Sweet, salty, and a whole lot of umami flavor, this miso glazed salmon is marinated and broiled, then doused in a little extra sauce, and sprinkled with sesame seeds for even more texture. Let me show you how amazing this salmon marinade is, and why broiled salmon is the easiest way to achieve tender perfection.
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Salmon Purchasing Tips
Here are my top tips and tricks for purchasing salmon. I use these 4 tips when making this miso salmon recipe, and all of my salmon recipes. Here’s what you should know:
- Wild vs. Farmed: We much prefer wild-caught salmon due to its lower level of contaminants.
- Fresh vs. Frozen: Believe it or not, frozen salmon is fresher as it’s frozen immediately after being caught. If using frozen, make sure it’s fully defrosted before you start marinating.
- Sockeye, King, and Coho: King and sockeye have the highest fat content and, therefore the most flavor. Coho has the most mild salmon flavor, while sockeye has the strongest.
- Skin On vs. Skin Off: This recipe works best with skinless salmon–I prefer to use salmon with the skin on when you can crisp the skin, such as pan seared salmon recipes.
What’s in Miso Glaze?
Miso glaze is the star of this Asian salmon recipe. It adds sweet, salt, and a very complex umami flavor to the salmon. It’s made up of:
- Miso paste, which is a fermented soybean paste. You can use either red or white miso, I find white is easier to locate and has a lighter, sweeter taste than red miso paste. Another thing to keep in mind is that red miso paste varies with how salt it is; another reason why I prefer white miso paste.
- Mirin, a sweet rice wine
- Soy sauce
- Brown sugar, to help caramelize the flesh of the salmon. Feel free to skip for a low carb dinner, or sub for your favorite sweetener.
Psst–I use a similar glaze on my miso chicken, so if you have leftover miso, be sure to give it a try!
How to Make Miso Glazed Salmon
This miso glazed salmon recipe is easy to make and so, SO delicious. Here’s how with step-by-step photos to help.
- Make the marinade/glaze.
- Set aside a bit of sauce for the end!
- Marinate the salmon.
- Broil the salmon.
- Top with set-aside sauce, sesame seeds, and green onions.
Storage Tips
Here’s how to take advantage of your miso marinated salmon leftovers:
- Storing: Refrigerate any leftover miso glazed salmon in an airtight container for up to 2 days. Stash a bit of miso glaze on the side to top your freshly reheated salmon with.
- Reheating: Gently reheat in the oven or microwave to preserve its tenderness. I like placing a damp paper towel on top to keep some of the moisture in.
- Freezing: While possible, I don’t recommend freezing this miso salmon recipe.
Leftover Ideas
Of course, you can reheat your miso marinated salmon and serve it as you did the night before. But why not switch things up a bit? And try one of these creative ideas. Feel free to tweak the salmon seasoning before reheating, and:
- Serve it over a bed of greens with avocado and cucumber slices for a salmon salad.
- Make a salmon bowl by flaking the salmon and serving it over sushi rice with veggies (like cucumber, avocado, and radish), edamame, seaweed salad, and a drizzle of soy sauce or sesame dressing.
- Or try salmon tacos with shredded cabbage, sliced avocado, a squeeze of lime, and a dollop of avocado sauce.
- Stir-fry the leftover salmon with assorted vegetables such as sauteed green beans, broccoli, bell peppers, and sauteed mushrooms in a stir fry sauce–check out my shrimp stir fry for inspo.
What to Serve with Miso Salmon
First, be sure to garnish your miso glazed salmon with green onions, sesame seeds, and an extra drizzle of sauce. Then be sure to serve it alongside:
- Steamed rice, or your favorite rice substitute like cauliflower fried rice or broccoli rice.
- Sautéed greens like sauteed bok choy or sauteed kale. I like to add a bit of sesame oil, soy sauce, ginger, and garlic to whatever veggie I’m serving this with.
- Roasted vegetables are another easy and delicious choice. Roasted broccolini and roasted asparagus of course pair beautifully with salmon.
More Salmon Recipes
Miso Glazed Salmon
Print Recipe Pin RecipeIngredients
- 2 tablespoons white miso paste
- 2 tablespoons mirin
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar packed
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 4 skinless salmon fillets about 1 1/4 pounds salmon
Toppings:
- green onions sliced
- sesame seeds
Instructions
- Combine all marinade ingredients in a medium bowl (miso, mirin, brown sugar, and soy sauce) until the brown sugar has completely dissolved. Set aside 1 tablespoon of the marinade to use as a sauce later.
- Place salmon in the marinade bowl, and flip to coat well. Place skin side up, and spoon extra marinade on top.
- Cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge to marinade for 1-2 hours.
- Preheat your oven broiler to high, and place the top rack of your over 8″ away from the bottom of your broiler. Place the marinated salmon skin side down on a baking sheet lined with foil (for easy clean up), making sure to leave a few inches between the filets. Broil until the salmon is golden on top and flakey in the center, about 8-10 minutes. This will vary with how thick your salmon is, for thinner salmon, check around 6 minutes. Thicker filets can go longer. I prefer to pull the salmon while the center is a bit under, and allow it to come to temp on the counter as it rests (way better than over cooked salmon!).
- Sprinkle salmon with sesame seeds and green onions before serving, and enjoy!
The miso marinade is so flavorful and adds a unique twist to the classic dish. I’ll definitely be making this again and again!
Hi Rachel! Fantastic!! I love to hear that this dish turned out well for you and appreciate you making it😄