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A plate with a glazed, grilled fish fillet garnished with a green leaf, surrounded by bowls of rice, pickles, soup, and salad, with chopsticks resting nearby on a wooden table.

Miso Sea Bass

by Namiko Hirasawa Chen
With just 4 ingredients, my easy Miso Sea Bass recipe makes for an elegant weeknight dinner at home. The slightly charred flavor of buttery fish marinated in a sweet miso and mirin marinade is one of my favorite combinations. It simply melts in your mouth.
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 10 minutes
Marinating: 8 hours
Total: 25 minutes
Servings: 2

Ingredients

  • 2 fillets MSC-certified Chilean sea bass (½ lb or 227 g total; or substitute salmon, trout, black cod (sablefish), and turbot. Atlantic cod, striped bass, or Pacific halibut can be used; however, they are less fatty, so I recommend baking them instead.)
  • ¼ tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt
  • 2 Tbsp sake

For the Marinade

  • ¼ cup miso (use awase (mixed) miso or a combo of red and white miso)
  • ¼ cup mirin (do not substitute)
  • 1 Tbsp sugar
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • Before You Start: Please note that this recipe requires a marination time of overnight (8–12 hours). Now, gather all the ingredients.
    Raw fish fillets on a metal tray, surrounded by small bowls containing miso paste, sugar, salt, sake, mirin, and a clear liquid, all on a wooden surface.

Day 1: To Marinate

  • Lightly sprinkle both sides of 2 fillets MSC-certified Chilean sea bass with ¼ tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt. Let rest for 10 minutes.
    Nami's Tip: Salting draws out excess moisture and odor, firms the flesh, and enhances the natural flavor.
    Two hands sprinkle salt onto raw fish fillets in a metal tray; the left image shows the salt being added from fingers, the right image shows salt being poured from a small glass bowl.
  • Meanwhile, combine ¼ cup miso, ¼ cup mirin, and 1 Tbsp sugar in an airtight container that's big enough to hold the fish (I used my favorite stainless prep tray). Mix well until the sugar is completely dissolved.
    Two-panel image: left shows hands holding bowls of oil and sugar above a tray with miso paste; right shows a whisk mixing the ingredients into a smooth sauce in the same tray.
  • Sprinkle 2 Tbsp sake over the fish to rinse it, then pat dry with a paper towel.
    Nami's Tip: Rinsing with sake cleans the fish and removes odor.
    Three-step process for preparing fish: pouring liquid onto fish fillets, patting the fillet with a paper towel, and pressing a paper towel on the fillet to dry it.
  • Add the fish to container. Spoon the marinade over the fillets to coat them completely. Cover and marinate overnight (8–12 hours) in the refrigerator.
    Two images side by side: on the left, a hand spoons marinade over two fish fillets in a metal container; on the right, the container is covered with a transparent plastic lid, showing the fillets inside.

Day 2: To Cook

    To Broil (recommended)

    • Line a baking sheet with foil and lightly coat it with neutral oil or cooking spray. Remove the marinated fish from the refrigerator. Preheat the broiler on the Medium setting for 3 minutes. Set the oven rack in the middle position about 6 inches (15 cm) away from the top heating element.
      Nami's Tip: For this recipe, I use the Medium broiler setting at 500ºF (260ºC) and 6 inches (15 cm) away from the heating element. Alternatively, you could use the High setting at 550ºF (288ºC) and 8 inches (20 cm) away.
      Left: A hand brushes oil onto a foil-lined baking tray. Right: Two fish fillets marinate in orange-colored sauce inside a metal container.
    • Gently wipe off the miso marinade completely from the fish with your fingers. Do not leave any excess, as miso burns easily. Place the fish skin side up on the prepared baking sheet.
      A person marinates fish fillets in sauce, then places two fillets with skin on a foil-lined baking sheet, ready for cooking.
    • Broil on Medium until the surface is blistered and browned, about 7–8 minutes (depending on the thickness of the fillets). You do not need to flip it.
      Nami's Tip: I broiled for 10 minutes this time, so you can see that my fish was well charred. For a bit less char, remove after 7–8 minutes.
      Side-by-side photos show fish fillets on a foil-lined baking tray in an oven: on the left, the raw fish fillets; on the right, the fillets are cooked and browned.

    To Serve

    • Transfer the fish to individual plates and enjoy!
      Two images of miso-glazed black cod: one shows the fish freshly baked on foil, the other presents it served on a decorative plate with a wooden table and other dishes partially visible in the background.

    To Bake (optional)

    • For leaner fish, I recommend baking instead of broiling—it keeps the meat tender and moist.
      Preheat the oven to 425°F (218ºC) with the rack placed in the middle position. For a convection oven, reduce the temperature by 25ºF (15ºC). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and place the fish on top, skin side up. Bake until the surface is blistered and slightly charred, about 15–20 minutes (depending on the thickness of the fillets). You do not need to flip it.

    To Store

    • Keep the leftovers in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 2 days or in the freezer for 2 weeks.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 361kcal, Carbohydrates: 9g, Protein: 22g, Fat: 22g, Saturated Fat: 5g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.5g, Monounsaturated Fat: 0.2g, Cholesterol: 75mg, Sodium: 788mg, Potassium: 38mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 9g, Vitamin A: 355IU, Calcium: 10mg, Iron: 0.4mg
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