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What Is Miso Salmon?
Miso salmon is an amazing recipe where you can use just a little bit of miso and make your regular and everyday salmon into something absolutely delicious.
White miso is the mildest version of miso in Japanese cooking, the others being red miso (darker and more pungent and intense in taste) and mixed miso. Personally, I love white miso the most for its subtle and sweet taste.
If you are not familiar with miso, just think of it as the base of Japanese miso soup, or the grainy bits made from fermented soy beans. Therefore, if miso is a new ingredient for you, I suggest you start with white miso.
Ingredients for Miso Glazed Salmon
A little bit of miso in any savory dish is bound to make the dish even better – the so-called “umami” so profound in Japanese cuisine.
Above all, to make the miso glaze, you only need 3 basic ingredients. You can find them at any Asian store, as they are really common:
- White miso (usually comes in a small plastic tub) and, as its name suggests, white miso looks pale yellowish white, the lightest in color. Its other name is shiromiso.
- Mirin, which is Japanese sweet seasoning wine
- Rice vinegar
In addition, if you are unsure of which brand to buy, I strongly recommend Mizkan, which is what I use.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Is Miso Made Of?
Miso is made primarily from soybeans. It is also made with sea salt and koji, and is mixed with some kind of grain such as rice or barley. This mixture ferments for up to 3 years, making it enzyme-rich. Therefore, miso is actually very healthy for you as it contains probiotics.
What Does White Miso Taste Like?
White miso is fermented with a large amount of rice. This results in a miso that is more white or light beige, and makes it have a much sweeter taste.
Do I Have to Use Salmon?
No, this recipe is highly adaptable to suit the protein of your choice. You can also use a different fish, or shrimp, lobster. You can even make miso steak (check out my recipe here).
How Many Calories?
This recipe only has 415 calories per serving.
What Dishes to Serve with This Recipe?
This meal is best served with a side of rice. For a wholesome meal and easy weeknight dinner, I recommend the following recipes.
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Miso Salmon
Ingredients
- 1 lb. skin on salmon fillets, preferably about 3/4 inch thick
Miso Glaze:
- 1/4 cup white miso
- 2 tablespoons mirin
- 1/2 teaspoon rice vinegar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to broil.
- Mix the Miso Glaze ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.
- Clean the salmon, cut into two pieces and pat dry with paper towels.
- Put the salmon fillets skin side down on a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet, leaving space between them and broil for 3 minutes.
- Remove the baking sheet from the oven, with a spoon, spread the miso mixture over the top of the fillets. Broil for 2 minutes or until the salmon is just barely opaque in the center.
Nutrition
Notice: Nutrition is auto-calculated, using Spoonacular, for your convenience. Where relevant, we recommend using your own nutrition calculations.
Hi! I was just wondering if it would taste alright too if I used tuna instead of salmon. Thanks!
Thank you, Bee for this lovely recipe and for all of your other recipes which are easy to follow and taste extraordinarily good. Your various recipes usually form my menu for the entire week and the family thinks the meals are quite gourmet!Here in Melbourne, Australia all the ingredients featured in your recipes are obtainable easily so no reason for not achieving perfection!
Sue Chee, thanks so much for your sweet comment. I am happy that you and family are eating well because of my recipes. Yes this miso salmon is good.
I love Salmon. =) I’m just amazed that a dish would taste THAT good and still be rich in omega 3 and Vitamin D.
I tried this recipe…didn’t turn out so good. Not much flavor? Do you need to marinate the fish?
Brian, you don’t have to marinate the fish. Did you use white miso? I thought the fish was very flavorful, not over-powering. If you like the taste stronger, adjust by adding more miso and mirin and rice vinegar to your taste.
Hi, for this recipe what is the over temperature setting?
I’m also curious about this, especially that I know nothing about doing salmon… would b my first recipe :)
Hi if I do not hv a broiler, can I grill or bake? If so how will the timing n temperature change?
Thanks!
Hi Nicole you can grill or bake…not sure about the timing and temperature change I guess just slightly longer.
Hi! Is there an alternative to mirin for this recipe? Thanks much! :)
You can add a little honey but dilute with a bit water…don’t use too much or your broiled salmon will have very dark spots because of the sugar content in honey.
hai, how abt the rice?
The green tea rice recipe is here: https://rasamalaysia.com/green-tea-rice/
Hi, thanks for this recipe, it looks great! Do you turn the salmon over at any time? Or do you only broil the one side for a few minutes without the glaze, then a few minutes with?
No need to turn, yes, just follow the instructions super easy to make.
I have red miso in my fridge. Do you think that could be used instead of white miso?
Sure but white miso tastes the best. Maybe you want to cut down your miso because white miso is less salty and more sweet and subtle.