Miso-Glazed Salmon with Sesame Spinach
Broiled salmon brushed with a sweet-savory miso glaze, served alongside quick sesame-tossed spinach.
This is a simplified version of nitsuke-style glazed fish, built for a weeknight rather than a special occasion. A few minutes of marinating in miso, a touch of honey, and rice vinegar does most of the work, and the broiler finishes it with a lightly caramelized top in under ten minutes.
Salmon brings a solid dose of omega-3 fats, which is why this fits well for anyone thinking about heart health, and the fillet-sized portions here land at a genuinely high-protein number per serving without needing a huge cut of fish. The sesame spinach on the side adds iron, folate, and a nutty crunch that balances the richness of the glaze.
Look for a gluten-free miso paste and swap in tamari for the marinade if you're avoiding wheat; both are easy to find and don't change the flavor here at all.
Ingredients
- 4 salmon fillets — about 5 oz each
- 3 tbsp white miso paste — gluten-free if needed
- 1 tbsp honey
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
- 10 oz baby spinach
- 1 tbsp sesame seeds — toasted
- 1 clove garlic — minced
- 1 tsp tamari — for the spinach
These ingredients are common at South Asian grocers; a well-stocked international supermarket usually carries them too.
Instructions
- 1Whisk together the miso, honey, rice vinegar, and sesame oil. Brush over the salmon fillets and let sit 15 minutes at room temperature.
- 2Preheat the broiler and place the salmon on a lined baking sheet. Broil 6-8 minutes until the glaze is bubbling and lightly charred at the edges.
- 3Meanwhile, warm a splash of water in a wide skillet, add garlic and spinach, and cook just until wilted, about 2 minutes.
- 4Toss the wilted spinach with tamari and toasted sesame seeds.
- 5Serve the glazed salmon over the sesame spinach.