Miso Tahini Spread Recipes, For Bread, Rice Cakes, Noodles,Tofu And More

Miso Tahini Spread Recipes are so easy and versatile, you'll wonder why you haven't heard of it, or made it before.   My guess is that if you are already following a macrobiotic diet, you've made this simple, savory spread often!  It does double duty as a sauce too. 

While you can easily figure out the two (main) ingredients in most of the following Miso Tahini Spread recipes  (miso and tahini), keep reading to learn in what proportion, and all the ways you can enjoy it including:  as a spread on bread or rice cakes, or added to Miso Soups, noodle dishes, or greens; or modify it (including swapping out the tahini for peanut butter or sunflower butter) for a great marinade for Baked Tofu.


Miso Tahini Spread on fresh baked wholegrain bread with Bubbie's SauerkrautMiso Tahini Spread on Bread w/ Bubbie's Naturally Brined Sauerkraut is sooo delicious!


In Macrobiotics Menus & Recipes, (soon to be republished, 2025), I included this Miso Tahini Spread recipe as one of three different 'Quickie Breakfast' spread options.  We love having it on fresh baked, whole, sprouted grain or sourdough bread, along with naturally fermented sauerkraut or other fermented pickles or veggies.  

If you think it sounds weird, trust me, it's the bomb!  And bonus, (contrary to current misinformation) it's a much healthier, more savory and flavorful  alternative to butter!

If you are in need of a fast, healthy snack, Miso Tahini Spread is great on rice cakes too!


Miso Sunflower Spread on Rice Cake with Roasted Nori taken to-goMiso Sunflower Butter Spread on Lundberg Rice Cake taken to-go to enjoy while out with mom:)
Miso Sunflower Spread on Savory Stuffed Wholegrain Muffins Miso Sunflower Butter Spread on Savory Stuffed, Wholegrain Muffins - one stuffed with sautéed onion and chickpeas, another stuffed with mashed butternut squash and carrot

Miso Tahini Spread Recipes

In the old macrobiotic books, Miso Tahini Spread recipes were made with 3 parts tahini to 1 part miso (3:1.)

Combine 3 Tbsp. tahini with 1 Tbsp. good quality miso.  The spread will be thick, nearly like peanut butter.  Double the recipe to have more on hand for later.

Taste it, and adjust, adding more miso if you prefer it a tad saltier.  

I told you it was easy!


Miso Tahini Spread on Bread

Miso Tahini Spread is sooo good on fresh bread.  Here's how I suggest using it:

First, if you need to reheat / freshen up some bread, I suggest placing bread in a heat-proof covered container in the oven, and baking at 350º for about 10 minutes.  The bread will be soft in the center, like fresh baked.

Alternatively, we also like to wrap bread in parchment paper, then a clean kitchen towel (or aluminum foil) and placing it in a steamer basket.  The parchment paper protects the bread if using foil, and prevents it from getting wet if using a towel.

Top your Bread with Miso Tahini Spread and naturally brined / fermented vegetables, such as sauerkraut (I suggest Bubbie's Brand if purchasing store bought), sliced pickles, or pickled red onion, or  steamed / QB Kale or veggies.  Or, enjoy as is.

Miso Tahini Spread is also great on whole wheat English muffins.  We love Trader Joe's brand, as they are soft, with minimal ingredients and very affordable.  Perfect with Tofu Scramble for a great weekend breakfast.  

If you want to really go all out, you can stir a little Miso Tahini Spread in your Tofu Scramble, or morning porridge!  Serve your morning porridge with a cup of Miso Soup for a great start to your day!


Tofu Scramble with English Muffins & Miso Tahini SpreadTofu Scramble with Whole Wheat English Muffin
Miso Tahini Spread on Bread with SauerkrautFresh baked bread with Miso Tahini Spread & Bubbie's Sauerkraut

Miso Tahini Spread on Rice Cakes

Miso Tahini Spread on Rice Cake with KimchiRice Cake with Miso Sunflower Butter Spread & Homemade Kimchi
Miso Tahini Spread on Rice Cake with Roasted NoriRice Cake w/ Miso Sunflower Butter Spread w/ a few sheets of Roasted Nori


Miso Tahini Spread on rice cakes, topped with sliced fermented pickles, sauerkraut, or (homemade / vegan) kimchi, is my  current favorite snack, especially since doing the Ohsawa Diet 7 - 7-10 Day Brown Rice Diet.  I linked the short, 2 minute introduction video, below, but be sure to watch the entire series to see how we did, and my tips for others who want to give the 'Brown Rice Diet' a try.

If you want to make this super easy Miso Tahini Spread EVEN SIMPLER, just spread a little miso on your rice cake, followed by some tahini (or sunflower butter) onto each rice cake.  Top with fermented veggies, or, try with some lightly salted, Roasted Nori.

Voila!  A super quick savory 'macrobiotic' snack!


Which Miso Is Best?


Traditional miso that has been aged 2-3 years, such as Clearspring Barley Miso, or Ohsawa 2 Year Barley Miso contain more live beneficial enzymes, and are therefore more therapeutic and flavorful.  

Cold Mountain Miso, South River Miso, and Miso Master are all good brands, in addition to the Eden Barley or Hacho Miso.  Look for Live Miso, unpasteurized, with minimal ingredients, usually soybeans, sea salt, and a koji starer, along with any grain, such as barley or brown rice.

