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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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.
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.
Looking for more Japanese recipes? I’ve got you:
- 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
Ingredients
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!
Made this tonight, I’m sure someone would like it. This was just not for us.
Sorry to hear that! It could have been the strong fermented taste since I used red miso. Definitely try white or yellow miso since both have milder fermented taste and is sweeter. Thanks for trying anyway 🙂
I’ve made this 4 or 5 times now and it’s become one of my favorites! Thanks for sharing the recipe, and please keep doing what you’re doing 🙂
I’m so happy to hear that! Thank you trying and loving this recipe. Really appreciate the support 🙂
I just tried making this for dinner tonight and it blew my mind! My whole family raved about it. Even hours after we cleared the table. Will be added to my dinner menu roster permanently. Thank you for sharing this!
I made this for dinner tonight! It’s so good and easy. I literally just put it in my air fryer(careful with the temperature since sugar tends to burn a lot faster. I did cook it at 375F instead of 400F. It really depends on what kind of air fryer you have. Mine is Breville smart toaster oven).
My husband even said it’s his fav salmon recipe ever!!!