Umami is a noun that refers to a delicious meaty taste. Umami is also an adjective that means ‘meaty in taste.’

The Japanese word umami (ooh mah ME) simply means ‘tasty,’ but when imported into English it has a more specific meaning. It refers to foods that have a rich ‘meaty’ taste, something we often find in cheeses, soy, tomatoes, and of course, meat itself. Here’s an example of umami in use:

The addition of tomatoes to the stew really brought out the umami of it. I loved it, but my vegan friends, on the other hand, would have preferred something a little less ‘meaty’ tasting.