This is one easy salmon recipe that requires just a little patience while it marinates. But that’s really no big deal. You can marinate a day or three in advance and it’s ready to cook up in under 20 minutes for dinner.
If you have ever had the popular miso-marinated cod made famous by Nobu Matsuhisa, then you know that amazing slightly salty, subtly sweet, umami flavor of the delicate flaky fish. Let’s take that same concept and apply it to some beautiful salmon.
Simply combine the four ingredients for the miso marinade on the stove, then cool to room temperature. Pour over the salmon, cover and refrigerate. You can marinate for up to three days. Even one day will work. The longer you go, the stronger the flavors of the finished dish will be.
Serve it over some hot steamed rice with sauteed broccolini for a super satisfying meal that tastes way more complex than it should for how simple it is.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Wild Salmon (this is wild Alaskan Copper River sockeye salmon) – Go with the freshest fish you can find, since it will be marinating for a few days.
- White Miso – Fermented soybean paste. White miso is milder than yellow and red versions.
- Mirin – A sweet Japanese cooking wine, which can sometimes be difficult to find. Try an Asian market.
- Sake – You can substitute Chinese rice wine or dry sherry if needed.
- Sugar – Helps balance out all the flavors.
Ways to Cook It
- Sear and Roast – Nobu first sears the fish on a grill pan and then finishes it in the oven.
- Broiler – The easiest way. If you are using a smaller fish, it will cook quickly. Learn more about baking salmon.
- Grill – Medium heat with the lid closed.
- Cedar Plank – A great way to add an additional flavor element. Cook it on a cedar plank on the grill or in the oven.
More Delicious Salmon Recipes
- Simple Smoked Salmon
- Grilled Salmon with a Burst Tomato Sauce
- Cedar Plank Salmon
- Creamy Lemon Vodka Salmon Pasta
- Beer Battered Deep Fried Salmon
View all the Salmon Recipes >
Miso Salmon
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup mirin
- 1/4 cup sake
- 1/3 cup white miso paste
- 1 Tbsp granulated sugar
- 4 fresh wild salmon fillets
garnish
- Toasted sesame seeds
- Sliced scallions
Instructions
- Begin by making the miso marinade: Combine the mirin and sake in a small saucepan and bring to a gentle boil for about 30 seconds. Reduce the heat to low and whisk in the miso paste and then the sugar to fully combine and dissolve the sugar. Transfer to a metal bowl to cool.
- Dry the salmon with paper towels, but don't rinse. Place the fillets skin-side up in a shallow-rimmed dish and pour on the marinade so it touches all sides of the fish. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 to 3 days.
- To cook: Preheat the broiler. Scrape off excess marinade and place the salmon fillets skin-side down on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Broil for 8 to 15 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 125 to 130° F for medium or 140° F for well-done.
- Garnish with toasted sesame seeds and sliced scallions. Serve immediately.
Notes
- The longer the salmon marinates, the stronger the flavor of the marinade will be.
- Start with the freshest salmon you can find because of the long marinating time.
- You can flip the salmon halfway through marinating if it isn’t completely covered.
- The size, thickness and type of salmon change the cooking time. Wild salmon will cook more quickly than farmed salmon. Verify temperatures with an instant-read probe thermometer.
- All broilers are different, so watch your fish closely as it cooks.
- It can also be seared on a grill and finished in a 400° F oven.