Miso Salmon Bowl

No ratings yet

Miso Salmon Bowl with ponzu dressing, avocado, edamame, seaweed salad, and sushi rice. A fresh, flavor-packed weeknight dinner ready in just 25 minutes.

Prep Time15

Cook Time10

Total Time25

Course: Main Course, Dinner

Cuisine: Asian, Fusion, Asian

Servings: people

Author: Gaby Dalkin

Ingredients

2 salmon fillets about 5 to 6 ounces each
2 tablespoon white miso paste
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon honey or maple
1 teaspoon rice vinegar

For the Bowls

2 cups cooked sushi rice
1 avocado sliced
½ cup shelled edamame thawed if frozen
½ cup seaweed salad
3 scallions sliced
¼ cup cilantro

Ponzu dressing

3 tablespoon ponzu
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon sesame oil
Pinch chili flakes optional

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a small baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a small bowl, whisk together the white miso, soy sauce, honey, and rice vinegar until smooth. Pat the salmon fillets dry with paper towels and spread the miso glaze evenly over the top and sides of each fillet. Let marinate for 10 to 15 minutes.
Place the salmon on the prepared baking sheet and bake for 8 to 10 minutes until the salmon is cooked through and the glaze is caramelized. For extra color, broil on high for the last 1 to 2 minutes, watching closely.
While the salmon bakes, whisk together all the ponzu dressing ingredients in a small bowl. Set aside.
Divide the warm sushi rice between two bowls. Top each bowl with a salmon fillet, sliced avocado, edamame, seaweed salad, scallions, and cilantro. Drizzle the ponzu dressing generously over each Miso Salmon Bowl and serve immediately.

Notes

Pat the salmon completely dry before spreading on the miso marinade. Excess moisture on the surface of the fish will dilute the miso glaze and prevent it from caramelizing properly during cooking. A dry surface means better adhesion and a more flavorful crust.
Use white miso, not red or brown, for this glaze. White miso has a milder, sweeter flavor profile with lower salt content, which keeps the glaze from turning bitter or overly salty when it hits the heat of the oven or pan. Red miso will overpower every other component in the bowl.
Do not marinate the salmon for longer than 30 minutes. Miso is high in salt, and extended contact will begin to cure the exterior of the fish, changing its texture to something mealy and dense rather than silky and flaky. Ten to fifteen minutes is the sweet spot.
If pan searing, use a combination of olive oil and a tiny bit of butter in the pan. The butter accelerates browning on the miso-coated surface through the Maillard reaction and adds a richness that pure olive oil cannot replicate. Keep the heat at medium-high and do not move the salmon once it hits the pan.
Spread the cooked sushi rice in a wide, shallow bowl to cool slightly before assembling. Piling hot rice directly under cold toppings like avocado and seaweed salad will cause the avocado to oxidize faster and make the seaweed salad go limp almost immediately. A couple of minutes of cooling makes a noticeable difference.
Slice the avocado right before serving, not in advance. Avocado begins oxidizing and turning brown within minutes of being cut. If you are meal prepping, store the avocado half uncut with the pit in, wrapped tightly in plastic wrap, and slice it fresh at assembly time.
Whisk the ponzu dressing with sesame oil last, just before drizzling. Sesame oil loses its aromatic punch quickly once agitated and mixed. Adding it at the last moment ensures the nutty, toasted fragrance is at full strength when it hits the bowl.
Warm the edamame briefly in a dry skillet or the microwave before adding it to the bowl. Cold edamame pulled straight from the freezer or refrigerator creates a jarring temperature contrast against the warm rice and freshly cooked salmon. A quick 60 seconds of heat brings everything into harmony.
Slice scallions on a sharp bias rather than straight across. A bias cut creates a longer, more elegant piece that holds its shape under the ponzu dressing and adds a visual layering effect to the bowl. Straight rounds tend to sink and disappear into the other toppings.

Nutrition