• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Sudachi Recipes
  • Home
  • Recipes
  • About
  • Videos
  • Contact
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Home
  • Recipes
  • About
  • Videos
  • Contact
search icon
Homepage link
  • Home
  • Recipes
  • About
  • Videos
  • Contact
×
Home » Recipes

Miso Glazed Salmon (pan fried)

Published: May 9, 2023 · Modified: Sep 18, 2023 by Yuto Omura

Jump to Recipe Pin Recipe Leave a comment

This delicious Japanese style miso glazed salmon is packed with flavour and can be whipped up in just 10 minutes! It's a perfect quick lunch or midweek dinner for salmon lovers. Learn how to make this super easy dish and serve it as part of a traditional Japanese "teishoku" set meal!

Miso glazed salmon (pan fried) served on a brown rectangular plate and sprinkled with spring onions

Disclaimer: This post contains Amazon affiliate links. Sudachi Recipes earn a small percentage from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you. See disclaimer for more info.

Jump to:
  • What is miso glazed salmon?
  • What is miso?
  • Ingredients
  • How to make miso glazed salmon
  • How to enjoy miso salmon as part of a "teishoku" set meal
  • What to serve with miso salmon
  • Miso Glazed Salmon (pan fried)

What is miso glazed salmon?

Miso glazed salmon a fish dish made with tender salmon fillets coated with a salty, rich and slightly sweet miso sauce. The sauce is thick and packed with umami, I absolutely love this dish with rice!

There are a number of ways to cook miso glazed salmon, but my favourite way is in a frying pan. In fact, this is a one pan dish so not only is it easy to cook but it's easy to clean up too!

Miso glazed salmon (pan fried) served on a brown rectangular plate and sprinkled with spring onions

What is miso?

So the star of the show is the delicious miso glaze, but what exactly is miso? Well, miso is a Japanese paste made from fermented soy beans. It is most well known for being the key ingredient in making miso soup, however the unique flavour of miso is also perfect for general cooking such as using in sauces and marinades.

There are many kinds of miso pastes in Japan and are often characterised by their color (white, yellow or red) or main ingredients (rice, barley, soybean or mixed).

In this recipe I use mixed miso which is called "awase miso" in Japanese. While white miso is characteristically sweet and red miso is known for being salty and rich, awase miso is the perfect balance of the two. Of course, most people have their personal preference, so feel free to try this recipe with your favourite kind of miso!

Miso glazed salmon (pan fried) served on a brown rectangular plate and sprinkled with spring onions

Ingredients

Here is what you will need to make this quick and easy miso glazed salmon recipe:

  • Miso paste - I recommend using awase miso (mixed miso) for this recipe. It's the balanced in flavour and the most commonly used miso for general cooking outside of miso soup. I recommend Marukome's miso paste (affiliate link).
  • Sake - adds umami and helps soften the meat. If you can't get hold of sake, dry sherry or white wine also works. And if you can't use alcohol in your cooking, replace it with water to keep the sauce consistency the same.
  • Grated garlic - a hint of garlic adds great depth to the glaze! I often use S&B's garlic paste in a tube for this.
  • Soy sauce - for best results, use Japanese koikuchu (dark) soy sauce such as Yamasa's organic marudaizu soy sauce (affiliate link).
  • Light brown sugar - for sweetness. White sugar also works fine.
  • Salmon fillets - preferably skin on for a delicious crispy texture! Make sure to choose fresh high quality salmon, moist and vibrant flesh is a good indicator that its fresh.
  • Potato starch - makes a crispy layer over the salmon which helps the glaze stick better.
  • Sesame oil - for cooking and adding a slight nutty flavour. I used Kadoya's sesame oil (affiliate link). This can be replaced with your favourite cooking oil.
  • Chopped spring onion - an optional garnish for a refreshing taste and pop of color.
Miso glazed salmon (pan fried) served on a brown rectangular plate and sprinkled with spring onions

How to make miso glazed salmon

Making miso glazed salmon in a frying pan is quick and easy, it's perfect for those days you want something delicious but don't want to spend too much time in the kitchen! Here are the steps, see the printable recipe card at the bottom of the page for ingredient quantities.

STEP
Mix the sauce

Take a small bowl and mix the miso paste, sake, garlic paste, soy sauce and light brown sugar together. Set by the stove for later.

Miso sauce mixed in a bowl
STEP
Prepare the salmon

Start preheating your frying pan on a medium-setting. While it preheats, you can prepare the salmon. First, wash the fillets with cold water and dry thoroughly with kitchen paper.

Once dry, sprinkle both sides with a pinch of salt.

Sprinkling salmon with salt
Tip

Sprinkle the salt from a height to help evenly distribute it.

