Miso Glaze Spiced Thai Coconut Salmon
Looking for a touch of Asian inspiration, made irresistibly easy? Here’s a practical, convenient weeknight air fryer dinner featuring a miso glaze that’s rich in subtle flavour and fragrance – and elegantly simple to make!
This miso glaze spiced Thai coconut salmon features the sweetness of fresh coconut, the mild spiciness of chilli, and the appetite-inducing tang of miso and rice vinegar. There’s something about Thai-themed cuisine, with its subtle symphony of surprising contrasts that always intrigues the tastebuds and invariably has people asking for seconds.
The good news is that this healthy, tasty little gem is super easy to prepare – and best of all, it’s a one-pan meal, so there’s minimal fuss and less washing up, too.
For a truly authentic touch, you might want to consider preparing a portion of rice to accompany your miso glaze salmon bake – and for this dish, we recommend Thai Jasmine rice, of course.
For The Best Miso Glaze
A little preparation goes a long way. It’s best to cover the salmon pieces in the marinade early on so they can absorb as much of that incredible flavour as possible – but the good news is that it doesn’t have to be a production. You have two options: you could prepare your easy 3-ingredient marinade a few hours beforehand and pop it all into the fridge, or you can do it on the go, by simply placing the salmon portions into the marinade for a few minutes while you’re busy prepping the rest of the dish.
That said, it’s a good idea to let your salmon marinate for as long as possible. By letting it absorb more of the marinade, you’ll achieve better flavour penetration, which means a beautifully burnished and lacquered miso glazed fish finish every time.
Amazing Glaze
If you’re not used to cooking salmon, you might feel a little hesitant about how best to achieve the delicate, flaky texture you want – along with the deep, burnished miso glaze lacquer that adds an attractive aesthetic while locking in taste. As with most fish, the key to spectacular results lies in cooking your salmon at the right temperature for the optimum length of time. We’ve made it really simple, and using an air fryer is actually a great option here, because you can regulate everything pretty easily without too much variance.
Once you’ve tried this recipe a few times, you’ll want to experiment a little, because even though you’ll get consistently great results, cooking a dish like this is as much an art as a science – and it’s fun.
Do I Have to Use Salmon?
In a word: no.
This recipe is really versatile and works equally well with almost any choice of fish. In fact, we used both salmon and stone bass in our test kitchen – with equally spectacular results. And if you’d like to use a flatter fish fillet (like hake), you can simply adjust the cooking time as you check the progress.
Whichever you decide to use, the core ingredients remain the same, and the beautifully fragrant coconut cook-in sauce gives you a rich, full taste no matter what your preference – along with beautiful, burnished miso glaze.
If you enjoy incorporating coconut into your cooking, why not explore some of our other recipes that also showcase the versatile ingredient? Check them out here.
Did you try out this recipe? Let us know! Go ahead and leave a comment and a rating and remember to tag your photo with #theculinarycartel on Instagram – we’d love to see it! Watch the full video here.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is this dish gluten-free?
Yes, and it’s a wonderfully low-GI dinner option as well – especially if you choose to omit the rice.
Can I use other types of fish?
Yes, you can. The miso glaze comes out equally well on different types of fish. The most important consideration is cooking duration: the thicker the cut, the longer the cooking time. Make a point of checking as you go, especially if you’re trying something new.
Do I need to be an expert to make this dish?
The wonderful thing about this miso glaze recipe is its simplicity and reliability. Rest assured, at The Culinary Cartel, we’re all about giving you smart, attractive meal options that anybody can produce with confidence.
Miso Glazed Spiced Thai Coconut Salmon
- Total Time: < 30 minutes
- Yield: Serves 2
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
Looking for a touch of Asian inspiration, made irresistibly easy? Here’s a practical, convenient weeknight air fryer dinner featuring a miso glaze that’s rich in subtle flavour and fragrance – and elegantly simple to make!
Ingredients
Fish Options
- 2 x 160g portions of fish (salmon, cod, stone bass or hake will all work well here)
Marinade
- 1 tbsp miso
- 1 tsp rice vinegar
- 1 tbsp honey
Sauce Ingredients
- 1 medium white onion, peeled, halved, and very thinly sliced
- 2 cloves garlic, grated or finely chopped
- 2 tsp fresh ginger, peeled and grated
- 1 red chilli, seeds removed, finely chopped
- 1/2–3/4 tin coconut milk (use as much as your dish will accommodate)
- 1 lime
Greens & Garnish
- 60g baby spinach, washed
- A small handful of coriander to garnish (roughly 2g)
If you prefer, you can also add a portion of steamed rice for serving. *Optional
Instructions
- Start by marinating the fish. Add the miso, rice vinegar and honey to a container and stir until combined. Add the fish portions, turning them to cover them completely in the marinade. Leave to marinade while preparing your ingredients, or ideally set aside for a few hours in the fridge.
Chef’s tip: Longer immersion in the marinade will make for better flavour and a more satisfying lacquer on your salmon – check out the short article above to find out why! - Prep the onion, ginger and red chilli. Mince the garlic and zest the lime. Place the onions, chilli, lime zest, garlic and ginger into a baking dish, then toss with a drizzle of oil.
- Let’s cook
Air Fryer:
Place the baking dish into the air fryer. Set the timer to 190C and the time to 10-12 minutes. Once the air fryer beeps to indicate that it has preheated, open the drawer and pour the coconut milk over the wilted onions and aromatics. Close the basket and cook until the onions have softened, and the sauce has reduced.
Oven:
Place the baking dish into the cold oven. Turn the oven to 190C on convection and allow it to preheat. Once the onions have softened and the oven is at temperature, pour the coconut milk over the wilted onions and aromatics. Close the oven door and cook until the onions have softened, and the sauce has reduced. About 15-20 minutes. - Once the time is up, taste the sauce, and season with juice from half your zested lime, as well as salt and pepper. Add more lime juice as needed, then save the remaining lime half for serving.
- Add the baby spinach to the coconut sauce and gently stir through to mix it in. Place your fish on top of the spinach and spoon a little of the miso marinade over the fillets.
- Air fry for 5-8 minutes at 200C, depending on the thickness of the fish portions. Please note: time may vary between air fryers. Add more time as needed.
or
Oven: Place the dish into the oven, and increase the heat to 210C. Cook until the fish is cooked through to your liking and flakes easily when gently pressed with a fork. Time will vary based on your fish fillets, but this will take about 5-10 minutes, - Once ready to serve, divide your rice into bowls, then top with a portion of fish, some spicy coconutty sauce and fresh coriander. Add a wedge of your leftover fresh lime to each plate to squeeze over the dish.
Notes
Chef’s tip: Longer immersion in the marinade will make for better flavour and a more satisfying lacquer on your salmon – check out the short article above to find out why!
- Prep Time: 5-10 minutes
- Cook Time: 18-20 minutes
- Category: Quick and Easy
- Method: Air Fry
- Cuisine: Seafood
