Miso Salmon

Prepare to be amazed by this miso salmon! The savory glaze is the perfect accent for this broiled fish and makes an easy dinner.

Here’s an impressive dinner idea that’s simple and flavor-packed Miso Salmon! Miso makes kitchen magic, adding a developed savory flavor to everything it touches. Here it features in a miso glaze that’s so punchy, you’ll want to brush a glossy swipe onto just about everything. Brush it on a tender fillet of salmon before and after broiling, and it’s absolutely stunning. In fact, we couldn’t tear ourselves away from taking bites!

What’s in miso glaze?

The secret to miso salmon is this tasty miso glaze. It works on about anything, like any type of fish (like tuna or cod) or sauteed vegetables. The star is miso, a Japanese fermented soybean paste that’s full of nutrients and salty flavor. This glaze comes together in just a few minutes and uses only 5 ingredients (plus salt). Once you whisk together the ingredients, there may still be some chunks of miso that do not dissolve: that’s ok! Just try to get it as smooth as you can. Here’s what you need for the miso glaze:

• Miso: We like the flavor of yellow or light miso for this recipe.
• Soy sauce: Substitute tamari or coconut aminos as necessary.
• Rice vinegar
• Sugar: Substitute maple syrup or honey if you like.
• Sriracha hot sauce
• Salt

Types of miso

Miso is a Japanese fermented soybean paste that’s full of nutrients and salty flavor. It’s known for its intense savory notes, otherwise known as umami: the fifth flavor. You can find miso in the international foods aisle near the Japanese ingredients. There are many different types of miso, and they all taste different. We recommend using white or yellow miso for this miso salmon recipe, which might be labeled as “light miso” at the store.

• White miso (Shiro miso): This variety has a mild, more delicate flavor and less salt than darker miso.
• Yellow miso: This type is fermented a little longer than white miso and has a mild, lightly sweet flavor.
• Red or dark miso: These types are fermented longer and have a very strong flavor that can overwhelm a dish if it’s not customized for them. We don’t recommend using either type here.

Buy a high quality piece of salmon

The other part of this miso salmon recipe that’s important: finding a great piece of salmon! It tastes best with a high quality of fish. We splurged and used King salmon for this one, and it came out beautifully tender and juicy. But this isn’t always in budget, and it tastes great with a nice piece of Coho or Atlantic salmon too. Here are some pointers one how to buy the best salmon:

• 1 to 1 1/2-inch thick fillets are good for this recipe, which might be labeled “center cut” at the store.
• Fresh salmon is best. You can find good frozen salmon, too. But for the very best quality, find fresh fish from your local seafood counter.
• Buy wild caught salmon. Fish that is wild caught in your country is usually a sustainable choice. There are also quality options in well-regulated farms; see Seafood Watch Consumer Guide.
• Coho is a good choice. We like Coho salmon for its mild flavor; it’s a good mid-priced option. King salmon tastes incredible, but it’s more of a splurge. Atlantic salmon is often farmed salmon; try to research its origin before buying.

Tips for broiling miso salmon

There are lots of ways to cook salmon. For this miso salmon recipe, we chose broiled salmon because it is quick and easy! It also results in a crispy top, which is our favorite texture for this fish. Here are a few tips for broiling:

• Let the salmon come to room temperature, or brine it (lower quality salmon). It’s important to let the salmon come to room temperature before broiling it so it cooks evenly. If you’re using lower quality salmon, you may want to brine it during this time to reduce the white stuff (albumin). Go to Step 1 of this Broiled Salmon recipe.
• Broilers vary, so watch the cook time carefully! The exact timing for this broiled salmon depends on your specific broiler and the thickness of the fish. It will be different every time: so watch closely. Estimate 4 to 5 minutes for very thin salmon or 7 to 10 minutes for 1-inch thick salmon. A food thermometer is nice for judging when the salmon is done.
• Most broilers are about 3 to 5 inches from the heating element. If yours is closer, take care and watch the salmon during the cook time.

Other ways to cook the fish

You can choose any salmon cooking method you like for this miso salmon recipe; the only caveat is when to add the glaze. Here are a few other options with notes on how to adapt them:

• Pan Seared Salmon: Paint on a bit of the glaze when you flip the salmon to skin side down, then add a little more after it’s out of the pan.
• Oven Baked Salmon: Use the glaze in the same way as broiling!
• Grilled Salmon or Grilled Salmon in Foil: Paint the glaze on right before adding the fillets to the grill, then paint with more glaze after grilling.

Sides to serve with miso salmon

What to serve with miso salmon to make it into an easy dinner? There are so many options! Here are some of our favorite sides for salmon:

• Edamame: Try 5-Minute Shelled Edamame or Easy Edamame.
• Rice or quinoa: Try Perfectly Seasoned Quinoa, Lemon Rice, bright green Jade Rice, or Jasmine Rice.
• Mixed vegetables: Add colorful Ultimate Sauteed Vegetables.
• Brussels sprouts: These Spicy Brussels Sprouts, Crispy Brussels Sprouts, or Roasted Brussels Sprouts would be fantastic.
• Noodles: Add a side of Soba Noodles with sesame marinade, or try Garlic Butter Noodles.

01

Quick Soba Noodles

02

Lemon Rice

03

5-Minute Shelled Edamame

04

Crispy Brussels Sprouts

This miso salmon recipe is…

Pescatarian, gluten-free, and dairy-free.

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Best salmon recipes

Salmon is one of the best healthy dinner ideas! Here are some more salmon recipes to add to your repertoire:

• Sear up some flavorful Blackened Salmon, Maple Glazed Salmon or Cajun Salmon
• Bake up Sheet Pan Salmon and Asparagus
• Make zingy Lemon Garlic Salmon with lemon butter sauce, or
• Mix up a fresh and delicious Smoked Salmon Salad
• Pat it into tasty Classic Salmon Burgers or Easy Salmon Cakes with tartar sauce
• Add a crunchy topping with easy and classy Pistachio Crusted Salmon or Pecan Crusted Salmon
• Top it with bright green sauce for Pesto Salmon
• Add zingy lemon caper sauce for Salmon with Capers
• Cover it in creamy dill sauce for Lemon Dill Salmon
• Make a tasty Salmon Bowl drizzled with tahini sauce or miso sauce