Umami is a Japanese term that refers to a pleasant, savory taste that is one of the five basic tastes, along with sweet, sour, bitter, and salty.
It is often described as a meaty or broth-like flavor and is produced by the presence of glutamate, an amino acid, and ribonucleotides, which are found in certain foods such as meat, fish, mushrooms, and aged cheeses. Umami is considered to enhance the overall flavor of a dish and can be used to balance and round out other tastes in a recipe.
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