This easy Miso Ginger Salmon starts with a simple marinade made from fresh apple, ginger, miso paste, mirin, soy sauce, and sesame oil. Fresh apple gives this marinade a delicate fruitiness that pairs beautifully with the savory miso and fresh ginger.
It's an easy weeknight dinner that's elegant enough for company and delicious served with rice and your favorite veggies.
Quick Look: Easy Miso Ginger Salmon
- ⏲️Ready in: 55 minutes (includes 45-minute marinating time)
- 👪Serves: 4
- 🥘Key Ingredients: Salmon, apple, miso, ginger, mirin, soy sauce, sesame oil, green onion
- 🍳Method: Broiler
- ⭐Difficulty: Easy
- 👩🍳Texture/Flavor: Tender, flaky salmon with a savory-sweet miso ginger sauce.
- ☀️Best For: Busy weeknights when you want something a little special.
- ✅Why You'll Love It: Simple ingredients, big flavor, and easy cleanup.
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If you love fresh, bright flavors, my Lemon Dill Salmon combines fresh lemon zest and dried dill weed for an easy baked salmon recipe that's light, simple, and delicious.
Jump to:
- Quick Look: Easy Miso Ginger Salmon
- Why You'll Love It
- Ingredients for Ginger Miso Salmon
- Best Salmon to Use for Miso Ginger Salmon
- Ingredient Substitutions
- How to Make Miso Ginger Salmon
- Anne's Recipe Tips
- Salmon Temperature Doneness Guide
- What to Serve With It
- How to Store White Miso Paste
- Miso Ginger Salmon FAQs
- More Easy Fish Recipes to Try
- Recipe
- Comments
If you love bold, sweet-savory flavor combinations, you've gotta try my Baked Pineapple Salmon.
Why You'll Love It
- Quick and Easy Marinade! This salmon marinade contains tasty ingredients like sweet gala apple, fresh 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?
- Easy broiling method! Broiling salmon has become our go-to preparation; especially when the weather outside isn't great! Broiling takes just about 5 minutes, and the resulting fillets are always perfectly cooked.
Ingredients for Ginger Miso Salmon
This recipe is pretty easy, though it has a few ingredients you might not be familiar with. Here is everything you need:
Salmon - Reach for salmon fillets so you don't have to mess with bones. I recommend keeping the skin on because it contains natural oils that actually enhance the flavor of the salmon. Fresh salmon is nice but frozen (thawed) works well, too.
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 refined avocado 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 ¼ teaspoon of dried ginger powder.
Mirin - This sweet 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.
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.
Best Salmon to Use for Miso Ginger Salmon
- Atlantic salmon (farm-raised): Rich, buttery, and forgiving. My top choice for this recipe.
- Sockeye salmon: Leaner with a deeper red color and more pronounced salmon flavor.
- Coho salmon: Mild, flaky, and a great all-around option.
- King (Chinook) salmon: Rich, tender, and higher in healthy fats.
Craving a little heat? My Cajun Baked Salmon is seasoned with bold Cajun spices and baked until perfectly flaky for an easy Southern-inspired meal.
Ingredient Substitutions
- Fresh tuna and trout can be substituted for salmon. Both have a similar texture and work well for this recipe.
- Instead of fresh ginger root, you can use ground ginger (¼ tsp) or ginger paste (1:1 ratio).
- Use coconut aminos or Tamari in place of soy sauce.
- A good sub for mirin is sweet sherry or marsala wine (use in a 3:1 ratio [3 parts sherry or Marsala to 1 part sugar]).
How to Make Miso Ginger Salmon
Photo 1: Mix/pulse the marinade ingredients in a food processor for a few minutes.
Photo 2: Place half the marinade on top of the salmon and refrigerate for 30-45 minutes. Then, scrape off the excess marinade.
Photo 3: Broil the salmon on high for 2-3 minutes. Then, spread the reserved marinade on top of the salmon. Return your fillets to the oven to finish cooking.
Photo 4: Garnish the broiled salmon with chopped green onions and serve with extra soy sauce, if desired.
