Miso Buttered Salmon Recipe

Make miso butter

In a small bowl, combine the softened unsalted butter and white miso paste. Use a fork to mash and thoroughly incorporate until smooth. Stir in the mirin, soy sauce, sugar, lemon juice and 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper until homogeneous. Taste and adjust balance: add up to 1/2 teaspoon more sugar if you want sweeter, or another 1/2 teaspoon mirin for brightness. Reserve 2 tablespoons of the mixture for finishing and transfer the rest to a small piping bag or wrapped plastic for easier application to the salmon.

Prepare salmon

Pat the salmon fillets dry with paper towels. Lightly score the skin side (one or two shallow slashes) to prevent curling. Season both sides lightly with kosher salt (about 1/4 teaspoon per side) and let rest at room temperature for 10 minutes while you preheat the grill or oven.

Cook salmon (grill or skillet/oven)

Option A - Grill: Preheat gas or charcoal grill to medium-high (about 400°F/200°C). Oil the grates. Brush the salmon with 1 tablespoon neutral oil. Place skin-side down on the grill; cook 4–5 minutes without moving to get good grill marks. Flip carefully and cook flesh-side 2–4 minutes more until internal temperature reaches 120–125°F (49–52°C) for medium-rare to medium, or until flakes easily. Option B - Skillet then oven: Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C). Heat an ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat; add 1 tablespoon neutral oil. When shimmering, place salmon skin-side up and sear 1–2 minutes to render a little fat, then flip skin-side down and transfer to oven. Roast 6–8 minutes until 120–125°F. Cooking time will vary with thickness (roughly 10 minutes per inch of thickness total).

Add miso butter

During the last 1–2 minutes of cooking (while salmon is still hot), remove from heat or open the oven and spoon or pipe about 1/2–1 tablespoon miso butter onto each fillet. Allow the butter to melt over the warm fish, brushing lightly to coat the top. If you reserved extra mixture for finishing, place a small dab on each fillet just before serving for a glossy finish.

While the salmon cooks, prepare the asparagus. Toss trimmed asparagus with 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper in a bowl or on a tray so they are evenly coated.

Grill method: Place asparagus perpendicular to grill grates or on a grill basket over medium-high heat (400°F/200°C). Grill 3–6 minutes, turning occasionally, until tender-crisp and lightly charred. Skillet method: Heat a large skillet or grill pan over medium-high heat. Add asparagus and cook 4–6 minutes, tossing frequently, until tender and charred in spots. Oven method: Spread on a rimmed baking sheet and roast at 425°F (220°C) for 10–12 minutes, shaking once, until tender.

Finish asparagus by transferring to a serving platter and squeezing a lemon wedge over the top. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.

Place one salmon fillet on each plate alongside a portion of grilled asparagus. Spoon any melted miso butter from the pan over the salmon. Sprinkle toasted sesame seeds and sliced scallions over the fish and asparagus if using. Serve immediately with remaining lemon wedges.