Need dinner FAST and only have 15 minutes to spare? Don't worry - I gotchu. This pan-fried Salmon with Miso Butter is an explosion of umami flavor with simple ingredients. It's sweet, salty, buttery, & melts in your mouth - do I really need to say more?
If you're a salmon lover like me, you know it's a great last-minute protein because it cooks up so quickly! Not to mention it's packed in omega-3 fatty acids, which help keep our brains, nerves, and eyes healthy!
Serve this juicy Salmon with Miso Butter with the fastest Garlic Spinach Stir-Fry and Asian Garlic Noodles or 10-Minute Veggie Fried Rice, then you'll have a budget-friendly and filling dinner on the table in 35 minutes or less!
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🥘 Ingredients
- Miso Paste: You can easily find it at your local Asian or Japanese market in the refrigerated section. There's a wide variety you can choose from, but for this recipe, I'm using low-sodium yellow miso paste.
- Mirin: Mirin is a common Japanese cooking rice wine and is also easily found in Asian markets or on Amazon.
- Unsalted Butter: I like having more control over the salt in my food so I tend to reach for unsalted butter, especially because miso can be very salty already!
- Low-Sodium Soy Sauce: Hopefully you notice a pattern here haha. Again, since there's plenty of salt in the miso (even with a low-sodium option), we're adding low-sodium soy sauce so it won't be too salty.
- Salmon Fillet: I highly recommend using salmon WITH the skin-on. First of all, how can you resist that crispy skin?! Second of all, the fat from the skin also creates a fatty barrier to help prevent the fillet from drying out.
🔪 Instructions
Make Miso Butter
In a mixing bowl, combine the miso butter ingredients until smooth. It's much easier when the butter is at room temperature. If your butter is straight out of the fridge, you can pop it into the microwave for a few seconds until softened.
Cook Crispy Skin Salmon
Heat a large skillet on medium heat with about a tablespoon of oil. Add the salmon skin-side down and gently press out any air bubbles so the skin cooks evenly.
Cook for about 4 minutes or until the salmon skin is crispy. Keep in mind it'll continue to slightly crisp up!
Once the salmon is about 75% done, flip the fillet to sear the other side then add the miso butter on top of the salmon to slowly melt.
Cook salmon skin-side down until 75% done & skin is crispy.
Sear the flesh side, then flip back over (flesh-side up) & pour on miso butter.
Baste the salmon with miso butter and continue to cook for another couple of minutes, or until cooked through and flaky. Note that cooking time may vary slightly depending on the size and thickness of your salmon fillet.
Serve immediately with hot steamy rice and/or fresh crunchy veggies.
Baste both sides of the salmon & finish cooking salmon through.
Serve with rice and/or veggies.
👩🏽🍳 Key Tips
- Moisture is the Enemy: Like any salmon recipe, if you want that irresistible crispy salmon skin, make sure to pat dry the salmon thoroughly, otherwise, it'll steam instead and you'll be left with soggy salmon skin without a nice sear - bleh!
- Set Up for Maximum Crunch: Create a crispy skin by cooking it with the skin-side down for the majority of the time to allow the fat to render out.
- Pro Tip for Even Crispiness: Gently press down on the salmon to eliminate any air bubbles, which would create soggy patches in the skin.
- Easy Check for Doneness: One easy way to tell how much the salmon is cooked is by checking the sides of the fillet. The light pink parts are done and the bright pink need to finish cooking.
⏲️ Make Ahead
This easy miso butter is SO easy to make, even ahead of time!
Combine the ingredients and keep them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week in advance.
💭 FAQ's
Miso butter's main components are in the name - salty Japanese miso paste with creamy butter. You can experiment with adding other ingredients to enhance or modify the flavors, such as garlic, honey, sugar, soy sauce, or mirin.
Miso paste has become increasingly popular and is sold at some local groceries now, however, local Asian or Japanese markets in the refrigerated section is a guarantee.
Salmon cooks quickly, about 8 minutes, however, this may vary slightly depending on the size and thickness of the salmon fillet, so make sure to watch closely.
Miso paste is generally considered vegan.
🥗 What to Serve with Your Salmon
This Salmon with Miso Butter comes together so quickly and easily. It’s also super versatile and pairs nicely with hot fluffy rice, noodles, or veggies. Here are some of my favorites:
Let's Get Cooking!
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Salmon Fillets with Miso Butter (Pan-Fried)
Ingredients
Miso Butter
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter softened
- 2 tablespoons low-sodium mild miso paste
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 2 teaspoons low-sodium soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons mirin
- 2 teaspoons honey
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon lemon zest
Ingredients
- 2 4- oz salmon fillets skin-on & pat dry
Instructions
- In a bowl, combine the miso butter ingredients. Set aside.
- Heat a large pan on medium heat, then add about a tablespoon of oil. Add the salmon skin side down. Gently press down on the fish so the skin doesn’t bubble while cooking. We want to skin to remain flat so it becomes evenly crisp. Cook for about 4 - 5 minutes, or until most of the skin's fat has rendered out and has become crisp. Flip the salmon over and sear the salmon flesh-side down for another 2 - 3 minutes, or until golden and 75% cooked.
- Turn the heat to medium-low, flip the salmon so it's flesh-side up, then pour in the miso butter onto the salmon. Baste it and cook until the salmon is cooked through and the miso butter has turned a deep golden color.
- Transfer the salmon to a plate and serve with hot steamy rice or crisp veggies. Enjoy!
Notes
- Miso Paste: I recommend using low-sodium miso paste since this recipe also uses soy sauce, which is also salty. You can find miso paste at local Asian or Japanese markets in the refrigerated section.
- Key Tips:
- Moisture is the Enemy: If you want that irresistible crispy salmon skin, make sure to pat dry the salmon thoroughly, otherwise, it'll steam instead and you'll be left with soggy salmon skin without a nice sear - bleh!
- Set Up for Maximum Crunch: Create a crispy skin by cooking it with the skin-side down for the majority of the time to allow the fat to render out.
- Pro Tip for Even Crispiness: Gently press down on the salmon to eliminate any air bubbles, which would create soggy patches in the skin.
- Easy Check for Doneness: One easy way to tell how much the salmon is cooked is by checking the sides of the fillet. The light pink parts are done and the bright pink need to finish cooking.
Nutrition
Exact calculations may vary. For the most accurate nutritional information, use your preferred nutrition calculator, actual ingredients, and quantities used for the recipe. Please consult with your physician or registered dietitian if more precise nutrition calculations are needed for health reasons.
HEY, I'M MIKHA!
...A fellow food lover who believes anyone can whip up a delicious meal - no matter your skill level! These quick & easy Asian recipes will help you transform simple ingredients into a drool-worthy meal for you & the people you love most - without spending all day in the kitchen.
Now come on - Grab a seat & let's eat!
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