Pan Seared Miso Salmon

I love a good pan-seared salmon dish, and this miso salmon with mushrooms variation is on a whole ‘nother level! I made this one for my man the other day, and I think he fell in love with me all over again. 😂

If you want to elevate your weeknight meal, I highly recommend giving this recipe a try. The flavors of the miso and mushroom glaze pair wonderfully with the tender and juicy salmon filet. I guarantee you will be keeping this recipe in your back pocket to make every week! Plus, it’s a one-pan meal so you can expect clean-up to be quick and easy.

Why you’ll love this recipe

This dish is heavily inspired by the flavors of Japanese cuisine, so the ingredients used are ones that you’d usually see in many Japanese recipes. The miso, sake, mirin, and shiitake mushrooms create an exquisite umami, sweet, and tangy flavor profile that goes beautifully with the salmon.

I’m using skin-on salmon for this recipe because that’s what I prefer but you can use skinless salmon filets as well. Once you have all of your ingredients prepared, it will only take you 20 minutes to make this dish. I make this recipe at least once a week because it’s incredibly delicious and also very easy to make!

How do I prepare Pan Seared Miso Salmon?

If you’re reading to make this mouth-watering this pan-seared miso salmon dish, follow these steps below:

Step 1: Make the miso glaze

To make the glaze, combine miso, sugar, sake, mirin, and soy sauce together in a bowl. Stir until they’re mixed well. Set aside while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.

Step 2: Prepare the shiitake mushrooms

Cut the shiitake mushrooms into ½ inch strips and set aside.

Step 3: Pan-fry the salmon

Heat the oil in a pan over medium-high heat. Season the salmon with salt and pepper, making sure both sides are evenly seasoned. Next, sprinkle all-purpose flour over the salmon, making sure to fully coat on all sides.

When the oil is hot, add the salmon skin side up. Let it cook for 3 to 5 minutes. Flip it and cook for another 2 to 4 minutes, depending on the thickness and your preferred doneness.

Step 4: Add the mushrooms

When the salmon is almost done, move it to the side of the pan and toss in the mushrooms. When the mushrooms have softened up, reduce the heat to low and add the miso glaze mixture on top.

Step 5: Serve!

Using a spoon, pour the miso mushroom glaze over the salmon. Once the sauce has slightly thickened, remove it from the heat and transfer the salmon to a plate. Don’t forget to garnish it with a generous amount of sesame seeds and scallions, Serve immediately and enjoy!

Cooking tips for Pan Seared Miso Salmon

Making this delicious pan-seared salmon dish is pretty straightforward so anyone can prepare this, even if you have no cooking experience. To help you make the perfect salmon every time, check out these tips:

• Be sure to pat the salmon filets dry with paper towels before seasoning and coating them in flour. 

• For medium doneness, cook a ½-inch thick salmon filet for a total of 5 to 6 minutes. For 1 ½ to 2 inches thick filets, cook for a total of 6 to 7 minutes.

• If the miso glaze is too thick, add a tablespoon of water to loosen it up. But if the glaze is too thin, cook it down until it thickens to your desired consistency.

• If the glaze is taking too long to reduce, remember to transfer the salmon out of the pan first to prevent it from overcooking. Once the glaze has thickened to your desired consistency, just spoon it over the salmon. 

Ingredient substitutions

Shiitake mushrooms: earthy shiitake mushrooms are a staple in Japanese cuisine, but you can also substitute them with any mushrooms of your choice, including button, portobello, king oyster, or porcini mushrooms.

All-purpose flour: coating the salmon with all-purpose flour is key for locking in moisture, but you can also use cornstarch or potato starch.

Neutral oil: any neutral-tasting oil works for pan-searing the salmon including:

• avocado oil
• canola oil
• vegetable oil
• sunflower seed oil
• grapeseed oil
• peanut oil
• corn oil

White miso: the umami taste that derives from white miso can be a bit difficult to replicate so I don’t recommend substituting this. 

Sake: a small amount of sake can round out the flavors of the glaze, but also use dry sherry or Chinese cooking wine. 

Mirin: mirin adds a sweet and tangy flavor to the miso glaze, but you can also replace it with a mixture of sake and sugar, or use Chinese cooking wine.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is miso made of?

Miso is a type of paste that’s made out of soybeans, salt, rice, or barley and fermented with a mold, called koji for a few weeks or years. Depending on the variety, miso paste can have a chunky texture or be smooth like peanut butter. A good-quality miso paste should have an excellent combination of earthy, salty, and umami flavors. For this recipe, I used white miso or ‘shio miso’ which is the lightest variety out of all the miso pastes. This miso paste is commonly used as a base for miso soup, but you can also prepare sauces and glazes with it – like this recipe! I prefer using white miso because it complements the salmon without overpowering it. 

What is mirin?

Mirin is a type of Japanese rice wine that is often added to many Japanese dishes, including ramen, teriyaki, and udon. It’s made from glutinous rice, koji, and shochu (a type of sweet potato alcohol). To create its complex sweet, tangy, and umami flavors, mirin is fermented for 40 to 60 days, and it can contain up to 14 percent of alcohol. Since it can be a bit difficult to get authentic mirin outside of Japan, you can sometimes see them sold as “aji-mirin” in your local Asian stores. Aji-mirin usually contains more sweeteners but they would also work for this recipe if it’s the only thing you could find!

Where can you buy sake?

Sake is a popular Japanese alcohol that’s made from fermented rice. You can usually find them at your local liquor shop or most Japanese grocery stores. Since there are plenty of types of sake, make sure to choose one that you enjoy drinking. Considering you’ll only need to add 3 tablespoons for the miso glaze, you can also drink the rest while you’re enjoying this dish!

Can you store and reheat this Pan Seared Miso Salmon?

If you have any leftover salmon, you can store it in an airtight container in the fridge and it will stay good for 4 to 5 days. To reheat it, place the salmon and glaze in a pan and heat it over medium-low heat until it’s warmed through. You can also place the dish in the microwave for 1 to 2 minutes depending on the thickness of the salmon. 

Looking for more easy and delicious fish recipes? Look no further!

If you’re a salmon lover like me, you’re going to want to save these recipes and put them on a rotation for quick and easy meals!

1. Shiozake (Japanese Salted Salmon) – this super simple yet delicious meal only requires 3 ingredients – salmon, salt, and sake. It can be prepared in advance and stored in the freezer for a quick, satisfying meal. 

2. Miso Marinated Cod – this recipe is inspired by Nobu’s miso black cod recipe without the outrageous price tag. You can prepare this recipe in advance for a quick, delicious, and healthy meal any day of the week!

3. Spicy Salmon Poke Bowl – this is the perfect recipe to make when you’re feeling lazy and want a delicious lunch or dinner. If you have extra cooked rice laying around, you can easily whip this up in 10 minutes!

4. Pan Seared Salmon with Crispy Skin – if you want more variety for your pan-seared salmon, I highly recommend checking this recipe out. The salmon is served with a light and creamy avocado crema and Thai chili frisée salad.

5. Salmon Sashimi Rice Bowl – this salmon sashimi rice bowl is one of my favorite ways to make a quick and easy meal! Only a few simple ingredients are needed to make this delicious 10-minute meal.

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*Disclosure: I only recommend products I would use myself and all opinions expressed here are my own. This post may contain affiliate links that where I may earn a small commission, at no additional cost to you. *