Miso Garlic Butter Salmon

This Miso Garlic Butter Salmon is simple, delicious and packed with umami flavor. A perfect dish to pair with white rice. Add some greens for a balanced meal! This butter is also great on other protein. This recipe includes options to pan fry, air fry and bake the fish.

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**Recipe originally published: September 28, 2021, Post updated: June 10, 2023

We’re already halfway through the Alphabet Weekly Dish Challenge on Instagram! For this week’s letter M, we have Miso Garlic Butter Salmon. It’s quite a simple recipe that will leave you wanting for more!

Lately, I’ve been really into cooking with using miso as one of the ingredients. It adds that umami flavor which is unbelievably delicious, and I can’t get enough of it! Even more so when you pair it up with butter and it becomes a combination that is *elite*. (Though really, is butter ever a bad idea?)

There are quite a few Japanese dishes that incorporate the use of this combo. But one of the best ways that I enjoy it is through this Miso Garlic Butter Salmon.

The crispy salmon is packed with creamy, garlicky and umami flavor that will make you keep thinking about it long after you’ve devoured the dish.

Ingredients You’ll Need

(For full ingredient measurements, please proceed to the recipe card below.)

Marinate

• Salmon fillet
• Rice vinegar
• Sugar

Miso Butter

• Butter
• Miso paste: I used red miso paste, but it has a strong taste which might not be to your preference. Feel free to use milder versions like yellow or white miso. 
• Sugar
• Pepper
• Garlic 
• Parsley (for garnishing)
• Green onions (for garnishing)

how to make miso garlic butter salmon

1. Mix sugar and rice vinegar in a container until sugar dissolves.
2. Marinate salmon in the mixture for at least 30 minutes, skin side up.
3. The butter should be soft after leaving it out at room temperature or if it’s not, microwave for 10 seconds. Then in a bowl, mix the butter, miso paste, sugar and pepper until well combined.

Pan Frying

1. Add 2 tbsp of oil and add the garlic. Sauté for 30 seconds.Optional step: Add 1 tbsp of the garlic butter in a pan over medium heat. Add garlic once the butter melts.
2. Push the garlic aside and add the salmon, skin side down. Let that cook for at least 6 minutes.
3. In the meantime, add miso butter layer on top of the salmon and continue cooking the garlic around the remaining space of the pan. Push to the side of the pan or remove from the pan to prevent burning.
4. Flip the salmon and let it continue cooking for another 4-6 minutes or until flesh is flaky (depending on how thick your fillet is).
5. Serve with white rice and some greens. Add more garlic butter on top for extra flavor while its hot. Garnish with the sautéed garlic and parsley.

Air Frying

1. Spread a generous layer of the miso butter on to the salmon.
2. Spray the air fryer with oil and add the salmon skin side down. Air fry for 8-10 minutes at 400 F (see notes).
3. Garnish with green onions and/or parsley. Serve with hot rice and vegetables while hot. Enjoy!

Baking

1. Preheat the oven to 400 F. Spread a generous layer of the miso butter on to the salmon.
2. Bake salmon for 15-17 minutes skin side down or until it’s fully cooked. Optional: Broil for another 3-4 minutes to caramelize the miso butter.
3. Garnish with green onions and/or parsley. Serve with hot rice and vegetables while hot. Enjoy!

Notes for Miso Garlic Butter Salmon

• Gently pat the salmon dry with a paper towel before seasoning and pan frying it. This will prevent the fish from sticking to the pan, ensuring you to obtain that amazing crispy skin texture.
• If you’re pan frying, slice the the garlic cloves and mince if you are air frying or baking.
• I used brown sugar but any sugar will do.
• Apple cider vinegar can also be used instead of rice vinegar.
• The length of time to air fry depends on your air fryer. Adjust accordingly. 

More Japanese Recipes:

• Salmon Crab Stick Sushi Bake
• Karaage Don
• Salmon Mentai Aburi Don
• Easy Tantanmen Ramen
• Easy 15-Minutes Chicken Teriyaki (No Mirin and Sake)

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Miso Garlic Butter Salmon

This is THE salmon recipe that you need to make. The miso garlic butter makes this salmon so delicious and perfect with white rice. It's so simple you won't believe it. Add some greens for a balanced meal! This butter is also great on other protein.

5 from 2 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 30 minutes mins

Cook Time 10 minutes mins

Total Time 40 minutes mins

Course Main Course

Servings 2

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

Marinate

• 1 lb salmon fillet
• 2 tbsp rice vinegar
• 2 tbsp sugar

Miso Butter

• 4 tbsp butter
• 2 tbsp red miso paste see notes
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 6 cloves garlic see notes
• minced parsley for garnishing
• diced green onions for garnishing

Instructions

 

• Mix sugar and rice vinegar in a container until sugar dissolves.
• Marinate salmon in the mixture for at least 30 minutes, skin side up.
• The butter should be soft after leaving it out at room temperature or if it's not, microwave for 10 seconds. Then in a bowl, mix the butter, miso paste, sugar and pepper until well combined.

Pan Frying

• Add 2 tbsp of oil and add the garlic. Sauté for 30 seconds.

  Optional step: Add 1 tbsp of the garlic butter in a pan over medium heat. Add garlic once the butter melts.
• Push the garlic aside and add the salmon, skin side down. Let that cook for at least 6 minutes.
• In the meantime, add miso butter layer on top of the salmon and continue cooking the garlic around the remaining space of the pan. Push to the side of the pan or remove from the pan to prevent burning.
• Flip the salmon and let it continue cooking for another 4-6 minutes or until flesh is flaky (depending on how thick your fillet is).
• Serve with white rice and some greens. Add more garlic butter on top for extra flavor while its hot. Garnish with the sautéed garlic and parsley.

Air Frying

• Spread a generous layer of the miso butter on to the salmon.
• Spray the air fryer with oil and add the salmon skin side down. Air fry for 8-10 minutes at 400 F (see notes).
• Garnish with green onions and/or parsley. Serve with hot rice and vegetables while hot. Enjoy!

Baking

• Preheat the oven to 400 F. Spread a generous layer of the miso butter on to the salmon.
• Bake salmon for 15-17 minutes skin side down or until it's fully cooked. Optional: Broil for another 3-4 minutes to caramelize the miso butter.
• Garnish with green onions and/or parsley. Serve with hot rice and vegetables while hot. Enjoy!

Notes

*If you’re pan frying, slice the the garlic cloves and mince if you are air frying or baking.

*I used brown sugar but any sugar will do.

*I used red miso paste, but it has a strong taste which might not be to your preference. Feel free to use milder versions like yellow or white miso. 

*Apple cider vinegar can also be used instead of rice vinegar.

*The length of time to air fry depends on your air fryer. Adjust accordingly. 

 

Keyword delicious, easy, pan fry, salmon, seafood, simple

Did you try this recipe?I would love to know how it went! Please leave a rating, comment down below, or tag me on Instagram @FarahJEats.

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