Next, coat the surface of the salmon with a thin layer of potato starch. Not only is this going to make the surface of the salmon beautifully crispy, but it will also help the sauce stick.

Coating salmon fillets with potato starch
STEP
Pan fry the salmon

Once hot, add the sesame oil to the pan and swirl it around. Place the salmon fillets with the skin side facing down. Fry for 2 minutes on each side or until the salmon reaches an internal temperature of 52°C (125°F). (This may take a little longer for particularly thick fillets.)

Salmon fillets frying in a pan
Tip

Salmon continues to cook even after its taken off the heat, this is why it's better to cook it to a temperature of 52°C (125°F) to avoid it becoming dry and overcooked. You can use a kitchen thermometer for accuracy.

STEP
Add the sauce

Once the salmon is cooked through, turn off the heat and pour the miso glaze into the pan. Move the salmon around until completely coated in the sauce.

Salmon fillets with miso glaze cooking in residual heat
Why turn off the heat?

Miso paste easily burns, so it's better not to cook it with direct heat. Instead, turn off the stove and allow it to bubble and thicken with the residual heat. You'll find it thickens surprisingly fast!

STEP
Serve

Plate up, sprinkle with chopped spring onions and enjoy! I recommend serving miso glazed salmon as part of a teishoku set with steamed rice, miso soup and pickles. See below for more serving suggestions!

Miso glazed salmon (pan fried) served on a brown rectangular plate and sprinkled with spring onions

How to enjoy miso salmon as part of a "teishoku" set meal

Have you ever heard the term "teishoku" (定食)? It's the Japanese term for "set meal" and is usually made up of 3 or more elements. The most common dishes that make up a teishoku set include:

  • Main dish - usually grilled or fried meat or fish
  • Rice - Japanese white rice is most common but brown rice or rice mixed with multi grains are also popular.
  • Soup - miso soup is the classic option but other great options include tonjiru (pork miso soup), kenchinjiru (Japanese vegetable soup) or kaki-tamajiru (egg drop soup).
  • Side dish - vegetables (boiled, stir fried etc), salad
  • Tsukemono - Japanese pickles

Miso glazed salmon is a perfect dish for teishoku style meals and can be served for lunch, dinner or even breakfast! Each element comes together to make a very satisfying meal!

Teishoku is usually arranged in a specific order, I've made a guide for you below!

How to arrange a Teishoku set meal

If you're interested in making miso glazed salmon as part of a teishoku set, try out some of the recipes below to complete your meal!

What to serve with miso salmon

Whether making a traditional Japanese teishoku meal or simply looking for some inspiration, check out some of these pairing suggestions to enjoy with miso glazed salmon!

Japanese steamed white rice

Japanese short grain white rice cooked and uncooked

There's no doubt that white rice is a staple in Japanese cuisine, and there's no better match than the rich saltiness of miso glazed salmon paired with fluffy Japanese rice.

No rice cooker? No problem! You can make perfect Japanese white rice on the stove with my recipe!

Check the recipe

Miso Soup

Authentic Homemade Japanese Miso Soup top down

Double miso? That's right! Miso soup is the perfect addition for miso lovers. You can use the same (awase) miso paste or even mix it up with different kinds of miso, sampling them in different dishes side by side.

Miso soup is also fun to customise using different ingredients, so why not give it a try?

Check the recipe

Ginger and chili pickled cucumber

Japanese pickled cucumbers with ginger and chili side view

Looking for something refreshing to eat on the side? These fragrant and mildly spicy ginger and chili Japanese pickled cucumbers are perfect for teishoku meals. Not a fan of spice? Simply leave out the chili! These pickles are so addictive you'll still be eating them even when the meal is over!

Check the recipe

Bettarazuke

Bettarazuke pickled daikon held with wooden chopsticks

How about a pickle with a slightly milder taste? Bettarazuke is a sweet and crunchy pickle made with daikon radish, amazake (sweet rice drink) and kombu. The subtle flavour of bettarazuke goes perfectly with miso salmon!

Check the recipe

Spinach Gomaae

Japanese Sesame Spinach Salad (Horensou no Gomaae)

Pickles not your thing? How about this delicious Japanese spinach sesame salad that you can whip up in 15 minutes or less? Made with blanched spinach coated in a nutty sesame sauce, this dish pairs perfectly with miso glazed salmon to create a rich and delicious meal!

Check the recipe

I hope you enjoyed learning how to make quick, easy and delicious miso glazed salmon! If you try the recipe or make any substitutions, please take a moment to let us and our other readers know how it went with a review and star rating in the comments below. Thank you so much!

