Looking for a new way to serve up versatile salmon rich in omega-3 fatty acids? Try this tender and succulent Miso Butter Salmon that‘s pan-fried in a delicious savory sauce. Cooking time from start to finish is less than 30 minutes!
Now that your children are back in school and you as a parent is finally finding your way into the regular school-year routine, I assume you need a quick and easy dinner inspiration. My kids love Miso Salmon, which is frequent in our family dinner rotation and today I’m going to share a slightly different variation that has become such a staple – Miso Butter Salmon (味噌バターサーモン).
The Golden Combination of Miso and Butter
Have you had a chance to combine miso and butter in your cooking? Does it sound strange or unusual to you? If that was the case, you’re gonna give this new flavor a try. I promise they are so, so good together.
Miso and butter – miso is definitely Japanese, but butter? Well, for those who have visited Hokkaido, you’ve probably tried the legendary Hokkaido’s Miso Ramen that is adorned with a golden piece of butter on top. Yep, there is such a thing! Known for its delicious dairy and agricultural products, it is no surprise that the locals in Hokkaido utilize their best commodity in every way.
I’m not sure if that’s how the miso and butter combination was introduced to the Japanese, but you can certainly find many dishes that incorporate the two ingredients as a power duo. Miso is earthy and packed with umami, while butter is rich and creamy. Together they make the most versatile flavoring to dress up a dish.
How to Pan-Fried Salmon Perfectly
Now if you don’t usually pan-fry salmon, here are just a few quick techniques you may want to know before you start.
1. Make sure your salmon is closer or at room temperature
Before you’re ready to start cooking, remove the fish from the refrigerator about 15-20 minutes in advance. When the fish is at room temperature, not only it cooks more quickly, it also ensures even doneness throughout the salmon fillet.
2. Pat dry your fish before seasoning
If the fillets are wet, they are more likely to stick to the pan, and the skin won’t crisp as nicely. Before seasoning it with salt and pepper, use a paper towel to gently pat dry the fillets.
3. Use a spatula to press down the fish
Once you flip the salmon to the skin side, press down the fillet using your spatula to give some firm pressure so the ends of the fish won’t curl up.
4. Do not overcook salmon
This is always the key to juicy and tender salmon. Pay attention to the fish as it is cooking, watching for the change in color. You can see how far you’ve cooked the fish from the sides. Once it’s already more than 75% cooked, be sure to control your heat by turning it to low. It is completely okay when there is a bit of translucent pink in the middle. The remaining heat will continue to cook the rest of the fish. Using the spatula to give the sides a gentle squeeze. The flakes should begin to separate when it’s done.
Different Types of Miso
For this salmon recipe, I used Hikari Miso® Organic Miso – Mild Sodium Miso (shown in left top). It is made of 100% USDA Certified Organic rice and soybeans and is additive-free. It has a light yellow color original to Shinshu-style miso. A high volume of rice koji produces its mild taste and smooth texture.
If you’re interested to try it out, you can purchase Hikari Miso from a majority of Japanese/Asian grocery stores or on Amazon. It is my favorite brand of miso paste. There is also a variety of miso, each with a different flavor you can use for various purposes.
Accompanied by flavorful mushrooms, this Miso Butter Salmon is the ultimate weeknight dish for the entire family. It’s healthy and delicious, and I know your family will enjoy it often.
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Miso Butter Salmon
Ingredients
For the Seasonings
- 1 Tbsp miso (I used Hikari Miso® organic mild sodium miso)
- 1 Tbsp sugar
- 2 Tbsp sake
- 1 Tbsp mirin
- 1½ Tbsp soy sauce
For the Salmon
- ½ package shimeji mushrooms (2 oz, 50 g; skip or use other mushrooms)
- 2 shiitake mushrooms (1.75 oz, 50 g; skip or use other mushrooms)
- 2 fillets skin-on salmon fillets (¾ lb, 340 g)
- Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- freshly ground black pepper
- ½ Tbsp all-purpose flour (plain flour)
- 1 Tbsp neutral oil
- 1 Tbsp unsalted butter
For the Toppings
Instructions
- Gather all the ingredients.
- For the seasonings, combine 1 Tbsp miso, 1 Tbsp sugar, 2 Tbsp sake, 1 Tbsp mirin, and 1½ Tbsp soy sauce. Mix well and set aside.
- Finely chop some chives and cut off the stems of ½ package shimeji mushrooms. Separate the shimeji into smaller clusters with your hands.
- Cut off the stems of 2 shiitake mushrooms and thinly slice them.
- Check to see if your salmon has any bones and remove if there are any (I use a pair of fish bone tweezers). Pat dry 2 fillets skin-on salmon fillets with a paper towel and season it with Diamond Crystal kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.
- Sprinkle ½ Tbsp all-purpose flour (plain flour) on the salmon and thinly coat it all over. The flour will seal in the delicious salmon juices and act as a thickening agent for the sauce.
To Pan-Fry the Salmon
- Heat a frying pan over medium heat. When the pan is hot, add 1 Tbsp neutral oil. Place the salmon in the pan, flesh side down. Cook for 5 minutes. Tip: You can see how far you’ve cooked by checking the color of the fish from the side of the fillet. After cooking for 5 minutes, you should see that about ¼ inch (6 mm) of the flesh has turned a lighter color from cooking. Be careful not to burn your salmon using high heat.
- Flip the fillets over so the skin side is on the bottom. Then, add the shimeji and shiitake mushrooms. Cook the skin side for 5 minutes.
