Miso Salmon on Sautéed Spinach (Printable)

Tender salmon with sweet miso glaze atop ginger-infused sautéed spinach for a nutritious Japanese-inspired meal.

# 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

# Directions:

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 well combined.
03 - Pat the salmon fillets dry with paper towels. Place them on the prepared baking tray. Brush generously with miso glaze on both sides.
04 - Bake salmon for 10 to 12 minutes, or until just cooked through and lightly caramelized on top.
05 - While the 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 constantly until just wilted. Season with soy sauce and freshly ground black pepper.
07 - Divide sautéed spinach among plates, top each portion with miso-glazed salmon, and serve with lemon wedges.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The miso glaze caramelizes into something almost crispy while the salmon stays silky underneath, which sounds like kitchen magic but is honestly just science working in your favor.
  • Dinner feels fancy and restaurant-quality, but you're really just letting the oven do most of the work while you wilt some spinach.
02 -
  • The miso glaze will look like it's browning too much about halfway through cooking, but that's actually caramelization happening, not burning—trust it and let it go the full time, because pale glaze tastes timid.
  • If your salmon fillets are particularly thick, they might need two extra minutes, but add time conservatively because overcooked salmon turns grainy and disappointing, and you can't undo that.
03 -
  • Pat your salmon fillets completely dry before glazing—this tiny step is the difference between a glaze that clings and one that slides off into a puddle.
  • Don't skip the lemon wedges; they're not a garnish, they're a necessary component that brightens the umami and makes your palate happy.
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