For the longest time, our taste buds have been trained to register taste in four distinct, neatly categorised ways. Sweet for desserts, salty foremost in what forms our diet, sour for anything citrusy and fruity, and bitter for a select few. However, not many of us are quite versed with what umami is really all about. And yes, you’ve probably been eating (and loving) it without knowing!
Umami is one flavour you can’t quite name but instantly recognise. The depth in a slow-simmered broth, the savoury richness of mushrooms, the addictive quality of soy sauce or aged cheese. That lingering, mouth-filling taste is what food connoisseurs so endearingly refer to as umami. You know that peculiar taste of sushi that’s addictive, but you can’t quite help yourself to describe it? It tastes like a mix of all the flavours, leaving you with pretty much nothing to describe what your taste buds are experiencing. Don’t worry, we’ve got you.
Today, umami is everywhere as a rediscovery. As global food cultures become more interconnected, ingredients and techniques that highlight umami, like fermentation, ageing, and slow cooking, are finding new audiences. From kombucha to sourdough, you can find it in every new thing people are loving. Umami is more than just a culinary buzzword, but the taste that completes a dish.
Below, everything you need to know about umami and how best to experience (not just taste) it.
What Is Umami?
The word ‘umami’ roughly translates to ‘meaty’, ‘hearty’, or ‘delicious’. Combining ‘uma’ for delicious and ‘mi’ for taste, umami directly means ‘pleasant savoury taste’ in Japanese.
The term was coined in the early 20th century in Japan by Kikunae Ikeda, a chemist and scientist who identified the distinct savoury profile while studying kombu (edible seaweed). He traced it to glutamate, a naturally occurring compound found in a wide range of foods—from tomatoes and parmesan to meats and fermented products. What he discovered was something that didn’t fit into the existing tastes humans had already identified. It was a flavour that wasn’t sharp or obvious, but rounded, complex, and deeply satisfying in itself, laying the foundation for what we now call the fifth taste.
But what exactly does umami taste like? Beware! Unlike sweet and bitter profiles, this is not a localised sensation on the tip of the tongue or a singular part of your mouth. From a sensory perspective, umami does more than just add flavour. It enhances it. Umami stays longer on the palate, adds fullness, and even stimulates salivation, which is why foods rich in umami often feel more satisfying. In simpler words, if you’re tasting something you can’t quite place how to describe, yes, it probably is this.
The Science Behind The Flavour
Now, while the first four tastes come across as quite straightforward, umami is anything but. So, how does this taste even come to be?
The answer lies in chemistry, specifically the interaction between amino acids (the building blocks of proteins) and our taste receptors.
To improvise, naturally occurring compounds called glutamates, a type of amino acid, that our bodies can detect through specific taste buds on the tongue. But umami doesn’t work alone. It becomes even more pronounced when glutamates combine with other compounds, like inosinate (commonly found in meat and fish) and guanylate (present in dried mushrooms). This interaction—known as synergy—is why certain food pairings taste so much richer together than they do individually. Think of a simple example like tomatoes and cheese, or mushrooms cooked with meat. Each ingredient carries its own umami compounds, but when combined, they amplify one another, creating a deeper, more layered flavour.
This is also why cooking techniques matter. Processes like ageing, fermenting, drying, and slow cooking naturally increase the concentration of these compounds. So that deep, full-bodied kick that makes you want a second (and third) spoonful right after the first? That’s umami for you.
Which Foods And Cuisines Count As Umami?
Once you know what to look for, you’ll find that umami is actually everywhere. The key lies in ingredients that are naturally rich in glutamates or develop them over time, common to both plant-based and animal-based foods.
Start with the obvious: aged and fermented products. Think parmesan, soy sauce, miso, fish sauce, and kimchi. These foods undergo reactions where proteins break down into free amino acids, intensifying their flavour. That’s why a shaving of Parmesan or a splash of soy sauce can instantly elevate a dish, because they’re concentrated sources of umami.
Then there are ingredients that carry in a more subtle, yet just as effective, way. Tomatoes (especially when cooked down), mushrooms, seaweed, green tea, and even corn all contain natural glutamates. Drying mushrooms or slow-roasting tomatoes, for instance, increases their umami levels, which is why sun-dried tomatoes or dried shiitakes taste so much more intense than their fresh counterparts.
Animal-based foods also play a major role. Meats, seafood, and broths are rich in inosinate, and when combined with mushrooms, soy sauce, and the like, create that delicious umami edge. This is exactly why dishes like ramen and sushi, which use kombu (seaweed) and bonito flakes together, work so well.
Umami is especially foundational in Japanese cooking, built through ingredients like dashi, miso, and soy. Italian cuisine brings it in with tomatoes, aged cheeses, cured meats, and sauces like Marinara. Even in Indian cooking, umami exists in dishes that use slow-cooked onions, tomatoes, and spices to build depth over time. Perhaps the most potent and recognised instance of umami in Indian cooking is achaar—a flavour bomb of savoury and sour, created through fermentation, sun-drying, and oil curing.
Why Is Umami Having A Moment In 2026?
If umami has technically always existed, why does it feel like it’s everywhere right now? Today, it has made its way into everything from your finest desserts to the strongest cocktails. And the answer is multifold.
For starters, our palates are changing. As global cuisines become more accessible, people are eating more ramen, kimchi, miso-based dishes, and fermented foods than ever before. In fact, platforms like TikTok and food communities online have played a huge role in pushing umami-heavy dishes into the spotlight, making them feel both aspirational and achievable at home. I’m sure we’ve all come across the tens of home-chefs sharing myriad reels on a unique at-home-ramen or rice-paper-wrapped-roll.
This is also why umami has broken out of savoury food and entered unexpected spaces, like desserts and drinks. Chefs and brands are increasingly experimenting with the umami-dessert crossover. Think miso caramel, soy-infused sweets, olive oil ice creams, or even savoury lattes. These combinations work because umami highlights other flavours rather than competing with them, creating desserts that feel less sugary and more flavourful.
And the bar scene is following suit. Cocktails and even coffee are moving away from overly sweet profiles toward more savoury, umami-forward builds, using ingredients like seaweed, mushrooms, or fermented elements. In fact, umami has even come up as among the most up-and-coming cocktail trends of the year, especially in the case of Indian mixology. So in 2026, we’re drinking, eating, and loving all things umami!
Read more: Why Is Everyone Suddenly Obsessed With Sourdough?
