Fermented soybean paste. Sounds great, right? Heh. But that’s essentially what Japanese miso is, a savory, salty paste usually made with fermented soybeans or rice and barley. Rich in protein and nutrients, and utterly delicious, a little tub of miso is quite a useful ingredient to have on hand. Stir it with a little yogurt and rice vinegar for a quick and lovely salad dressing, or mix it with sake and toss it with stir-fried vegetables.
This recipe of salmon fillets with a miso glaze couldn’t be easier. The strong flavor of the salmon holds up beautifully with the sweet and salty miso glaze. To make, you just mix miso, some sake and soy sauce into a marinade, coat the fillets, and let the salmon marinate while working on the rest of the meal. The fish cooks under the broiler in 10 minutes or less. Marinate the fish longer, even overnight, for more infused miso flavor. You can also dress up simple cod with this method.
Miso Glazed Salmon Recipe
Red miso is stronger tasting than white miso. You can use either, but if using white miso, you may want to use a little more than if using red miso.
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp red miso or 3 Tbsp white miso
- 2 Tbsp sake
- 2 Tbsp sugar (less or more to taste)
- 2 teaspoons soy sauce
- 4 6-ounce skinless salmon fillets
Method
1 Mix the miso, sake, soy sauce, and sugar in a small bowl. Adjust proportions to taste.
2 Pour half of the mixture into a container large enough to fit the salmon fillets, then pour the rest over the top of the fish. Make sure the fish is coated with the miso sauce. Cover the container and marinate for at least 30 minutes, and up to overnight.
3 Line a broiling pan with aluminum foil. Brush a little vegetable oil over the foil and lay the salmon fillets on top. Make sure there is an even, thin coating of marinade on top of the fish. Place the fillets no closer than about 6 inches from the broiler element in your oven. Broil for 6-10 minutes, depending on how thick the fillets are and how hot your broiler is. Keep an eye on the salmon. The marinade has sugar in it that can easily cause the glaze to burn. If it starts charring and the cooking isn't yet finished, place the fish on a lower rack in the oven.
Serve with rice and stir-fried vegetables.
Yield: Serves 4.
Links:
Miso Salmon with Orange and Fennel - from Steamy Kitchen
Miso Sriracha Glazed Salmon - from The Perfect Pantry
Creamy Miso Salmon Soup - from No Recipes
Miso salad dressing from Use Real Butter
Whiskey Miso Pork Chops from Steamy Kitchen
What's the difference? White, yellow and red miso - an explanation from The Kitchn
This feels like dejavu. Food Wishes had a similar recipes some time back:
http://foodwishes.blogspot.com/2011/10/miso-maple-glazed-salmon-canadian.html
Wonderful! I am on a really restricted diet, but am allowed to eat miso and salmon.
Hello! I’ve been following your blog for quite a while.
I am Japanese, and I was very happy to see this recipe on your site. Well, I always enjoy bits of Japaneseness in your recipe any time. I recently married an American man and I was wondering how to make traditional Japanese dishes more appealing to him. He’s happy to eat most of them, but I would like to make it easier for him to like them. So, your presentation and how to use what’s available in the US is very helpful.
I will certainly do this one!
Thank you for the recipe!
One of the best ways to cook salmon;)
I once ate miso-glazed cod 8 times over the span of 13 days, so when I saw this recipe I immediately smiled! I can’t wait to try it out on salmon and get some (slight) variety in my diet. Thanks, Elise!
Hi Kelly! That Nobu recipe? Best dish I’ve ever had in my life. Chef Nobu uses Pacific Black Cod, otherwise known as sablefish, which is not like any other cod. He marinates the black cod in the miso for 2 to 3 days! Then wipes off the miso, sears the fish on the stove top and finishes it in the oven. It is crazy good. ~Elise
This sounds very good, but I have never seen miso in a grocery store. Where might one find it? Is it a refrigerated product?
Hi Colleen, Yes, it is refrigerated. You can find it at Whole Foods, or an Asian market. ~Elise
I have a bunch of sea bass frozen from my last trip to the coast.
This would probably be really good on that also!
I’ll have to give it a whirl…
Salmon is a favorite of mine, but… miso glazed salmon? Why haven’t I tried this before? Might I say it look not only tasty, but also healthy?
I have never heard of miso before, but it sounds great! I love salmon, too, so I will definitely try this sometime.
I think that salmon looks delicious. My house is getting remodeled at this time and I dont have my kitchen to cook in. But when I get my kitchen back Im cooking this salmon.
If your Kitchen is still off limits Try grilling the Salmon
This salmon looks delicious. I tried it with miso before, and it creates wonderful flavor!
Thank you! The best salmon recipe i’ve ever made. A taste bud sensation. Wouldn’t change a thing!
I made this salmon tonight for my in-laws and it was a instant crowd pleasure. Definitely my favorite salmon recipe to date!
Just delicious! Be cautious adding soy sauce and sugar because of the variation among the different brands & colors of miso. Incidentally, Splenda works in this recipe.
Hmm going to have to try this on salmon. My go-to gourmet meal is usually miso glazed Chilean Sea Bass, I also add a brown butter sauce on top. It’s decadent and delicious!
This salmon looks delicious. I tried it with miso before, and it creates wonderful flavor!
hey elise,
your site is my fave cookbook ;) i would like to make this tonight but have no sake on hand… any ideas for a substitute? rice wine vinegar??
also, no broiler facilities, so do you think oven or stovetop would be better?
thanks & keep on truckin!
Hi Pelin, I would look at our pan seared salmon recipe and experiment with a sauce that included miso. Good luck! ~Elise
I subbed Mirin for the sake, and added a teaspoon of sesame oil. It was delicious!