This miso butter salmon is a flavor packed dinner with tender salmon fillets coated in a delicious glaze of miso paste, butter, and honey. It's super easy to make in either the air fryer or oven.

A fillet of miso butter salmon, garnished with green onion slices.

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Years ago, during a visit to Tokyo, Japan, I had a salmon dish so delicious that I couldn't get it out of my head. It was marinated in a flavor that I just couldn't put my finger on, and I couldn't remember the Japanese name for it (now I know it is Sake no Misozuke).

It wasn't until I was enjoying a bowl of miso soup at a Japanese restaurant here at home, that I identified the flavor. I bought a tube of miso paste and have been making mushroom miso soup, and vegetable miso soup at home. But miso is a delicious flavor in more than just soup.

This miso butter salmon is my version of the dish I ate in Japan. I love using miso in many recipes, like this one, and my miso roasted sweet potatoes.

Miso butter salmon and cucumber salad on a black plate.

Why you'll love this

Flavor packed. The compound butter is a perfect balance of salty, sweet, and savory umami flavors.
Healthy. Salmon is a super food, loaded with protein, omega-3 fatty acids, vitamins, and minerals. Miso is a complete protein, containing lots of probiotics and essential minerals. Miso is quite salty, but we are only using a tablespoon here.
Quick and easy. This easy recipe takes just 20 minutes start to finish, using just a few simple ingredients. Perfect for a weeknight dinner!

Ingredient notes

Ingredient quantities and detailed instructions are in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.

Salmon. My favorite is wild sockeye salmon, but any salmon will be delicious. I prefer to use skin-on salmon fillets (or filets), because we love the crispy skin once it's cooked. However, feel free to use skinless salmon fillets.
Miso Paste. There are different types of miso. I have tested this recipe using white miso paste (Shiro miso), which is mild and slightly sweet. It turned out great but I wanted more flavor. So I tested it with red miso paste (Aka miso), which has a deeper, more intense flavor. I definitely prefer the flavor of red miso for this salmon glaze. If you are new to cooking with miso, you can try it with white miso first, or go with yellow miso (Shinshu miso), which is somewhere in between mild white miso and the more intense red miso. If you can't find miso paste in your local grocery store, it's available in many Asian grocery stores, or online.
Butter. Red miso is saltier, so I use unsalted butter for this miso butter sauce. The butter should be softened.
Honey. The sweetness of honey balances the intense, savory flavor of miso. You can also use brown sugar or agave syrup. I don't recommend maple syrup for this recipe.
Lemon juice.
Garlic.

The ingredients for this recipe on a wooden board.

How to make miso butter salmon

In a small bowl, mix room temperature butter, miso paste, honey, garlic and lemon juice.
Spread a thick layer of the miso sauce over on top of the salmon fillets.

Place salmon fillets in the air fryer basket, or on a baking sheet.
Air fry or bake until salmon is done.

Top Tips

Pat salmon fillets dry. It's important to pat the fillets dry with paper towel before adding the miso butter. This ensures the salmon gets a good sear.
Add spice. When I am cooking for my spice-loving family or friends, I add a ½ teaspoon of red pepper flakes to the miso butter. You can also add a teaspoon of grated ginger or a half teaspoon of dried.
Gluten free. This miso salmon recipe is gluten-free because the miso paste I'm using is made with rice. Miso is a fermented soybean paste, but usually also contains a grain like rice or millet. Check the labels if you need gluten-free miso. Look for wheat ingredients and don't buy mugi miso, which is made with barley and not gluten-free.
Salmon doneness. Salmon should be cooked to an internal temperature of 125°F to 130°F for a moist and juicy texture. The salmon should be opaque in color and easily flake with a fork. The best way to know for sure is to use an instant read thermometer, inserted into the thickest part of the fillet. Allow the fish to rest for a few minutes before serving. It will continue to cook after removing from the heat.

Looking for another delicious salmon recipe?

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Recipe

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Miso Butter Salmon

miso butter salmon is a flavor packed dinner with tender salmon fillets coated in a delicious glaze of miso paste, butter, and honey. It's super easy to make in either the air fryer or oven.

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Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Japanese

Diet: Gluten Free, Halal, Kosher

Prep Time: 10

Cook Time: 10

Total Time: 20

Servings: servings

Calories: 343kcal

Author: Colleen Milne

Ingredients

Instructions

In a small bowl, whisk together the softened butter, miso paste, honey, garlic, and lemon juice until smooth.
Spread the miso mixture in a thick layer over the salmon fillets.

Air Fryer Instructions

Preheat the air fryer to 400°
Lightly spray the air fryer basket with oil, or use silicone liners.
Place the salmon fillets, skin side down, in the air fryer basket, leaving space around them.
Air fry 8-11 minutes, depending on the thickness of the salmon fillets. I recommend checking at the 8 minute mark.

Oven Instructions

Preheat oven to 400°
Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or foil.
Place the salmon fillets on the baking sheet, skin side down, leaving space around them.
Bake 10-15 minutes.

Serve

Serve with rice and vegetables, garnished with sliced green onions and/or sesame seeds.

Notes

Pat salmon fillets dry. It's important to pat the fillets dry with paper towel before adding the miso butter. This ensures the salmon gets a good sear.
Add spice. When I am cooking for my spice-loving family or friends, I add a ½ teaspoon of red pepper flakes to the miso butter. You can also add a teaspoon of grated ginger or a half teaspoon of dried.
Gluten free. This miso salmon recipe is gluten-free because the miso paste I'm using is made with rice. Miso is a fermented soybean paste, but usually also contains a grain like rice or millet. Check the labels if you need gluten-free miso. Look for wheat ingredients and don't buy mugi miso, which is made with barley and not gluten-free.
Salmon doneness. Salmon should be cooked to an internal temperature of 125°F to 130°F for a moist and juicy texture. The salmon should be opaque in color and easily flake with a fork. The best way to know for sure is to use an instant read thermometer, inserted into the thickest part of the fillet. Allow the fish to rest for a few minutes before serving. It will continue to cook after removing from the heat.

Nutrition

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