Miso-teriyaki Salmon Recipe

Prepare marinade

In a medium bowl whisk together white miso paste, soy sauce, mirin, sake, brown sugar (or honey), grated ginger, minced garlic and 1 teaspoon neutral oil until smooth and well combined.

Marinate salmon

Pat salmon fillets dry with paper towels. Place fillets skin-side down in a shallow dish or zip-top bag and pour about two-thirds of the marinade over the fish, reserving the remaining third for glazing. Turn fillets to coat evenly. Marinate in the refrigerator for 20–30 minutes (up to 1 hour). Remove salmon from fridge 10 minutes before cooking to come closer to room temperature.

Prep vegetables

While salmon marinates, trim and cut broccoli into bite-sized florets, slice zucchini into 1/4-inch half-moons and thinly slice the red onion. Combine vegetables in a bowl and toss with sesame oil, 1 tablespoon neutral oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper so they are lightly coated.

Sauté vegetables

Heat a large nonstick or stainless steel skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Add the coated vegetables and spread into a single layer. Cook without stirring for 1–2 minutes to develop color, then stir and continue to sauté for 4–5 minutes more until zucchini is tender-crisp and broccoli is bright green and fork-tender. If the pan becomes dry, add a splash of water (1–2 tablespoons) and continue cooking. Transfer vegetables to a warm platter and keep warm.

Sear salmon

Wipe the same skillet clean and heat over medium-high heat. Add 1 teaspoon neutral oil. When the oil shimmers, place salmon fillets skin-side down and press lightly with a spatula for 20 seconds to ensure even contact. Cook skin-side down for 4–5 minutes (depending on thickness) until skin is crisp and the salmon is cooked about two-thirds of the way through.

Finish in pan

Flip the fillets gently and cook the flesh-side for 1–2 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low and spoon 1–2 tablespoons of the reserved marinade over each fillet to begin glazing.

Make glaze

In a small bowl mix 1 teaspoon cornstarch with 1 tablespoon water to make a slurry. Add the remaining reserved marinade to a small saucepan and bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat. Whisk in the cornstarch slurry and simmer 30–60 seconds until the sauce thickens slightly and becomes glossy. Remove from heat.

Glaze salmon

Spoon the hot glaze over the salmon fillets in the skillet for 10–20 seconds while still on low heat so the glaze adheres and develops a shiny finish. Remove fillets to the warm platter with the sautéed vegetables, skin-side down or up per preference.

Drizzle any remaining glaze over the vegetables and salmon. Sprinkle toasted sesame seeds and sliced scallions over everything. Serve immediately with lemon or lime wedges on the side to brighten the dish. Optional: serve with steamed rice or noodles.