White Miso Salmon Recipe

Make the marinade

In a small bowl whisk together white miso paste, mirin, sake, granulated sugar, and neutral oil until smooth and slightly glossy. Taste and adjust sweetness—marinade should be balanced, mildly sweet and umami-forward.

Marinate the salmon

Pat salmon fillets dry with paper towels. Place fillets skin-side down in a shallow dish or resealable bag. Spread the miso marinade evenly over the flesh of each fillet (reserve any small amount left for glazing). Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes to 2 hours. Do not exceed 2 hours to prevent the miso from breaking down texture too much.

Bring to room temperature

About 15 minutes before cooking, remove the salmon from the refrigerator so it comes closer to room temperature for even cooking. Pat off any excess marinade from the skin edge so it won’t burn.

Cook the salmon: oven broil or pan-sear

Option A — Broil: Preheat oven broiler and position rack 6–8 inches from heat. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil and oil lightly. Place fillets skin-side down and broil for 6–9 minutes depending on thickness, until tops caramelize lightly and center reaches 120–125°F (for medium-rare) or 130–135°F for medium. Option B — Pan-sear then oven finish: Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Heat 1 tablespoon neutral oil in an oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat. Sear salmon skin-side down 3–4 minutes until skin is crisp; flip and transfer skillet to oven for 4–6 minutes until desired doneness. Times vary by thickness; use an instant-read thermometer to confirm.

Rest

Remove salmon from heat and let rest 3–5 minutes. If you reserved a small amount of marinade, brush lightly over tops immediately after cooking for extra gloss (do not reheat leftover marinade that touched raw fish).

Prepare cucumbers

Trim cucumber ends and slice thinly on a bias (or use a mandoline) into 1/8-inch rounds or half-moons if using a larger cucumber. Place slices in a colander, sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, toss, and let sit 10 minutes to draw out excess water. Pat dry with paper towel and transfer to a bowl.

Make quick pickling dressing

Whisk together rice vinegar, 2 tablespoons of water, 1 tablespoon granulated sugar, remaining 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, and toasted sesame oil until sugar dissolves.

Combine salad

Add the thinly sliced pickled ginger and scallions to the cucumbers. Pour the pickling dressing over the cucumber-ginger mixture and toss gently to combine. Let the salad sit at room temperature 10–15 minutes for flavors to meld, or refrigerate up to 1 hour. Taste and adjust acidity or salt if needed. Sprinkle toasted sesame seeds on top just before serving.

Plate

Divide the cucumber and pickled ginger salad among 4 plates. Place a miso salmon fillet atop or beside the salad, skin-side down for presentation. Garnish with microgreens or baby cilantro if using.

Serve

Serve immediately with lime or lemon wedges on the side to squeeze over the salmon and salad. Optionally pass extra toasted sesame seeds and scallions.