Fresh salmon fillets are marinated and topped with a sweet Asian-inspired sauce, then oven broiled to juicy, flaky seafood perfection. With just about 10 minutes of active time, this is an excellent recipe for those hectic weeknights! I promise, you’re going to love this Quick and Easy Ginger Miso Salmon.
Quick Notes: This recipe was originally published in October 2019. It was updated in December 2020 to include fabulous new photos. This post contains affiliate links to my personal favorite items. Please read my disclosure statement for details. Thank you.
Welcome to My Kitchen Serenity! This simple broiled salmon recipe is a great way to add some Asian flair to your repertoire. It’s an easy, healthy recipe that your family is going to LOVE.
Why You Should Try This Salmon Recipe
Even though we love all kinds of salmon recipes, this broiled salmon with miso and ginger is a family favorite. Bright apples mix with spicy ginger and funky miso for a clean, refreshing meal that is perfect for weary tastebuds. Serve with some steamed veggies or a pile of rice for a complete meal!
If you haven’t tried broiling your fish yet, I’m here to make the case that you should. While we usually grill salmon outside, I don’t really feel like being out in the cold. Is it just me, or does grilling seem more of a summertime event?
So, instead of baking salmon, we chose to broil it. Broiling salmon has since become our go-to preparation! It takes just about 5 minutes, and the resulting fillets are always perfectly cooked.
When it comes to marinades, people usually think of chicken and steak. However, I’ve found that marinating salmon really adds deep flavor to the fish. This miso glaze also ensures tender and moist salmon.
This salmon marinade contains tasty ingredients like sweet gala apple, piquant ginger, and the classic trio of soy sauce, mirin, and miso paste. As a bonus, it only takes a few minutes to throw together! So what are you waiting for? Grab your ingredients and meet me in the kitchen.
Ingredients, Equipment & Substitutions
This recipe for broiled Ginger Miso Salmon is pretty easy, though it has a few ingredients you might not be familiar with. Here is everything you need:
Here are a few notes to consider:
- Salmon – I personally prefer my salmon in fillets so I don’t have to mess with bones. If you happen to have salmon steaks on hand, those will do just fine! If you get fillets, I recommend keeping the skin on.
- Oil – Since we are broiling the fish (which means exposing it to very high heat), you need an oil that has a high smoke point. I recommend corn oil or peanut oil.
- Apple – I like Gala apples for this application, as they have a nice balance of sweet and tart. Feel free to sub in your favorite apple variety.
- Ginger Root – Fresh ginger root is cheap and will keep for a few weeks in your crisper drawer. Just so you know, the easiest way to peel it is by using a spoon! If you don’t have access to fresh ginger, you can purchase it in shelf stable tubes, or substitute about 1/4 teaspoon of dried ginger powder.
- Mirin – This Japanese rice wine is somewhat similar to sake, but with a lower ABV. It is a natural pair for soy sauce (both are main ingredients in teriyaki sauce) and has a beautiful, light flavor. If you can’t find it at your grocery store, there are several options for possible substitutions.
- Soy Sauce – If you’re avoiding gluten, opt for Tamari or coconut aminos instead.
- White Miso Paste – Made from fermented soy beans, this paste is a serious umami bomb! If you are gluten free, be sure to read the ingredient label as some brands contain wheat, barley or rye. (If processed with rice, buckwheat or millet, you’re in the clear!)
- Sesame Oil – Deliciously toasty in flavor, this is an ingredient you’re going to want to keep on hand. You can also swap in a bit of tahini instead.
- Green Onion – I like to finish this Ginger Miso Salmon with a sprinkling of fresh sliced green onions for a bit of freshness. If alliums aren’t your thing, feel free to omit them.
In terms of equipment, you’re going to need a food chopper/processor, a chef’s knife and cutting board, and a baking tin. Easy peasy, right?
How to Make Miso Ginger Salmon
STEP 1: Spray a cooking pan with non-stick cooking spray and set aside.
STEP 2: Add the ingredients for the marinade/sauce in a food chopper. I’ve had my Silex food chopper FOREVER, it seems. Available on Amazon.
STEP 3: Mix/pulse ingredients for a few minutes until everything is finely blended.
STEP 4: After the ingredients are blended, put half of the marinade in a separate container We will use this a bit later in the process. Apply a thorough coating of the marinade to each fillet (see below).
STEP 5: Place fillets in a covered dish and place in the refrigerator for 30 – 45 minutes.
STEP 6: Remove dish from refrigerator and scrape off excess miso ginger marinade. The sauce burns easily, so we don’t want to burn while under the broiler.
STEP 7: Place fillets in a cooking pan that you’ve sprayed with your nonstick cooking spray. Place pan on the top rack of the oven on broil (high) for 4 – 5 minutes.
STEP 8: About halfway through the broiling process, remove the cooking pan from the oven. Get the other half of the sauce you mixed up earlier and apply a good coating of the sauce to the fillets. Return your fillets to the oven to finish cooking.
STEP 9: After the second half of your cooking time expires (4-5 minutes cook time total), remove the pan from the oven. Using a fork, test how easily the salmon flakes apart. Salmon that is properly cooked should have an internal temp of 145 F and flake easily.
