Stop what you're doing and make this miso butter salmon for dinner tonight. It's a full-flavored, healthy, and easy (ready in 25 minutes) recipe that makes an effortless weeknight dinner despite looking elegant and impressive.
Regular readers will notice that I'm eating a lot of salmon lately [see: gochujang salmon, spinach stuffed salmon, and mustard dill salmon]. It's easy, healthy, delicious, and if you buy frozen salmon, it's quite affordable!
In this miso butter salmon recipe, tender & flaky salmon gets basted with rich miso butter, giving it deep umami flavor that is irresistible.
Instructions are provided for pan-frying, baking, and using an air fryer, so you can choose which is best for you.
Use any leftover miso butter on chicken, fish, or pork; or drizzle it on veggies, pasta, or stir-fry for mouth-watering flavor!
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⭐️ Why This Salmon is the Best
- Tender and flaky salmon is basted with butter miso sauce, lending it bold umami flavor
- Quick & easy salmon recipe that's ready in 25 minutes
- Healthy salmon dish that's high in protein, omega-3 fatty acids, nutrients, and low-carb
- Satisfying weeknight dinner that looks elegant & impressive
- Three cooking options are provided (pan-fried, oven-baked, and air fryer)
- Use the miso butter on chicken, fish, or pork; or drizzle it on vegetables, pasta, or stir-fry
💬 What is Miso?
A staple in Japanese cuisine, miso is made from fermented soybeans and brings rich umami flavor (salty and funky!) to a variety of dishes. The paste is typically a mixture of soybeans, a grain (like rice or barley), and salt.
Depending on the variety, miso can be light and sweeter (because of a shorter fermentation time) - which is usually sold as white miso - or dark red and much stronger in flavor, sold as red miso.
Miso provides numerous health benefits: it's nutrient-rich and a good source of manganese and vitamin K; and it's a fermented condiment, which has been shown to improve digestion and gut health, and promote the growth of probiotics.
🐟 Ingredient Notes
- Salmon fillets - Purchase a center-cut whole fillet of salmon or pre-sliced 4-6 ounce pieces that are of similar size so they cook evenly; you can use skin-on or skinless salmon, but keeping the skin on adds flavor and ensures tender fillets. You can always remove it before serving!
- Unsalted butter - Using unsalted butter allows you to control the amount of salt in your cooking.
- Yellow or white miso paste - A Japanese ingredient made from fermented soybeans, grains, and salt. It provides deep umami flavor and has many health benefits. Try it in my miso noodles!
- Granulated sugar - We need sweetness to balance out the deeply savory and tangy flavor, so don't skip it!
- Rice wine vinegar - You can substitute white wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar for similar results.
- Low-sodium soy sauce - I recommend using low-sodium soy sauce, which lets you control the amount of sodium in your cooking.
- Scallions - Adds a bit of a spicy kick
- Toasted sesame seeds - These are completely optional, but they lend the salmon a slightly nutty flavor and give it a delicate crunch.
📝 Variations & Substitutions
- For baked salmon: Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F. Transfer salmon fillets to a lightly greased baking dish and brush half of miso butter mixture on top of salmon. Bake for 10-15 minutes (depending on how large your fillets are), until salmon is cooked through with an opaque center. Salmon thickness varies, but aim for 4 to 6 minutes per half-inch of thickness. You could also use an instant-read thermometer to check for doneness. The USDA recommends a minimum internal temperature of 145 degrees F. at the thickest part of the fillet.
- In air fryer: Preheat your air fryer to 380 degrees F. Brush half of the miso butter mixture on top of salmon fillets, and place them in the air fryer. Cook for 10-12 minutes, until salmon is cooked through with an opaque center.
- Make gluten-free: Substitute tamari for the soy sauce to make a gluten-free version. Additionally, check to see if your brand of miso contains fermented wheat or barley, which contain gluten.
🔪 How to Make Miso Butter Salmon
In a small bowl, mix together the softened butter, miso paste, sugar, vinegar, and soy sauce until well combined. (Your butter may curdle if your soy sauce is cold, but that's ok.)
Use a paper towel to pat the salmon dry, and sprinkle with a pinch of salt & black pepper.
In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of miso butter over medium heat. Add salmon, skin-side up, to the hot pan and cook for 4-5 minutes.
Flip salmon and cook on the other side for another 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate and loosely cover with foil for 5 minutes to let it rest.
