Umami is one of the five basic tastes, along with sweet, sour, bitter and salty. It is described as a pleasant, savory flavor and is characteristic of foods like meat, cheese and some vegetables. Soybeans are legumes that are valued for their high protein content. But do soybeans also contain umami?
What is umami?
Umami is a Japanese word that translates to “pleasant savory taste.” It is sometimes described as a meaty, brothy or savory taste. Umami flavor comes from glutamate, which is found naturally in many foods. Glutamate binds to umami taste receptors on the tongue, creating that savory sensation.
Some foods that are naturally high in umami include:
– Meat and poultry
– Aged cheeses like Parmesan
– Mushrooms
– Seaweed
– Tomatoes
– Green tea
– Nutritional yeast
The rich umami flavor can also be enhanced by cooking techniques like curing, aging, roasting and fermenting. Added ingredients like soy sauce, fish sauce and monosodium glutamate (MSG) boost umami as well.
Do soybeans contain umami?
Soybeans themselves do not contain high levels of glutamate and thus do not have an inherently umami taste. However, soybeans and soy-based foods can develop umami flavors when processed or combined with other umami-rich ingredients.
Here are some ways soybeans can take on umami flavors:
– Fermented soybean products like miso, soy sauce and tempeh have increased glutamate levels through the fermentation process. This develops a savory umami taste.
– Tofu absorbs umami flavor when it is cooked in broths and sauces that contain ingredients like mushrooms, tomatoes and soy sauce.
– Edamame develops a more umami flavor when steamed or boiled.
– Textured vegetable protein (TVP) made from soy has some umami taste, which is enhanced when used in dishes like vegetarian chili.
– Soy milk develops a hint of umami when it is enriched with seaweed or cooked down into evaporated soy milk.
While plain, unprocessed soybeans are not particularly high in innate umami taste, when soy is fermented, cooked or combined with other umami-rich foods, it can take on those sought after savory, meaty flavors.
Umami Components in Soybeans
While soybeans do not contain very high levels of glutamate, the main source of umami taste, they do contain some compounds that contribute to their potential for umami flavor:
Glutamate
Soybeans contain small amounts of glutamate, around 20-30 mg per 100g. For comparison, Parmesan cheese contains around 1200 mg per 100g. When soybeans are fermented into products like miso and soy sauce, the glutamate content increases, creating more umami taste.
5′-Nucleotides
Soybeans contain 5′-ribonucleotides like inosine monophosphate (IMP) and guanosine monophosphate (GMP). These nucleotides work synergistically with glutamate to enhance umami flavor. They bind to umami receptors and amplify the savory taste.
Amino acids
Soy protein is rich in amino acids like lysine, glycine and alanine. Under heating or fermentation, proteins break down into amino acids and peptides that can contribute to umami taste.
Sugars and starches
Cooking soybeans causes the starch granules to gelatinize and release sugars. These compounds enhance the perception of umami when glutamate is present.
| Compound | Amount in Soybeans | Contribution to Umami |
|---|---|---|
| Glutamate | 20-30 mg/100g | Source of savory flavor |
| 5′-Nucleotides | Present in small amounts | Enhance umami perception |
| Amino acids | Abundant in soy protein | Formed through protein breakdown |
| Sugars and starches | 7-10% sugars, 30% starch | Enhance umami when glutamate present |
Developing Umami Flavor in Soybeans
While plain soybeans lack an overt umami taste, soy foods can develop a savory flavor through cooking methods and ingredient combinations:
Fermentation
Fermenting soybeans increases glutamate content and umami flavor. Soy sauce, miso paste, tempeh and natto all undergo microbial fermentation, liberating glutamate.
Combining with umami-rich ingredients
Adding ingredients like mushrooms, tomatoes, fish sauce and anchovies to dishes containing tofu or edamame boosts umami savoriness.
Simmering/boiling
Gently cooking soybeans or soy milk concentrates flavors and causes starch gelatinization and protein breakdown, releasing compounds that enhance umami.
Roasting/frying
Dry-heat cooking methods like roasting, pan-frying and deep-frying increase umami compounds in soybeans through the Maillard reaction between amino acids and sugars.
Flavoring with MSG
Monosodium glutamate contains free glutamate and enhances the umami taste of soy products like TVP and soy nuggets when added during cooking.
Adding Kombu seaweed
Kombu is naturally high in glutamate and can be simmered with beans, added to soy milk or cooked with tofu to impart umami flavor.
With the right preparation methods and ingredient combinations, soybeans can develop far more umami, savory flavor than in their raw state. Fermentation, cooking techniques and umami-boosting ingredients help unlock the potential for rich, meaty flavor in soy foods.
Conclusion
Soybeans do not contain high levels of umami-imparting glutamate on their own. However, through processing methods like fermentation and cooking techniques, as well as combining with ingredients containing natural or added glutamate, soybeans can take on pleasant, savory umami flavors. So while plain soybeans aren’t particularly umami-rich, soy foods like miso, tempeh and cooked tofu can be a great way to add that fifth basic taste to a dish.