STEP 10: Use the chopped green onions to garnish.
STEP 11: Enjoy!!!
Frequently Asked Questions
What is miso?
Miso is a thick paste made from fermented soybeans. While it might sound strange, it is a staple in Japanese cuisine that adds a ton of flavor to anything you use it for. If you’re looking for a way to add an umami kick to anything from salad dressing to dessert, miso is your friend! For more info about miso, check out this useful post.
What is mirin?
Mirin is an ingredient that may not be familiar to you, but is very common in Japanese recipes. It is a sweet Japanese rice wine with high sugar content. The sugar is the result of the fermentation process (no sugars are added). The alcohol content is typically around 12 – 15 percent alcohol by volume. If you have kiddos, don’t fret. The alcohol will cook off during the cooking process.
Because of the sweet flavor that mirin adds, it’s often found in marinades, eel sauce, teriyaki, soy sauce, and sake. If you can’t find mirin, feel free to try one of these substitutes.
What can I serve with miso ginger salmon?
While I think the traditional choice for a salmon side dish is rice, there are many great options if rice isn’t your thing. I used green beans and cauliflower as my sides, but here is a great post from delish.com with 30+ side dishes that will pair well with salmon.
How do you store white miso paste?
Miso paste can be a bit expensive, so you’ll want to make sure you store the leftover for a future recipe. You can store your leftover miso in the fridge. Due to its relatively high salt content, it’ll stay good for a long time (a year or so). Also, miso will not freeze solid, so you can store it in the freezer as well.
Does miso paste go bad?
Since miso is made from fermented soybeans and has a high sodium content, miso does not necessarily go “bad.” Miso can lose some of its quality when stored for a long time. The miso I used in this recipe had been in my refrigerator for about 3 months and still packed a big wallop of flavor!
What are some good recipes using white miso paste?
As mentioned above, miso is a staple of Japanese cuisine. Dishes such as soups, salad dressings, and marinades are great with miso. I used this marinade recipe as a salad dressing and it was delish! If you are looking for additional recipes using this powerful ingredient, Bon Appetit has a great post on 59 miso recipes.
Where can I buy miso paste?
White miso (shiro) paste can be found in the Asian section of most grocery stores. You can also get it from Amazon here. Miso can seem a little on the expensive side, but (as mentioned above) there are lots of great recipes that you can try with it, and a little will go a long way.
How can I Store Ginger Root?
It’s best to keep the unused portion of ginger with the skin on in a crisper drawer. If it is removed, you can store ginger in a zip lock bag. Be sure to push the air out before sealing the bag.
Need more fish inspiration? Check out these other yummy recipes:
- Red Snapper with Lemon Butter Caper Sauce
- Thai Coconut Shrimp Soup
- Easy Cod with Herb Butter
- Southern Shrimp and Rice Casserole
- Grilled BBQ Salmon
I hope you and your family enjoy this Miso Ginger Salmon recipe. Please leave me a comment below and let me know what you think!
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Easy Miso Ginger Salmon
Ingredients
- 2 8 oz salmon fillets (with skin on)
Miso Ginger Marinade/Sauce
- 1/4 cup peanut oil or corn oil (see note below)
- 1/2 apple chopped and seeded gala apple
- 1/2 tsp sesame seed oil
- 1/2 inch chopped fresh ginger root (about 1/2 tsp)
- 1 1/2 tbsp mirin
- 1/2 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 tbsp white miso paste
Garnish
- 1/2 cup chopped green onions
Instructions
Instructions
- Spray a cooking pan with non-stick cooking spray and set aside.
- Add the ingredients for the miso ginger marinade/sauce in your mixer.
- Mix/pulse ingredients for a few minutes until everything is finely blended.
- After the ingredients are blended, put half of the marinade in a separate container We will use this a bit later in the process. Apply the other half of the marinade to each fillet, thoroughly coating each fillet.
- Place salmon fillets in a covered dish and then in the refrigerator for 30 - 45 minutes.
- Remove dish from refrigerator and scrape off excess miso ginger sauce.
- Turn broiler on high. Place the fillets in a cooking pan that you've sprayed with your nonstick cooking spray. Place pan on the top rack of the oven on broil (hi) for 4 - 5 minutes.
- About halfway through the broiling process, remove the cooking pan from the oven. Get the other half of the sauce you mixed up earlier and apply a good coating of the sauce to your fillets. Return your fillets to the oven to finish cooking.
- After the second half of your cooking time expires (4 - 5 minutes cook time total), remove the fillets from the oven. Using a fork, test how easily the salmon flakes apart. Salmon that is properly cooked should have an internal temp of 145 F and flake easily. Thicker fillets may require a few more minutes under the broiler.
- Use the chopped green onions to garnish.
- ENJOY!!
Notes
Nutrition
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For your next meal, try some of our other great recipes…
Low Carb Favorites
- Cashew Pork Stir Fry
- Low Carb Keto Jambalaya
- Low Carb Stuffed Bell Peppers
- Lemon Pepper Chicken with Asparagus and Rosemary
Original photos from 2019. My how a little experience really pays off!
