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 packed with umami and fantastically irresistible: Miso Salmon! Miso makes magic in the kitchen: it adds incredible savory flavor to everything it touches. Here it features in a miso glaze that’s so full of flavor, you’ll want to brush a glossy swipe onto just about everything. One of the ultimate ways to use it? On a tender fillet of salmon. Brush it on before and after broiling, and it’s absolutely stunning. If fact, we couldn’t tear ourselves away from this. (Our three year old was particularly smitten.)

What’s in miso glaze?

The secret to this miso salmon is this tasty miso glaze. You can use it on just about anything: 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 savory flavor! It’s known for its intense savory notes, otherwise known as umami. You can find miso in your local grocery next to the Japanese products. There are several colors of miso, each with their own 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 yellow or light miso for this recipe, but you can use whatever you find.
• Soy sauce: substitute tamari or coconut aminos as necessary
• Rice vinegar
• Sugar: substitute maple syrup or honey if you like
• Sriracha hot sauce
• Salt

Want more with miso? Try these 10 Easy Miso Recipes.

Buy a high quality piece of salmon

The other part of this miso salmon recipe that’s important: buying a great piece of salmon! You can make it with any quality, but it tastes optimal with a high quality of fish. We splurged and used King salmon for this one, and wow! It’s beautifully tender and juicy, making for one irresistible piece of fish. But you can use other types too! Here are some pointers one how to buy the best salmon:

• Fresh salmon is best. You can find good frozen salmon, but for the very best salmon, buy it fresh 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 tend to like Coho salmon for its mild flavor: it’s a good middle of the road option in terms of price. Of course, King salmon is incredible but more of a splurge. Avoid Atlantic salmon as it is typically farmed salmon.

Ways to cook miso salmon

There are lots of ways to cook salmon. For this miso salmon recipe we chose the broiler because it is quick and easy! There are some tips on broiling salmon below. But you can also choose any salmon cooking method you like! Here are a few other options:

• 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 you add it to the grill, then add more after grilling just like with broiling.

Tips for broiling salmon

The best way to cook this miso salmon is broiling, we think! Here are a few tips

• 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: go to Broiled Salmon for more!
• 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 whether it’s 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.

Sides to serve with miso salmon

What to serve with miso salmon to make it into an easy dinner? There are so many options! The flavors are Asian inspired, so you can use Asian-style ingredients or opt for other elements that fit the vibe. Here are some of our favorite ways to accessorize miso salmon:

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

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