We all know that person. You know the one, the person that whines about salmon being “too fishy”. Well Miso Salmon converts even the most ardent salmon hater! It’s impossible not to love the salty, sweet flavor of the marinade. The miso umami blast is the perfect foil for the richness of the salmon.
Best of all, Miso Salmon needs only 20 minutes of hands-on time so you can throw it together on a weeknight. And that’s a good thing; we all know about the amazing health benefits of salmon. A diet rich in Omega-3’s is credited with everything from improving cardiovascular health to protecting neurological function. When I can find a fast and delicious way to include salmon regularly, miso happy. (I know, I know, I couldn’t resist)
Wild Vs. Farmed?
As someone who has restaurants that buy a LOT of fish, I take issues of seafood sustainability very seriously. I know that wild salmon is considered to be the best of the best, but we have come to the point where I disagree. There’s just no arguing that our appetite for salmon has become unsustainable. And modern farmed fish can be of excellent quality, with real ecological stewardship. So I now prefer to leave the wild salmon for the orcas that depend on it for survival, and I get our salmon from the Faroe Islands-totally pristine waters and excellent quality fish. If you worry about frozen fish, remember that unless you live somewhere like the Pacific Northwest or Alaska, much of the “fresh” salmon you get has been previously frozen. So if you don’t have a reputable fish monger, it is far better, quality wise, to keep it frozen until you are ready to use.
Miso Marinade
Just a few pantry ingredients make the most flavorful marinade. Miso brings a blast of salty umami. Mirin helps balance that out with a little sweetness, and sake marries them both together. 
Salmon is a sturdy fish, and can take a longer marinating time than a more delicate one. But it shouldn’t be longer than 6 hours, or the texture will be adversely affected. It will start to toughen and get very firm, almost like jerky.
Keep the salmon covered in the fridge until ready to cook. I like to press plastic wrap down to submerge the fish and keep the air out.
The marinade needs to be wiped off before cooking to prevent scorching. Don’t worry, the flavor really permeates the fish.
The salmon doesn’t need to be flipped because the fillets are so thin, it will cook through. You can check for doneness with the tip of a knife in one of the fillets. I love to serve this amazing Miso Salmon with my Spicy Garlic Noodles as a side. Or if I’m feeling particularly virtuous I serve it with Wild Mushroom Salad. Both of those sides are as fast and easy as the salmon, and make for a quick weeknight meal.
I know you are going to love this Miso Salmon, even for the haters out there! We would love it if you took the time to rate this recipe, or leave a comment below. And of course tag us in your insta pics @funkyasiankitchen; show us the goods!
Miso Salmon
Ingredients
- ½ cup miso
- ¼ cup mirin
- ¼ cup sake
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 ½ pounds salmon cut into 4–6 pieces (we cut ours on an angle)
- 1 lemon cut into wedges
Instructions
- Mix the miso, mirin, sugar, sake, and sugar in a small bowl. Arrange the salmon in a container and pour the marinade on top. Refrigerate for a several hours. (The marinade is too strong for an overnight marinate).
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees and move the oven rack to the middle shelf.
- Wipe the marinade off completely with a paper towel. Line a baking tray with foil or parchment paper and place the salmon on the baking tray, skin side down if you cut your fillets straight.
- Bake the salmon for 10-12 mins. You do not need to flip the salmon. The salmon should be just done with an internal temperature of 145. You can also take a peek inside with a small knife.
- Serve the salmon immediately with some lemon wedges.
Notes
*The longer the salmon marinates, the saltier and firmer the fish will be. I recommend no longer than 6 hours maximum.
Thank you for the support Jeannie!
Love your recipes
★★★★★