Asian Glazed Salmon

This Asian glazed salmon adds a ton of flavor to your dinner with a quick and easy recipe anyone can make. The soy miso glaze creates perfect foolproof salmon.

I love to cook with salmon, especially in Lent. I never liked fish fries, and there are so many ways to dress up salmon to keep it from getting boring.

Last week, I made my orange salmon again, and next week I may make my soy ginger salmon, but this week, it’s all about an easy Asian glazed salmon.

Why a glaze instead of a marinade?

When you marinate fish, you need to plan ahead. You want fish to sit in the marinade for long enough to absorb the flavors without starting to “cook” from the acid.

With a glaze, you add it just before you cook the fish, so you can have your meal on the table more quickly. I do make a miso glazed salmon where you marinate the fish that is so tasty, but this has some different flavors and comes together much faster.

What kind of miso paste should I buy?

If you’ve never bought miso paste before, you might be a bit overwhelmed. In the United States, you can generally find white miso (shiro) and red miso (aka) paste in stores, but there are as many miso options as there are varieties of cheese.

Like cheese, miso is all made from the same base ingredients, but the aging process and other factors affect the flavor of the miso you buy.

White miso is the mildest, while red miso has been aged for longer and has more umami flavor to it.

I typically purchase white miso, but I’ve also made this with a fancy red miso with dandelion and leek. Both ways turn out delicious, so feel free to use what you find so long as it doesn’t include sweeteners used to speed the fermentation process.

The good news is that this fermented food lasts a long time. Store it tightly sealed in your fridge, and you can use it for well over a year.

What kind of fish can I use for Asian glazed salmon?

Ideally you want to use salmon, and wild caught salmon simply tastes better than farm raised salmon. Either works, however.

You also have the option to substitute other fish in place of salmon in this Asian glazed salmon recipe.

I love salmon, but the cost of salmon has grown like so many other foods. You can purchase steelhead and use it instead.

Steelhead is a kind of trout, but it has a similar taste and texture to salmon so works as a substitute. Best of all, it is readily available and generally significantly cheaper than salmon.

You can also choose to use arctic char, mahi mahi, striped bass, or even tilefish for this recipe in place of the salmon. All of them have that same meaty and fairly mild flavor that pair well with the Asian style glaze.

How do I know when my salmon is cooked?

Your cook time may vary, depending on the thickness of your salmon. Look for fillets that are an even thickness where possible.

Personally, I prefer fillets that are about an inch or so thick.

The most important rule? Do not overcook salmon.

Overcooked salmon is dry and just not as good. You want flaky salmon that stays moist.

I test it by using a sharp knife to gently see if it flakes and to ensure that the flesh inside is translucent and not “raw salmon” looking.

You can also use a kitchen thermometer to check the temperature. You want it to be right around 140 degrees.

Know that your salmon continues to cook for another several minutes after you remove it from the heat. That gets it up to the recommended internal temperature of 145 degrees by the time you eat it.

What should I serve with this salmon?

 This salmon is fabulous with rice, but I always love to add a veggie to accompany it, as well.

Grilled baby bok choy would be a perfect accompaniment, as would a simple wilted spinach or steamed asparagus or other veggies.

How to Make Asian Glazed Salmon

Preheat your oven to 425 degrees. Make the glaze first, then prepare your salmon.

To make the glaze, place the lemon juice, soy sauce, miso paste, vinegar, mustard powder, and 1 teaspoon of the corn starch in a small pot and whisk. Turn the heat to medium, and bring it to a boil.

Once it boils, bring it down to a simmer for a couple minutes, whisking periodically, until it has thickened nicely.

While you wait for the miso glaze to boil, start on the salmon.

Heat a heavy pan on medium high. I like to use an enameled cast iron pan that distributes the heat evenly.

You want to go with the restaurant theory they use for steak for my fish, too. Start on the stove, and finish in the oven.

Pat your salmon dry with a paper towel. Cut your fish into the fillet sizes you wish to eat – for us that’s about 4-6 ounces per fillet, about 3 inches wide.

Mix together 2 tablespoons brown sugar with the remaining teaspoon of corn starch. It will look vaguely like streusel, which is what you’re going for.

Pepper your salmon, and rub both sides of your salmon with the brown sugar mixture.

Add oil to your heating pan, then place the fillets into the pan so that they aren’t touching. This generally means they won’t all fit at once, so work in batches.

Cook on each side for just two to three minutes to create a crust before flipping. Once they’re cooked on both sides, remove the fillets to a foil lined baking sheet and cook the next batch.

When they’ve cooked to form the crust, use a pastry brush to add the glaze to both sides of the fish. Yes, you’ll need to flip them carefully so they don’t fall apart.

I love my fish spatula. It helps ensure I turn my fish gently and reduces the likelihood that I break my fish.

Place the glazed fillets in the oven for 7-10 minutes or until they’re flaky and still moist.

Have you tried any oven baked salmon recipes lately?

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