Anne's Recipe Tips
- Use an oil with a very high smoke point (the temperature at which oil begins to burn) - avocado oil, peanut oil, and corn oil are good choices.
- Marinate the salmon for at least 30 minutes; up to 2 hours if you can. This allows the salmon to absorb the flavors of the miso and ginger.
- Allow the salmon to rest for a few minutes after cooking. This will help redistribute the juices and ensure a moist and flavorful bite.
Salmon Temperature Doneness Guide
The best way to know when salmon is done is to use an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the fillet. While the USDA recommends cooking salmon to 145°F, many home cooks prefer removing it from the oven between 125°F and 130°F for a more tender, juicy texture.
| Doneness | Internal Temperature | What It Looks Like |
|---|---|---|
| Rare | 110-120°F | Very soft, translucent center |
| Medium-Rare | 120-125°F | Moist with a slightly translucent center |
| Medium | 125-130°F | Flaky with a moist, slightly glossy center |
| Medium-Well | 130-140°F | Firm, mostly opaque, still juicy |
| Well Done (USDA Safe Temp) | 145°F | Fully opaque and flakes easily with a fork |
What to Serve With It
Miso Ginger Salmon pairs well with simple sides like:
- steamed jasmine rice
- roasted sweet potatoes
- honey carrots and parsnips
- Asian-inspired Crunchy Ramen Noodle Salad
During grilling season, you'll love my Grilled Salmon with BBQ Sauce, featuring smoky grilled salmon brushed with a sweet and tangy doctored-up barbecue sauce.
How to 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.
If you're looking for another easy way to enjoy salmon, my crispy Old-Fashioned Salmon Patties are a family favorite made with cooked salmon, pantry staples, and simple seasonings.
Miso Ginger Salmon FAQs
Sure. White miso has the mildest, slightly sweet flavor and works best in this recipe. Yellow miso can be substituted for a richer flavor. Red miso is much stronger and saltier, so if you use it, reduce the amount slightly.
Marinate the salmon for about 45 minutes. Because miso and soy sauce are salty, avoid marinating for several hours or overnight, which can make the salmon overly salty and affect its texture.
Fresh apple adds a subtle sweetness and fruity flavor that balances the savory miso, soy sauce, and ginger. I think you'll love it!
More Easy Fish Recipes to Try
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Recipe
Easy Miso Ginger Salmon
Ingredients
- 2 8 oz salmon fillets (with skin on)
Miso Ginger Marinade/Sauce
- ¼ cup avocado oil (see note below)
- ½ apple chopped and seeded gala apple
- ½ teaspoon sesame seed oil
- ½ inch chopped fresh ginger root (about ½ tsp)
- 1 ½ tablespoon mirin
- ½ tablespoon soy sauce
- 2 tablespoon white miso paste
Garnish
- ½ 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 a food processor.
- 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.
- Top with the chopped green onions. Enjoy!
Notes
- Because the salmon is cooked under the broiler, I recommend using avocado oil for its high smoke point while keeping the toasted sesame oil for its rich, nutty flavor.
- Don't marinate the salmon for longer than 45 minutes. The miso and soy sauce can make the fish overly salty and affect its texture if left too long.
- Choosing fillets that are about the same thickness helps them cook evenly under the broiler.
- Pureeing the apple with the miso, ginger, mirin, soy sauce, and sesame oil creates a smooth marinade that coats the salmon beautifully.
- The apple and mirin help the topping caramelize beautifully, so keep a close eye on the salmon during the last few minutes under the broiler.
- Cooking time will vary depending on the thickness of your salmon fillets. For the juiciest salmon, check the internal temperature with an instant-read thermometer instead of relying on time alone.
- Position the salmon about 6 inches below the broiler. This gives the salmon enough time to cook through while the topping lightly caramelizes without burning.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy to my readers. I'm not a nutritionist and I don't guarantee the accuracy of this data. The data may differ according to the brands I used versus the brands you use. To calculate the data yourself using your brands, try using an online nutrition calculator or app.
This recipe was originally published in 2019 and was updated in 2026.
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