You can use any flavor of miso you like.  Lighter color miso pastes, such as 'Mellow Miso,' White Miso, Chickpea Miso, or a lighter Brown Rice miso such as made by South River will have a more mellow, less salty taste which may be ideal for making the Miso Tahini Spread for bread or rice cakes.

Darker miso, including the Barley Miso or Red Miso are both excellent, especially if adding to a Miso Soup, or if you want to turn your Miso Tahini Spread into a Miso Tahini Sauce.

You may want to check out my article, Top Condiments for Vegan / Plant-Based Macrobiotic Cooking.


South River Miso Pastes & Tahini

Miso Tahini in Soup

I sometimes like to add a tablespoon or so of tahini to my Miso Soups.  

Blend 1 Tbsp. each of miso and tahini in a small bowl.  

Add a ladle of soup broth (with seaweed, ginger and any vegetables as per my Japanese Dashi Broth and Simple Miso Soup recipe post), and stir or whisk to combine, then add back to the soup pot.  

Let simmer on low for another couple minutes before serving.  Sliced scallions and / or chopped parsley can be added as a garnish in the pot now, or once served in individual bowls.

This is especially great when served with / over ramen or buckwheat soba noodles.


Miso Tahini Sauce Recipes

Miso Peanut Butter Baked Tofu Wrapped in Nori with Brown Rice, Greens & DaikonMiso Peanut Butter & Nori-Wrapped Baked Tofu with Brown Rice, Greens & Daikon Radish


Miso Tahini Spread does double duty as a sauce.  

To Make Miso Tahini Sauce:  simply add up to 1 cup of water to the above base recipe (3 Tbsp. tahini + 1 Tbsp. miso).  I suggest adding 1/4-1/2 cup to start.  Stir, then add more until it's your desired consistency.  If adding to noodles or vegetables, it will thicken a bit in the heat. 

You may want to heat the water first, depending on how you are using it.

IN Zen Macrobiotics, George Ohsawa also recommends adding orange zest for variety if desired.

Fresh grated ginger (or squeeze grated ginger to get the juice) and/or 1/8-1/4 tsp. dried ginger can be added to the Miso Tahini Sauce, then stirred into noodle dishes, or as a sauce for QB Greens or Vegetables.  

Add Miso Tahini Sauce to pan sautéed  greens or vegetables towards the end of cooking, and let simmer a couple minutes, covered on low.  Add more water if needed.  Otherwise, toss Miso Tahini Sauce (ideally made with heated water) over QB Greens or Vegetables.


Chickpea MuffinsSavory Chickpea Stuffed Muffins - Whole Grain, Sugar-Free
Soba Noodle Vegetable Soup with Sweet Potato Stuffed Mochi with Miso & TahiniSoba Noodle Soup & Eden Sprouted Brown Rice Mochi Squares, Stuffed with Mashed Miso Sweet Potato & Drizzle of Tahini

A Few More Miso Tahini Spread Recipe Modifications & Uses


Spread a little Miso Tahini on homemade muffins, like the Savory Chickpea Stuffed Whole Grain Muffins, shown above, inspired by a recipe from Lima Ohsawa's The Art of Just Cooking, A Culinary Guide to Living in Harmony with Nature.

Miso Tahini Spread can be diluted with less water, and other ingredients added to make either a dressing, or a marinade for Baked Tofu.

Peanut butter can be used in lieu of tahini for a thicker spread or sauce, with or without other ingredients.

I recently made Miso Peanut Butter Baked Tofu Wrapped in Nori, shown below, inspired by a recipe in Aveline Kushi's Changing Seasons Macrobiotic Cookbook, Cooking in Harmony with Nature.

To make this, I combined miso with peanut butter, and a little Horseradish Dijon, rice vinegar, chile garlic sauce, and fresh grated and dried ginger.  (Ingredients shown in the photo on the Right, below.)

After coating the tofu with a butter knife (it was a bit thick), I wrapped it in the nori sheets, cut into two inch wide pieces, and baked it at 350º for around 30+ minutes.  (I'll be perfecting this recipe which you'll be able to find either here, my blog, or an upcoming recipe book.)

Miso Tahini Spread is a great topping for baked winter squash or sweet potatoes, especially when stuffed inside baked mochi squares! (Below, left.)  To make this, Don stirred miso into mashed baked sweet potato, which we stuffed into baked mochi squares, then drizzled tahini over the top, and served that with a Soba Noodle Miso Vegetable Soup.  Simply amazing!


Miso Tahini Sweet Potato Stuffed Mocha & Soba Noodle Miso Veg SoupMiso Mashed Sweet Potatoes Stuffed in Baked Sprouted Brown Rice Mochi Squares, Drizzled with Tahini, Served with Soba Noodle Vegetable Soup
Miso Peanut Butter Baked Tofu Wrapped in NoriMiso Peanut Butter Baked Tofu Wrapped in Nori Sheets (ingredients shown on the right)
Miso Peanutm Butter Marinade for Baked Tofu


>Return to Home Page

>Top Condiments for Healthy Savory Macrobiotic Cooking 

>Simple Macrobiotic Meals including Oat Millet Porridge, Miso Soup & More

>Macrobiotics Page on Vegan Great Life Blog



Want to get started eating a healthy balanced vegan macrobiotic diet / or a simple plant-based diet?


How To Feel Great & Improve Your Health with a Macrobiotic Diet book cover
21-Day Whole Foods,Plant-Based Health & Weight Loss Challenge E-Book Cover

Download my FREE Ebooks:


The Macrobiotic Action Plan Revised 2024 Ed.

Order a paperback copy of The MAP or Download a PDF Ebook