Kayanoya's Dashi Stock Powder is the best version of this essential Japanese ingredient. In addition to the traditional bonito flakes, the powdered soup stock gets layers of savory complexity from sardines, herring and roasted flying fish for a meaty-rich flavor and delicate aroma like smoked fish. And unlike many store-bought versions, it's not overly “fishy” or salty.

In addition to miso soup and other Japanese applications, use it to make seafood paella, soups and stews for a smokier, more refined flavor than fish stock. Kayanoya’s stock packets are designed much like tea bags and can be used in two ways: For a clear broth, place the stock packet intact in a pot of water; for a stronger, cloudy broth, tear the packet open and add the powder directly to the water. Either way, in just a few minutes the easy-to-use packets yield complex stock that tastes homemade.

Kayanoya uses meaty shiitake and earthy, woodsy maitake mushrooms to make this savory and aromatic broth. We can't get enough of its delicate flavor profile—the subtle extra additions of savory fermented seasonings and yeast result in a much cleaner and clearer mushroom flavor than store-bought mushroom stocks. We also like the convenience factor of the powder packets, which allow you to adjust the strength of the stock to your liking.

We find that store-bought vegetable broth often leans too sweet and tastes strongly of the carrots used to make it. Kayanoya Vegetable Stock Powder is far more balanced, with a subtle sweetness and a complex, lightly caramelized onion flavor; the result is similar to a French onion soup base. We also like the convenience factor of the powder packets, which allow you to adjust the strength of the stock to your liking.

Mutti Tomato Paste is tomato paste as it was originally intended. Traditionally, this ingredient was made by drying tomato sauce on wooden boards in the sun; likewise, Mutti's modern version has a sun-dried flavor and caramelized richness reminiscent of molasses. Yet the tomato paste is not overly sweet—as tomatoes cook, their amino acids break down, which produces savory umami compounds. And unlike most tubed tomato pastes which are double-concentrated, this version is triple-concentrated, so a little goes a long way. We far prefer it to other tomato pastes in tubes, not to mention canned varieties that inevitably have a metallic taste from reacting with acidic tomato juice.

We love finding new “magic” pantry ingredients from around the world that instantly boost flavor, and this Yondu is no exception. Fermented soybeans and a rich stock made from a robust blend of vegetables—including shiitake mushrooms, onions, garlic and cabbage—yield a concentrate bursting with umami. Not only will it give you delicious savory vegetarian broth in the blink of an eye, it can also be used as a secret umami boost for everything from marinades to cooked grains. We love how it’s an easy-to-pour liquid (and not a paste, which can be harder to incorporate into dishes) and how deeply savory its flavor is compared to store-bought broths—which can taste too sweet from relying on carrots. It’s wonderfully earthy from alliums and mushrooms, yet remains balanced. And the yeast extract, a popular ingredient for boosting savoriness in vegan dishes (and for creating the distinctive flavor of Marmite), produces an incredibly rich, intensely savory character that complements the Yondu’s complex flavors perfectly.

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