Miso Cod is world-famous as a Japanese seafood delicacy, but did you know that you can easily make it at home? The marinated black cod is so incredibly tender, sweet, and savory that my children could each finish one fillet when they were young! Today, I’ll teach you the simple steps so you can make this recipe for your friends and family, too. Looking for more delicious fish recipes? Try my Miso Salmon, Grilled Mackerel, and Teriyaki Salmon next!
Why I Love This Recipe
It requires only a few simple ingredients. The traditional marinade uses only 3 ingredients! I’ll show you how to substitute regular white miso if you can’t find Saikyo miso. Super easy prep for an elegant dish. With only 10 minutes of active prep time, you can sit back and relax while the fish marinates for 2 days. Then cook it for 20 minutes and serve. All in all, a fuss-free recipe! Meal prep-friendly! After marination, you can individually wrap the uncooked fish and store it in a freezer bag for up to 2–3 weeks. When ready to cook, just defrost it in the fridge. I love pre-marinating this fish during the busy holiday season.
Ingredients for Miso Cod
Skin-on sablefish fillets (gindara 銀ダラ; commonly referred to as black cod) Salt Sake – to clean the fish and remove its odor Marinade: Saikyo miso (Kyoto-style white miso) Mirin Sake
Find the printable recipe with measurements below. The preparation for this dish requires marination with a specific sweet white miso that originates from the Kyoto (formerly Saikyo) area. The marinade is called Saikyozuke (西京漬け) and includes just three ingredients: Saikyo miso (西京味噌), mirin, and sake. Once the fish is grilled, it’s called Saikyoyaki (西京焼き).
Substitutions
Saikyo miso – You can use regular white miso if you can’t find Saikyo miso. Simply add 1 Tbsp sugar for every 6 Tbsp white miso. Sablefish (black cod) – I buy fresh black cod from my local Japanese supermarket. You can also find sustainably caught Alaskan black cod from online seafood companies in the US. If you can’t get sablefish, I recommend using sea bass and salmon. Sake and mirin – For this recipe, do not replace the sake and mirin with water. If you use water instead, it can spoil during the lengthy marination and ruin the fish.
How to Make Miso Cod
Preparation
Step 1 – Salt the fish. Sprinkle kosher salt over the sablefish fillets and set it aside for 30 minutes to draw out the excess moisture and reduce the fish‘s odor. Step 2 – Make the marinade. Meanwhile, mix the Saikyo miso, sake, and mirin for the marinade. Mix to dissolve the miso completely and pour the marinade into a container. Step 3 – Marinate the fish. Pour sake over the fish to rinse off the salt and pat dry with a paper towel. Place the fish in the container and coat both sides with the marinade. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for 2–3 days.
Cooking
Step 4 – Wipe off the marinade completely. With your fingers, remove all the marinade from the fish. Place the fish skin side up on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone mat. Step 5 – Bake the fish. Preheat the oven to 400°F (200ºC) and bake until the surface is blistered and a bit charred and browned, about 20 minutes. You do not need to flip the fish. Step 6 – Serve. Carefully remove the fish with a spatula and discard any burnt miso from the fish. Serve immediately on individual plates. We always eat this dish with rice.
Variations and Customizations
Try it with sea bass or salmon. Black cod (sablefish) is known for its silky and tender rich texture and flavor, and is the preferred fish choice. If you can’t find it, sea bass and salmon also work well with this miso marinade. I alternate these three fish in my Saikyozuke and my family enjoys them equally. I don’t recommend fatty fish like tuna or mackerel due to the strong taste. Use other types of miso. You can try this recipe using another type of miso besides Saikyo miso or regular white miso. Since other miso types are saltier than white miso, please adjust the flavor by adding more mirin and/or sugar. You should also reduce the marination time to several hours or overnight.
What to Serve with Miso Cod
Miso cod makes an impressive main dish as part of a classic Japanese ichiju sansai dinner. Prep it ahead, bake in the oven, and dinner is ready. I would serve it with steamed rice, a side of greens, and a simple soup. Here are some recipes that pair well with this beautiful dish:
With soup – Homemade Miso Soup With vegetable sides – 21 Popular Japanese Vegetable Dishes With rice – How to Cook Japanese Rice in a Rice Cooker
Storage Tips
To store: You can keep the cooked leftovers in an airtight container and store it in the refrigerator for 3 days and in the freezer for up to a month. To freeze uncooked: If you want to pre-marinate your fish to cook later, wipe off the marinade completely and individually wrap the fish with plastic wrap. Store it in a freezer bag for up to 2–3 weeks. Defrost in the refrigerator before cooking.
More Miso-Flavored Fish Recipes
If you love this Miso Cod recipe, you’re in for a treat with these other irresistible miso-flavored fish recipes.
Miso Sea Bass – so buttery and easy! Saba Misoni (Mackerel Simmered in Miso) – tender and flavorful!
Editor’s Note: The post was originally published on September 21, 2011. The video and images were added in August 2018. The post was republished on October 31, 2024, with more helpful content.