- Next, cook the sides of the salmon fillets for 1 minute each. It is completely okay when there is a bit of translucent pink in the middle. The remaining heat will continue to cook the rest of the fish.
- Add 1 Tbsp unsalted butter and sauté the mushrooms. Put the mushrooms on top of the salmon so the fillets absorb some of the delicious sauce.
- Add the seasonings mixture to the pan. Coat the salmon with the sauce using a spoon.
To Serve
- Transfer the salmon and mushrooms to individual plates. Spoon some pan sauce on top and garnish with the chopped chives and toasted white sesame seeds.
To Store
- You can store the leftovers in an airtight container and keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or in the freezer for a month.
[…] like to make a big batch of these salt-pickled vegetables and serve them for a quick dinner with Miso Butter Salmon and steamed rice. It could not be any simpler, healthy and full of […]
[…] Miso Butter Salmon […]
So delicious! I’ve made this many times by now . Both with and without the mushrooms is good- just be sure to get shiitake mushrooms and not substitute with regular button or bella (which are not worth the flavor pay off IMO). I’ve also made this gluten free for a friend using tamari and rice flour, which turned out just as good! I’m partial to the red miso for this recipe, but both red and white work well! Definitely a favorite in this house! Thank you!
Hi Kate! Thank you for trying this recipe many times! And thanks for the wonderful tip on GF option and miso type! I remember you wrote a comment last year. I’m really happy this became a part of your rotation! xoxo
[…] You may remember that I use the same technique for Teriyaki Salmon and Miso Butter Salmon. […]
Konnichiwa Namisan
My elder son says that if he were on death row, this is the meal he would choose for his last one! Totemo oishi des!
Konnichiwa Garth! I’m so happy to hear your son enjoyed this dish (and he’s funny!). It’s easy to make, so you can make it often on your meal rotation. 🙂 Domo arigato for your sweet feedback. xoxo
Very very good recipe, it is so well balanced in taste. Thank you for sharing!
Hi Kyra! Thank you so much for your kind feedback and for trying my recipe! I’m so happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe. 🙂
This is outstanding and so easy! I followed the directions exactly as written and produced a restaurant quality fish dish. Served with baby bok choy braised with garlic and ginger and some leftover tea-smoked duck fried rice, this was a wonderful meal. Can’t wait to make it again.
Hi Marie-Therese! Thank you so much for trying this recipe! Wow your meal sounds so delicious!!! I’m so happy to hear yours came out well. Thank you for your kind feedback. xoxo
I’ve made this recipe a few times now because it’s so quick to make and delicious. I’ve substituted the salmon for arctic char or trout depending on what’s available at the store, and I’ve also used different quick-cooking veg like asparagus and cabbage in addition to the mushrooms. All have been delicious. Thank you for the recipe!
Hi Thyna! Aww I’m so happy to hear that you enjoy this recipe and have adapted to your liking! Thanks for sharing your tip with us! Thank you for the kind feedback. 🙂
This is a delicious way to prepare salmon. I loved the sauce. With the thickness of the filet I was using, it was done before I could cook it on the sides, but that didn’t take away from the taste, texture or appearance.
Hi Regan! I’m so happy to hear you enjoyed this recipe! Thank you for your kind feedback. 🙂
Incredible! Thank you for sharing this delicious recipe.
Hi Robin! Thank you for trying this recipe! I’m so happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe. Thanks for the kind feedback. xo
[…] as a side with steamed rice and miso soup and I’d add along with a protein dish like Miso Butter Salmon or Ginger Pork. On a cold day, you can serve the pickled vegetables with okayu (rice porridge). It […]
So good!
Thank you Zoe! I’m glad you enjoyed it! 🙂
Hello Nami, I don’t take any alcohol. Do you have any suggestions for replacement for sake and mirin?
Hi Lliyana! I mentioned the substitute info in pantry page. 🙂
https://www.justonecookbook.com/sake/
https://www.justonecookbook.com/mirin/
Because it says just “butter” here, I assumed it’s “salted butter”. Then my dish seemed a bit too salty. I wonder how different it would be if I use unsalted butter. Well, I had used miso from Hokkaido. Maybe that too had raise the level of saltiness.
Hi Shuni! Thank you so much for trying this recipe. I apologize that I did not specify whether this “butter” is unsalted or salted. I only keep “unsalted” butter at my home, as I can salt my food depending on the dish (in FAQ, I mentioned about butter and how I salt my butter under Ingredients). Therefore 99% of my recipes say “unsalted butter” (except for 5 recipes). When I wrote this recipe, I wasn’t careful enough and I wrote just butter. I’m very sorry for my mistake.
Every brand and type of miso has different saltiness, so it’s nothing to do with miso from Hokkaido. It’s good to test the miso how salty it is when you buy a brand new miso so you can remember when you season (with salt or other condiments) along with miso. 🙂
Again, I apologize I didn’t specify enough.
It’s okay, Nami. I’ll definitely try again.
Oh, I thought Hokkaido miso tends to be saltier than miso from other regions.
Thanks for your reply, Nami.
This was SO delicious!!! Husband and I typically aren’t a fan of mushrooms, so we went without and made some pan fried asparagus to go on the side. Went with red miso cause it’s what I had. I forgot the chives at the store, so I just mixed in some dried chives into the seasoning, so when they hit the hot pan the flavor released. Thank you- will definitely be making this again!
Hi Kate! Thank you so much for your kind feedback and I’m so happy to hear you and your husband enjoyed this dish! 🙂