Miso glazed salmon (pan fried) served on a brown rectangular plate and sprinkled with spring onions

Miso Glazed Salmon (pan fried)

Yuto Omura
How to make quick and easy pan fried salmon with a delicious miso glaze, this one pan dish is ready in just 10 minutes!
No ratings yet
Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save Saved!
Prep Time 4 minutes mins
Cook Time 6 minutes mins
Total Time 10 minutes mins
Course Lunch, Main Course
Cuisine Japanese
Servings 2 servings
Calories 277 kcal

Ingredients
 
 

Miso Glaze

  • 1 tbsp awase miso paste
  • 1 tbsp sake
  • 1 tsp garlic - grated or garlic paste
  • 1 tsp soy sauce
  • 1 tsp light brown sugar

Salmon

  • 2 salmon fillets - skin-on
  • 2 pinches salt
  • 1 tbsp potato starch
  • 1 tbsp sesame oil - or cooking oil of your choice
  • 1 tbsp finely chopped green onion(s)
Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions
 

  • Mix 1 tbsp awase miso paste, 1 tbsp sake, 1 tsp garlic, 1 tsp soy sauce and 1 tsp light brown sugar in a small bowl until well combined.
    Miso sauce mixed in a bowl
  • Preheat a frying pan on a medium-high setting. While it preheats, wash 2 salmon fillets with cold water and pat them dry with kitchen paper.
  • Sprinkle both sides of the salmon with 2 pinches salt and coat with 1 tbsp potato starch.
    Coating salmon fillets with potato starch
  • Once the pan is hot, add 1 tbsp sesame oil and place the salmon fillets in the pan with the skin side down.
  • Fry for 2 minutes on each side or until the salmon reaches an internal temperature of 52 °C. (This may take a little longer for particularly thick fillets.)
    Salmon fillets frying in a pan
  • Turn off the heat and pour the sauce into the pan.
    Salmon fillets with miso glaze cooking in residual heat
  • Move the salmon around the pan until both sides are coated with the sauce.
  • Serve up, sprinkle with 1 tbsp finely chopped green onion(s) onions and enjoy!
    Miso glazed salmon (pan fried) served on a brown rectangular plate and sprinkled with spring onions
Click here to add your own private notes.

Nutrition

Serving: 129.7gCalories: 277kcalCarbohydrates: 10.5gProtein: 19gFat: 17.9gSaturated Fat: 3.04gPolyunsaturated Fat: 6.01gCholesterol: 54mgSodium: 794mgFiber: 0.7g
Keywords how to cook miso glazed salmon, how to make miso glaze, how to make miso glazed salmon, miso glazed salmon, miso glazed salmon recipe, miso salmon, miso salmon recipe, salmon with miso glaze
Tried this recipe?Let us know what you thought!

Reader Interactions

Leave a star rating and feedback or ask a question! Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Primary Sidebar

Hi, I'm Yuto

Profile picture

Thanks for visiting Sudachi Recipes. My name is Yuto and I'm a Japanese guy with a passion for food. Here I share tasty and accessible recipes so that you can bring a taste of Japan to your own kitchen.

More about me
  • Pinterest
  • Instagram
  • Facebook
  • YouTube
  • TikTok

Get My Free E-Book

Everyday Japanese Recipes E-Book front cover

Sign up for email updates and receive my free ebook! Click here to go to the sign up form!

Latest recipes

decorative temarizushi made with various seafood, eggs and vegetables topped with leaves, salmon roe, flowers and lemon slices

Temari Sushi (Bitesize Sushi Balls)

09/11/2023

Continue Reading Temari Sushi (Bitesize Sushi Balls)

Japanese dry curry on a white oval plate topped with green onions, red chilis and onsen tamago top down

Japanese Dry Curry Rice

09/06/2023

Continue Reading Japanese Dry Curry Rice

Yakitori donburi made with chicken, zucchini, green onions and bell peppers cooked in a yakitori-style tare (sauce) served in a black bowl and topped with green onion and shichimi

Yakitori Donburi (Japanese Chicken Rice Bowl)

09/04/2023

Continue Reading Yakitori Donburi (Japanese Chicken Rice Bowl)

Spicy beef gyoza with hot dipping sauce sprinkled with chopped green onion and dry chilis on a white plate

Spicy Beef Gyoza with Hot Dipping Sauce

08/28/2023

Continue Reading Spicy Beef Gyoza with Hot Dipping Sauce

Footer

back to top

Newsletter

Sign up to our newsletter for exclusive monthly updates and our free e-cookbook including 25 delicious everyday Japanese recipes! Click here to go to the sign up form!

Sudachi recipes

About Us
Recipes
Privacy Policy
Disclaimer
Recipe policy
Contact us
Media mentions

Food & Recipes

Beef
Pork
Chicken
Fish
Salads
Desserts
Recipe collections

  • Pinterest
  • Instagram
  • Facebook
  • YouTube
  • TikTok
  • Mail

Copyright © 2023 Sudachi Recipes

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.