Miso paste, red, yellow or white, can add the kind of flavor you're after. Here's a great primer on it:

http://www.bonappetit.com/entertaining-style/article/know-your-miso

I use many of the other suggestions in this thread as well.

Get miso from an Asian store: cheaper and more variety. I did not like the miso broth from Trader Joes.

I totally agree with all of the PPs about the miso--when a dish is missing something, miso always seems to fix it. It can be a little expensive, but Trader's Joe's just started selling the paste (small container for $2-3) and I also think that the TJ shelf-stable miso ginger broth is good in soups and sauces, even though I'm sort of finicky about premade broth.

A spoonful of miso paste in your stock.

umami-

soy sauce
miso
mushroom
seaweed (sea kombu, bonito flakes)
anchovies ( if you do fish) or shrimp paste or fish sauce
ripe tomatoes
chinese cabbage
spinach
celery
green tea
parmesan cheese
blue cheese

Try Nutritional Yeast - delicious in soups and stews.

if you're not a strict vegetarian (for example, eat seafood), i would recommend making fish stock from shrimp shells and some vegetables and tomato paste. there's a recipe for it online from Ina Garten. i've made hers and also one from martha stewart. The stock can be frozen and is quite easy to make, but most importantly has tons of flavor.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I know you're not looking for spices but have you ever tried smoked paprika! Just like bacon!

OP here. I know I said I wasn't looking for spices, but anything that tastes like bacon is ok with me! (Also I didn't mean to rule out spices completely, but I was just trying to pinpoint that umami flavor.... see, now I have a new word in my vocab!)

I second the recommendation for smoked paprika! Also try smoked gouda for a similar effect - my office used to make veggie calzones with it and the first few times I had to make the cooks swear the calzones were veg. Oh, and I find that sage = sausage for my taste buds - it's delicious in red beans and rice.

Miso

Anonymous wrote:I know you're not looking for spices but have you ever tried smoked paprika! Just like bacon!

OP here. I know I said I wasn't looking for spices, but anything that tastes like bacon is ok with me! (Also I didn't mean to rule out spices completely, but I was just trying to pinpoint that umami flavor.... see, now I have a new word in my vocab!)

I know you're not looking for spices but have you ever tried smoked paprika! Just like bacon!

The following add a lot of flavor in a sort of meaty way:

Chipotles in adobo sauce for black bean chili or bean and vegetable stew, served with sour cream, avocado, chopped cilantro, scallions, and roasted salted pepitas or sunflower seeds.

Dried porcini mushrooms, reconstituted in hot water. Saute onion and garlic, add tomato paste and tomatoes and cook for 10 minutes or so, add red wine and water from the mushrooms and let it reduce for another 10 minutes, then add the mushrooms, whatever veggies you like, and vegetable stock or good diced tomatoes plus juice and simmer until the vegetables are cooked. Of course this is even better as a braising base for pot roast, but...

Definitely miso as well as mushroom for veggie umaminess. It doesn't always have to be in Asian cuisine. Look up NYtimes Miso French Onion Soup.

I'd also just say that if you're just trying to reduce meat consumption and not eliminate it entirely, stick with small amounts of meat as flavor in the dishes you love, and just try to add in new meatless recipes & dishes into your rotation. Meatless Mondays is a great resource.

- a mostly veggie cook