Happy New Year! In 2025, we’re happy to bring you more trend-forward recipes, tips, and menu ideas. This month, we celebrate a flavor that pairs well with colder temperatures and heavier dishes: umami.
What exactly IS Umami?

Umami was discovered by a Japanese scientist in 1908 and was named the official fifth taste in the late 1900s, joining the previously established classic tastes of sweet, sour, salty, and bitter.
The word “umami” translates to “essense of deliciousness” and is derived from umai, the Japanese word for “delicious.” Umami refers to the pleasant, savory, meaty taste found naturally in many foods that contain a high level of the amino acid glutamate, as well as foods enhanced with MSG (monosodium glutamate).
Examples of foods high in umami flavor are mushrooms, beef, pork, broth, onions, tomatoes, aged cheeses, and fermented sauces.
How can you incorporate umami into a meal?
One of the Savor team’s favorite umami foods, mushrooms, are nutritious, hearty, and high in protein. Mushrooms have been linked to gut and heart health, cognitive function, reduced blood sugar, bone health, and are packed full of important vitamins and antioxidants.
Mushrooms are also a very cost-effective protein and make an excellent meat alternative.
Dried mushrooms tend to have a deeper, earthier umami flavor than fresh mushrooms. Savor’s Dried forest mushrooms blend is versatile enough to incorporate into many dishes for an extra boost of flavor and texture. Try Savor’s dried mushrooms in a creamy pasta, in buttery risotto, or atop steaks.
Savor’s *NEW* porcini and mixed mushroom duxelle, imported from France, brings together chopped mushrooms, onions, herbs, and black pepper - sauteed in butter - for a delicious flavor bump to burgers, steaks, pastas, omelets, and sauces.
Customers can even add a savory duxelle to a Beef Wellington, stuff into ravioli, blend into a hearty soup, or stir into mashed potatoes or mac and cheese for delightful umami flavor.


Another way to add umami flavor to a recipe is with a finishing oil like truffle oil. Savor’s white truffle oil, extracted from the highly prized white truffles and imported from Italy, brings an intense and unique flavor profile. You can use just a small amount to elevate a dish’s flavor, aroma, and complexity. Drizzle lightly over risotto, pasta, pizza, and French fries, blend into mashed potatoes, or add a few drops to bring depth to dressings, marinades, soups, and stews.
Global sauces can be a great way to add flavor, texture, AND complexity: Savor’s crunchy garlic in chili oil brings heat, umami, and crispy crunchy texture to any dish. (It is a favorite among the Savor team - try some today!)
Umami-forward gochujang is a sweet and spicy paste that is a staple seasoning sauce in Korean cuisine. Gochujang is made from fermented soybean powder, red pepper powder, and various forms of rice. Savor has offered gochujang for years; Datassential predicts a 39% growth of gochujang on menus over the next four years. Use it in traditional dishes such as bibimbap or to flavor fusion dishes.
Savor Imports specializes in trends you can source. Savor's full pantry is available via Dot Foods in as little as one case in as little as two to four days from order date.

We’ll be bringing you news and insights about trends all year long. Be sure to follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn so you can stay informed on global food trends on menus.