Methods for expressing a heteromeric taste receptor that responds to umami taste stimuli are provided. These methods comprise the co-expression of T1R1 and T1R3 nucleic acid sequences in a host cell that desirably also expresses a G protein that couples therewith, e.g., G.sub..alpha.15 and G.sub..alpha.16 or gustducin. In preferred embodiments, the host cells will be mammalian cells or Xenopus oocytes. These nucleic acid sequences are expressed constitutively or under inducible conditions. In preferred embodiments, the methods will yield mammalian cells that stably express a T1R1/T1R3 umami taste receptor under inducible conditions, e.g., HEK-293 cells that express G.sub..alpha.15.