Time and time again, sinigang has been ranked as one of the best soups in the world – and for good reason! It’s tangy, savory, and always feeds the soul. Miso salmon sinigang, or Sinigang na salmon sa miso, adds an extra umami twist to a famous classic. Trust me, you’ll love it – even my husband was drinking the last bits from the bowl!
🍲 Salmon Sinigang
Sinigang is a unique soup full of sour, savory, and umami flavors that’ll make your lips pucker and fill your tummy full of happiness!
The signature tart flavor comes from tamarind and to take the soup to the next level, fish sauce and miso are added for natural umami. The miso also adds a subtle creaminess, just like in miso soup! If you’re looking for clear & tangy without miso, check out my !
If you’re craving more of the standard tamarind broth without miso, make sure to check out my Salmon Sinigang recipe. If you want to swap out the protein, check out my easy Pork Sinigang recipe for a rich & fatty version that feeds the soul or my yummy Sinigang na Manok (with Chicken) recipe! You’ll also get tips on how to make a super easy tamarind paste for complete control of flavor!
This comforting soup is loaded with tons of fresh veggies with various textures and packed with your favorite protein of choice. To keep this recipe super simple and easy, we’ll be making salmon sinigang – the fish takes only minutes to cook!
🥘 What You’ll Need
- Salmon: Salmon belly is my favorite to use when it’s available because the extra fattiness makes the soup even richer, however, fillets work just as well! If you can find salmon heads or bone-in salmon pieces at your local Asian market, even better! You’ll have an even more flavorful broth.
- Tamarind Seasoning: Nowadays, sinigang seasoning packets are the go-to when making sinigang because it’s so accessible now and convenient. I’m usually partial to Mamacita’s or Knorr brands. You can find it at most local Asian markets and for sure at Seafood City. You can also opt for tamarind paste instead and add more fish sauce and / or miso for saltiness.
- Miso: I use low-sodium white miso for this recipe because I can control the saltiness better. If you have regular miso, you may need to reduce the amount so it’s not too salty.
- Fish Sauce: Fish sauce is another umami bomb that’s an absolute MUST! It blends beautifully with the soup and is not an ingredient that should be skipped.
- Vegetables: Onions, tomatoes, and leafy greens are staple veggies included in salmon singang. I like tossing in taro & string beans for a little heartiness too! More on vegetable variations coming up.
🔪 How to Cook Sinigang na Salmon
Step 1: Season salmon with salt & pepper, then heat a large pot on medium-high heat and add 1 tablespoon of oil. Sear salmon belly for 1-2 minutes per side, or until browned but not cooked through. It’ll finish cooking in the broth. Remove & set aside.
Step 2: Toss in onions and tomatoes & cook for a few seconds or until slightly softened. Then, add in low-sodium white miso paste & saute for a few seconds until vegetables are well coated.
Pour in water, cover, & bring to a rolling boil – about 5 minutes.
Step 3: Add taro, string beans, & chilies (if using) and cook for about 5 minutes, or until slightly tender.
Step 4: Gently add the salmon and cook covered for about 5 more minutes or until cooked through.
Step 5: Add sinigang seasoning, fish sauce, & bok choy – being very gentle while stirring so the fish doesn’t break.
Step 6: Stir & cook for about another minute, or until the bok choy has wilted. Taste & if you want the soup sourer, add more tamarind seasoning. If you want it saltier, add more fish sauce.
Serve with hot white rice & enjoy!
👩🏽🍳 Key Tips
- How to Cook Fish Perfectly: It’s very important to keep in mind that once your salmon is added to the soup, be very gentle when stirring. Otherwise, you may end up with a bunch of salmon flakes in your singang na salmon sa miso instead of hearty chunks of fish!
- Boil vs Saute Method: Two typical ways to kick off your sinigang is using either the saute or boil method. The boil method is slightly easier – add the onions and tomatoes to water first to boil, then add the rest of the ingredients. The saute method more flavorful in my opinion & this recipe follows the saute method. I grew up with the boil method but now follow the saute method – both are delicious btw!
- Adjusting to Different Sinigang Seasoning Brands: Every sinigang seasoning brand slightly varies in saltiness & flavor. If your soup has the perfect level of sourness but it’s lacking saltiness, add more fish sauce.
📖 Variations
The best way to make the BEST Sinigang na salmon sa miso is to include the ingredients you love! Here are some popular vegetables you can add to or swap out in your soup to make it filling or simple as you’d like:
- Ginger
- Okra
- Eggplant
- Spinach
- Water spinach
- Radish
- Jalapenos
🍚 More Easy Filipino Recipes You’ll Love!
Let’s get cooking!
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Miso Salmon Sinigang Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 pound salmon belly or fillet*
- salt to taste
- black pepper to taste
- 1/2 medium onion diced
- 2 tomatoes diced
- 5 tablespoons low-sodium white miso paste
- 4 cups water
- 1 cup taro cut into 2-inch pieces
- ¾ cup string beans cut into 2-inch pieces
- 3 – 5 chilies* thinly sliced, optional
- 1 sinigang seasoning packet*
- 1 1/2 tablespoon fish sauce or to taste
- 4 large bundles bok choy* leaves separated
Instructions
- Season salmon with salt & pepper on both sides.
- Heat a large pot on medium-high heat. Once hot, add about 1 tablespoon of oil then sear salmon for 1-2 minutes per side, or until golden but not cooked through. It'll finish in the broth. Remove & set aside.
- Add onions & tomatoes for about a minute, or until they begin to soften. Add in the low-sodium white miso paste and saute for a few seconds, or until well coated. Pour in the water, cover, & bring to a rolling boil.
- Add taro, string beans, chilies (if using) then cover and cook for about 5 minutes, or until they start to become tender but not soggy.
- Gently add the fish to the soup, cover, and cook for about 5 more minutes or until the fish is cooked through. Be very gentle while stirring because you don’t want the fish to flake apart in the soup.
- Add the fish sauce, then enough sinigang seasoning to your desired sourness. Sinigang seasoning brands vary slightly in saltiness and flavor. If you get to a level of sourness you like, but the soup is lacking saltiness, add more fish sauce.
- Toss in bok choy and cook for a couple more minutes, or until they’re wilted. Turn off heat and serve with steamy hot rice. Enjoy!
Notes
- Thai Chilies: Substitute with jalapenos if unavailable or skip for a non-spicy soup.
- Miso: Use low-sodium white miso for better salt control. Adjust regular miso to avoid excessive saltiness.
- Salmon: Salmon belly is ideal, but fillets work too. Salmon head or cuts with bones enhance broth flavor.
- Sinigang Seasoning Packet: You can find it at local Asian market or use tamarind paste/concentrate with more fish sauce/miso for added saltiness.
- Bok Choy: Mustard greens are typically used for sinigang but if unavailable, you can use bok choy or spinach.
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.
This sinigang soup looks really yummy. Can’t wait to try your recipe.