Miso Salmon on Sautéed Spinach (Printable version)

Caramelized salmon with miso glaze over garlicky spinach with ginger

# What You'll Need:

→ For the Miso Salmon

01 - 4 salmon fillets, 5.3 oz each, skin-on or skinless
02 - 2 tablespoons white miso paste
03 - 1 tablespoon mirin or dry sherry
04 - 1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
05 - 1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup
06 - 1 teaspoon sesame oil
07 - 1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger

→ For the Sautéed Spinach

08 - 2 tablespoons olive oil or sesame oil
09 - 1 large shallot, thinly sliced
10 - 2 garlic cloves, minced
11 - 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, julienned
12 - 14 oz fresh baby spinach, washed and dried
13 - 1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
14 - Freshly ground black pepper to taste
15 - Lemon wedges for serving

# How to Make:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking tray with parchment paper.
02 - In a small bowl, whisk together miso paste, mirin, soy sauce, honey, sesame oil, and grated ginger until smooth and well combined.
03 - Pat salmon fillets dry with paper towels. Place them on the prepared baking tray. Brush generously with miso glaze on all sides.
04 - Bake salmon for 10 to 12 minutes, or until just cooked through and lightly caramelized on top.
05 - While salmon bakes, heat olive or sesame oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add shallot, garlic, and julienned ginger. Sauté for 1 to 2 minutes until fragrant.
06 - Add spinach in batches, stirring continuously until just wilted. Season with soy sauce and black pepper to taste.
07 - Divide sautéed spinach among plates, top each portion with a miso-glazed salmon fillet, and serve with lemon wedges.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Miso and salmon are a match made in umami heaven, and it's the kind of flavor pairing that makes you feel like you're eating at a proper restaurant.
  • The whole thing comes together in less time than it takes to order delivery, which means weeknight dinners stop feeling like a negotiation.
  • Spinach wilts right into tenderness while the salmon bakes, so you're really only juggling one pan instead of three.
02 -
  • Don't skip drying the salmon—wet fillets won't caramelize properly, and you'll end up with a glaze that slides around instead of sticking.
  • The spinach continues to release water even after it's wilted, so if you're not serving immediately, drain it gently or it'll pool on your plate.
03 -
  • Room temperature salmon cooks more evenly than cold salmon straight from the refrigerator, so take it out about ten minutes before you start cooking.
  • If your miso paste is chunky or stiff, whisking it with the mirin first before adding the other ingredients makes it smooth and spreadable.
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