply
      • Thomas

        June 16, 2021 at 6:17 am

        Thanks Melissa!
        I'm afraid there is not, koji rice is really mandatory for this recipe as it contains cultures.

        Reply
    9. Robin Munch

      June 19, 2021 at 6:27 am

      My comment isn't related to chickpea miso but I couldn't work out how else to contact you.
      I've just smoked the smoked hickory cheese (using native New Zealand woodchips from a manuka tree. You say to put it in the refrigerator for a week or two. Is that still at 10-12 degrees or in the normal refrigerator?
      Thanks Thomas - your recipes are magic!

      Reply
      • Thomas

        June 21, 2021 at 5:57 am

        Hi Robin,
        For related questions to the hickory smoked cheese I would recommend posting on the actual recipe page.
        To answer your question: Once smoked, I would recommend placing in a slightly colder refrigerator (6-8°).

        Reply
    10. Wendy

      July 06, 2021 at 11:10 pm

      I came across your blog after researching "chickpea miso" from my list of recipes 🙂

      I don't think I will be able to find Koji here in Trinidad and Tobago but I'll try.
      This seems like a very useful recipe because I really love channa (what we call it in the West Indies).

      Thank you and looking forward to your content.

      Reply
      • Thomas

        July 07, 2021 at 9:16 am

        You're welcome Wendy! Hope you will be able to find Koji 😉

        Reply
      • Rachel

        October 04, 2021 at 11:30 am

        Hi Wendy, I've just bought koji from eBay, so it might be worth having a look to see if you can find a seller who ships internationally. Hope that helps I'm hoping to visit T&T next year, I hear wonderful things!
        Rachel

        Reply
    11. Ruth Weston

      September 08, 2021 at 8:35 pm

      Hi Thomas,
      I was wondering about the room temp for this, as my house goes down to about 16c at night when my heating is off in the winter. Would this be too low. Thank you for your.help

      Reply
      • Thomas

        September 10, 2021 at 5:46 am

        Hi Ruth,
        Yes 16°C will be too low, you want the temperature to be around 30°C for good mold growth.

        Reply
        • Ruth

          September 14, 2021 at 4:02 pm

          Thank you Thomas for that help

          Reply

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Rate this Recipe




    Primary Sidebar

    Hi, I'm Thomas, welcome to my blog! Here you will find simple, healthy and tasty plant-based recipes. Experimenting in the kitchen is my passion.

    Learn more about me →

    Please wait...

    Thank you for sign up!

    Most Popular

    • Instant Pot Cauliflower Tikka Masala
    • How To Make Bánh Mì (Vietnamese Baguette)
    • Vegan Aged Camembert Cheese
    • Spicy Vegan Hot Pot

    Footer

    • Quick Dinners
    • Vegan Cheese Recipes
    • Instant Pot Recipes
    • Vegan Desserts

    About

    • About
    • FAQ
    • Privacy Policy
    • Blogging Resources

    Join the Community!

    Copyright © 2022 Full of Plants.

    x
    WANT A FREE EBOOK?
    Subscribe to receive your FREE 100-Page eBook "The Art of Vegan Cheese Making" with over 25 recipes!

    We promise not to spam you. You can unsubscribe at any time.
    Invalid email address
    Thanks for subscribing! You should receive your eBook soon!
    Close Optin
    We promise not to spam you. You can unsubscribe at any time.
    Invalid email address
    Thanks for subscribing!