Whipped Cream Cheese With Mentaiko

Name: Whipped Cream Cheese With Mentaiko
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 5 min
Total time: 10 min
Yield: 1 1/2 cups
Ingredients: 1 whole sac mentaiko or tarako (about 2 ounces); 8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature; 2 tablespoons heavy cream or milk; 1 tablespoon yellow or brown miso paste; About 1/2 cup thinly sliced scallions; Freshly ground black pepper

By J. Kenji López-Alt

Updated Oct. 11, 2023

Whipped Cream Cheese With Mentaiko — Julia Gartland for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Samantha Seneviratne.

Total Time: 10 minutes
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes
Rating: 4(62)
Comments: Read comments

Salty mentaiko (the salt-cured roe of Alaskan pollock), savory miso and scallions are perfect partners for a whipped cream cheese spread that’s equally good smeared onto bagels, folded into scrambled eggs or stuffed into fried wonton skins (crab Rangoon-style).

Featured in: A Star of Kenji López-Alt’s Childhood Breakfasts Shows Its Versatility

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Ingredients

Yield:1½ cups

1whole sac mentaiko or tarako (about 2 ounces)
8ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
2tablespoons heavy cream or milk
1tablespoon yellow or brown miso paste
About ½ cup thinly sliced scallions
Freshly ground black pepper

Ingredient Substitution Guide

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Preparation

Step 1
Whisk together all ingredients. For a thicker texture, whisk just until combined. For a lighter texture, whisk together vigorously for several minutes by hand or with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Spread on fresh bagels or toast, fold into soft scrambled eggs (a tablespoon for every 2 eggs) just as they finish cooking, or use it in place of the crab filling in crab Rangoon. Store in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to a week.

Ratings

4 out of 5

62 user ratings

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Comments

coffeespoon1 year ago

This is the umami spread of my dreams! Thank you Kenji Lopez-Alt for this recipe!

coffeespoon1 year ago

This is the umami spread of my dreams! Thank you Kenji Lopez-Alt for this recipe!

Courtney Thurston1 year ago

Does anyone know why the ratings are relatively low and/or have any field notes? It's possible people just aren't into the flavor, and that's fine. Thanks!

Artkoea1 year ago

Debbie, Tarama sounds delicious (i really love it). Having tasted both, i think it works just as well. Surely its not the same, of course, but the delicious combo stands and works for the same principles!

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