This is the easiest miso salmon recipe that comes together in 20 minutes! With a three-ingredient miso glaze, this dish is great for weeknight dinners without sacrificing any delicious, caramelized miso flavor. Disclaimer: This post may contain affiliate links.
My whole family absolutely loves my miso glazed salmon recipe. My kids are actually quite big fish eaters, and I usually broil a quick salmon shioyaki (Japanese salted salmon). However, I was getting a little tired of the same flavor, so I decided to switch it up with a miso glaze. It took me a few tries to get the fish just right, but OH MY GOSH it is SO GOOD. I’m addicted
What is Miso? Where to Buy it?
If you’ve ever had Japanese food anywhere, at all, ever then you’ve probably heard of miso. It is a seasoning paste made from fermented soybeans that’s salty and full of umami. Miso is probably most famous for being the star ingredient in miso soup, but it’s used to season many other dishes. There are many variations of miso which differ slightly in ingredients and level of fermentation, but the two most widely available types are red and white miso.
Which Miso for Salmon?
I recommend white miso for this salmon as it is lighter in flavor and less salty than red miso. This is especially important if you plan to marinate your fish for a long time. Of course, if you only have red miso then you can certainly use that as a substitute. I just recommend that you do not marinate your fish for more than 30 minutes if using red miso, and you may want to scrape off excess marinade before you bake, to avoid your fish getting too salty.
Easy Miso Glaze and Marinade – Only 3 Ingredients
There are tons of miso glaze recipes on the internet, and many require a long list of ingredients. But I’m here to tell you that you do not need a teaspoon each of a million different sauces and seasonings to get a good miso glaze. Miso is SO flavorful on its own. You can pare down your marinade and still get a full, delicious flavor.
Ingredients of Miso Salmon Recipe
- ▢¼ cup packed dark brown sugar
- ▢2 tablespoons red miso
- ▢2 tablespoons hot water
- ▢2 tablespoons soy sauce
- ▢4 skinless salmon fillets, 5 to 6 ounce pieces
- ▢kosher salt, for seasoning
- ▢black pepper, for seasoning
- ▢2 tablespoons sliced green onions
- ▢½ teaspoon sesame seeds
How to Cook Miso Salmon Recipe – Oven
A key component in cooking miso salmon is slicing your salmon fillets into 1.5-2 inch wide strips. This means it will cook faster, plus you’ll get more surface area for your miso glaze. Another benefit is that the fish will cook before the glaze can burn. Everybody wins!
Just preheat your oven to 425 degrees F and bake for around 12-15 minutes, depending on how thick your fish is. Although I’ve found this is the perfect time in my oven to cook my fish and caramelize (but not burn) my miso, everyone’s oven and salmon will be slightly different. So please keep an eye on your fish as it’s cooking!
FAQs
Do I need to marinate recipe? How long can I marinate?
You do NOT need to marinate this salmon in order to get a good miso flavor. You can cook immediately after coating your fish in the miso mixture.
However, if you like to plan ahead, you can definitely marinate your fish for longer. I generally recommend 20-30 minutes, but I’ve even done overnight with success.
Do I need to scrape my miso marinade off my fish?
No. With the right cooking temperature and time, your fish will cook before the miso burns. It may take a little trial and error to find the perfect timing, but with 2 inch wide fillets that are no more than 3/4 inch thick, I’ve found 12-15 minutes at 425 degrees F to be perfect. Keep in mind that ovens may have different locations of heat sources. So if you see your miso glaze burning on top but not at the bottom, you can move your oven rack to be lower and vice versa.
I do recommend not leaving drops of miso glaze sitting at the bottom of the pan, as those will definitely burn before your fish is done.
What can I substitute for mirin?
If you don’t have mirin, you can substitute sake. If you don’t have either of those Japanese cooking alcohols, you can use Chinese shaoxing cooking wine or a white wine. However, I highly recommend picking up either mirin or sake if you’re interested in cooking more Japanese foods. They’re both available on Amazon.
Can I cook miso salmon recipe in the air fryer?
Yes, but the glaze may be more prone to burning. Wipe off excess marinade and air fry at 400 degrees F for 8-10 minutes. In general, I recommend a toaster oven or regular oven over the air fryer.
Can I broil miso salmon recipe?
You can, but similarly to the air fryer, I don’t recommend it due to the chance of burning. If you broil, wipe off excess marinade, move your oven rack slightly lower from the broiler than you would normally, and broil for 8-10 minutes or until fish is cooked through.
Skin on or skinless salmon?
Either! If using skin on salmon, I recommend baking with the skin side up so it gets crispy. If using skinless, the miso glaze will caramelize to a nice dark brown.
Recipe!
Miso Salmon Recipe!
Equipment
- pot
- 9×13-inch baking dish
- Dutch oven
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
- 2 tbsp red miso
- 2 tbsp hot water
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 4 skinless salmon fillets, 5 to 6 ounce pieces
- kosher salt
- black pepper, for seasoning
- 1/2 tbsp sesame seeds
- 2 tbsp sliced green onions
Instructions
- Heat Oven – Set the oven rack to the lowest position. Heat on the high broil setting. Line a large baking sheet with foil. Lightly drizzle with olive oil to prevent sticking. Set aside.
- Make the Glaze – In a medium bowl, whisk together brown sugar, miso, hot water, and soy sauce. Set aside.
- Glaze the Salmon – Season both sides of the fillets with salt and pepper. Arrange them at least 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheet. Spoon or brush about 1 tablespoon of miso glaze over the surface and sides of each fillet. Reserve the remaining glaze.
- Broil – Broil the salmon on the lowest rack for 5 minutes. Remove and add more glaze to the surface. Broil for 3 minutes, then glaze one more time. Broil until the fish flakes easily with a fork, and reaches an internal temperature reaches between 135 to 140ºF (57 to 60ºC) on an instant-read thermometer, about 2 minutes depending on thickness.
- Serve – Transfer to a serving platter or dish. Garnish with green onions and sesame seeds.