Garnish with scallions and sesame seeds, if using. Remaining miso butter can be drizzled on top of fillets for added flavor. Serve with rice, noodles, and/or vegetables.
👩🏼🍳 Expert Tips
- Don't overbake (if baking in oven). Salmon thickness varies, but aim for 4 to 6 minutes per half-inch of thickness. You could also use an instant-read thermometer to check for doneness. The USDA recommends a minimum internal temperature of 145 degrees F. at the thickest part of the fillet.
- Storage: Place in an airtight container and store in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- How to freeze: After completely cooled, transfer salmon to a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 3 months. To thaw, place in refrigerator overnight.
- How to reheat: Cover loosely with foil and place salmon in a preheated 300 degree F. oven for 15 minutes, or until heated through. For more reheating methods, read my post on how to reheat salmon!
- Use a fish spatula to easily flip the salmon.
- Pat salmon dry. Be sure to pat dry your salmon fillets before seasoning to get a nice crust when cooking.
- Make ahead: Miso butter can be stored in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.
- Let it rest. After finished cooking, let your salmon rest for a few minutes. This allows the juices to be absorbed into the meat and not run all over your plate.
🍚 How to Serve Miso Butter Salmon
Salmon with miso butter is a rich and decadent meal, while still being quite healthy. I love it paired with rice and some sort of roasted vegetable. Here are some additional suggestions:
- Grains. Serve it over your favorite grain, like rice, quinoa, barley, or farro
- Vegetables. Get your daily intake of veggies by serving it with your favorite vegetable or a light side salad, like apple cucumber salad
- Bread. Pair your salmon and miso with sourdough discard focaccia, dinner rolls, or biscuits
- Noodles. Serve salmon over a bed of soba noodles or udon noodles
💬 Frequently Asked Questions
Miso butter is a full-flavored sauce consisting of unsalted butter, miso paste, rice wine vinegar, soy sauce, sugar.
Salmon can be cooked with either oil or butter. It really depends on the flavor you are going for. Also, butter can burn much easier than oil, so keep that in mind when you are deciding which way to go.
Miso salmon is an easy, healthy, and full-flavored dish that makes a great anytime meal. It consists of basting salmon with a miso butter sauce consisting of butter, miso, soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, and sugar.
Miso provides numerous health benefits: it's nutrient-rich and a good source of manganese and vitamin K; and it's a fermented condiment, which has been shown to improve digestion and gut health, and promote the growth of probiotics.
🍽 Related Recipes
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Miso Butter Salmon
Ingredients
- 4 Tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- 4 Tablespoons yellow or white miso paste
- 2 Tablespoons granulated sugar
- 2 Tablespoons rice wine vinegar
- 2 Tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
- 2 scallions, thinly sliced (optional)
- 1 Tablespoon toasted sesame seeds (optional garnish)
- 4 salmon fillets (4-6 ounces each)
- pinch of salt & black pepper
Instructions
- In a small bowl, mix together the softened butter, miso paste, sugar, vinegar, and soy sauce until well combined. (Your butter may curdle if your soy sauce is cold, but that's ok.)
- Use a paper towel to pat the salmon dry, and sprinkle with a pinch of salt & black pepper.
- In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of miso butter over medium heat. Add salmon, skin-side up, to the hot pan and cook for 4-5 minutes.
- Flip salmon and cook on the other side for another 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate and loosely cover with foil for 5 minutes to let it rest.
- Garnish with scallions and sesame seeds, if using. Remaining miso butter can be drizzled on top of fillets for added flavor. Serve with rice, noodles, and/or vegetables.
Notes
- Don't overbake (if baking in oven). Salmon thickness varies, but aim for 4 to 6 minutes per half-inch of thickness. You could also use an instant-read thermometer to check for doneness. The USDA recommends a minimum internal temperature of 145 degrees F. at the thickest part of the fillet.
- Storage: Place in an airtight container and store in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- How to freeze: After completely cooled, transfer salmon to a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 3 months. To thaw, place in refrigerator overnight.
- How to reheat: Cover loosely with foil and place salmon in a preheated 300 degree F. oven for 15 minutes, or until heated through.
- Pat salmon dry. Be sure to pat dry your salmon fillets before seasoning to get a nice crust when cooking.
- Let it rest. After finished cooking, let your salmon rest for a few minutes. This allows the juices to be absorbed into the meat and not run all over your plate.
Barb
This recipe sounds delicious and looks easy to prepare!