Anna Louise Miso-glazed salmon is one of those recipes that proves you do not need to do very much to produce something genuinely extraordinary.
A marinade of white miso, mirin, sake or rice wine, honey, and soy — applied to salmon fillets and left for thirty minutes — gives a glaze that caramelises under the grill to a deeply golden, slightly sticky, intensely savoury lacquer that is completely unlike any other salmon preparation.
The technique is inspired by the Japanese preparation known as Nobu-style black cod — a restaurant dish that became famous worldwide in the 1990s — adapted here for salmon, which responds equally beautifully to the same treatment.
Salmon’s natural richness and oil content make it one of the best fish for this kind of intense, savoury marinade. This is a recipe for salmon that feels genuinely special without requiring more than thirty minutes of total time.
Ingredients for Mary Berry Salmon Miso
For the Miso Glaze and Salmon
- 4 salmon fillets (about 150g each), skin on
- 3 tbsp white miso paste (shiro miso)
- 2 tbsp mirin
- 2 tbsp sake or dry sherry
- 1 tbsp runny honey
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tsp sesame oil
To Serve
- Steamed jasmine rice or soba noodles
- Sliced spring onions
- Toasted sesame seeds
- Pickled ginger — optional
- A wedge of lime
- Steamed bok choy or tenderstem broccoli
How to Make Mary Berry Salmon Miso
Step 1 — Make the Miso Glaze
Combine the white miso paste, mirin, sake or dry sherry, honey, soy sauce, and sesame oil in a small bowl. Whisk together until completely smooth and combined. Taste — it should be deeply savoury, slightly sweet, and highly complex. This glaze is intensely flavoured because it reduces and concentrates on the salmon surface during cooking.
Step 2 — Marinate the Salmon
Pat the salmon fillets dry with kitchen paper — a dry surface absorbs the marinade more effectively than a damp one.
Place the salmon skin-side down in a shallow dish. Spoon the miso glaze generously over the flesh side of each fillet — coating every part of the exposed flesh. Do not glaze the skin side.
Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes — up to 24 hours for a more deeply penetrating, more intensely flavoured result. The longer the marination, the more pronounced and more wonderful the miso flavour.
Step 3 — Prepare to Cook
Remove the salmon from the fridge 20 minutes before cooking. Line a baking tray with foil — the miso glaze is sugary and burns onto unlined trays, making them extremely difficult to clean.
Preheat the grill to its highest setting — allow at least five minutes of full preheating.
Step 4 — Grill the Salmon
Scrape off any excess marinade from the surface of the salmon — a very thick layer of glaze can burn before the salmon is cooked through. A thin, even coating gives the most attractive, most evenly caramelised result.
Place the salmon fillets skin-side down on the foil-lined tray. Grill under the high grill for 8 to 12 minutes — without turning — until the glaze has caramelised to a deep golden-brown, the edges are slightly darkened, and the salmon is just cooked through. It should still be slightly translucent in the very centre when it comes out — it will finish cooking in the residual heat.
Do not turn the fillets during grilling — the delicate miso glaze on the flesh side will stick to the grill rack and tear.
Step 5 — Serve
Transfer carefully to warm plates. Scatter sliced spring onions and toasted sesame seeds over each fillet. Serve immediately with steamed jasmine rice, bok choy, and a wedge of lime.
My Top Tips For Perfect Salmon Miso
Use white miso — not dark. White miso (shiro miso) is milder, sweeter, and less salty than dark miso. It gives a more delicate, more rounded glaze that caramelises to a beautiful golden without excessive bitterness. Dark miso gives a more assertive, slightly more bitter result.
Marinate for at least 30 minutes — overnight for the best result. The miso needs time to penetrate the salmon flesh. Thirty minutes gives a noticeable miso flavour. Overnight gives something deeply, profoundly miso-flavoured throughout.
Scrape off excess marinade before grilling. A very thick coating of glaze burns under the high grill before the salmon is cooked through, giving a slightly bitter, slightly acrid surface. A thin, even coating gives even caramelisation.
Line the tray with foil. The miso glaze contains sugars that burn and stick to an unlined tray almost permanently. Foil makes the washing up completely straightforward.
Do not turn the salmon during grilling. The glaze on the flesh side is too delicate and too sticky to survive contact with a grill rack. Cook skin-side down throughout — the skin protects the base and the glaze caramelises perfectly on the top.
Serving Suggestions
With steamed jasmine rice — the most natural pairing. With soba noodles tossed in a little sesame oil and soy sauce. With steamed bok choy or tenderstem broccoli. As a dinner party main — the lacquered, glossy salmon looks genuinely impressive on the plate.
How to Store Salmon Miso
Marinated uncooked salmon: Keep refrigerated for up to 24 hours. Cook on the day of serving.
Cooked miso salmon: Store in the fridge for up to 2 days. Cold miso salmon is excellent flaked into a rice bowl or noodle salad the following day.
Freezing the marinade: The miso glaze can be made and frozen for up to 3 months. Defrost overnight in the fridge before using.
Try These Recipes
- Mary Berry Salmon In Filo Pastry
- Mary Berry Salmon Mousse
- Mary Berry Asparagus Quiche
- Mary Berry Leek And Stilton Quiche
Mary Berry Salmon Miso Recipe
Ingredients
Method
- Whisk miso, mirin, sake or sherry, honey, soy sauce, and sesame oil until smooth. Taste.
- Pat salmon fillets completely dry. Place skin-side down in a shallow dish. Spoon miso glaze generously over the flesh side of each fillet. Cover — refrigerate 30 minutes minimum, overnight for the best result.
- Remove from fridge 20 minutes before cooking. Line a baking tray with foil. Preheat grill to its highest setting — at least 5 minutes.
- Scrape off any excess marinade — leave a thin, even coating. Place fillets skin-side down on foil-lined tray.
- Grill 8–12 minutes without turning until glaze is deeply golden-brown and caramelised and salmon is just cooked through — still slightly translucent in the very centre.
- Transfer to warm plates. Scatter spring onions and sesame seeds. Serve immediately with rice, bok choy, and lime.
Notes
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use dark miso instead of white?
Yes — dark miso gives a more intensely savoury, slightly more bitter result. Reduce the quantity to two tablespoons and increase the honey to compensate for the stronger flavour.
Can I use this glaze on other fish?
Yes — this miso glaze works beautifully on sea bass, cod, and trout. Sea bass gives a particularly elegant result — its white, flaky flesh contrasts beautifully with the dark golden glaze.
Can I cook this in a pan instead of under the grill?
Yes — heat a non-stick ovenproof pan over a medium-high heat. Sear the salmon glaze-side down for two to three minutes until golden. Turn. Transfer to a 200°C oven for six to eight minutes. The glaze caramelises slightly differently but the result is excellent.
Can I make this with tofu instead of salmon?
Yes — firm tofu pressed dry and marinated in the same glaze for one to two hours, then grilled or baked at 200°C for twenty to twenty-five minutes, gives an excellent vegetarian version.
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