Broiled Miso Honey Salmon For One

One of the easiest, most flavorful salmon recipes ever! Topped with a miso-honey glaze and broiled until crispy and caramelized, this salmon is an amazing 15-minute dinner for one. Serve with roasted broccoli or my quick fried rice for one for a great weeknight meal!

One of the many hills I’ve chosen to die on is that salmon is the perfect protein for cooking for one. 

It’s easy to find in grocery stores, you can freeze individually-sized portions that thaw quickly, it goes with just about any side dish and can be cooked and flavored in about a million different ways. 

Thank you for coming to my TED talk. 

In all seriousness, I LOVE salmon as evidenced here, here and here. And I will probably never stop coming up with recipes for this perfect little fish!

What you’ll need

The ingredient list is limited but every single thing packs a punch. 

Salmon: A 4-6 oz salmon is perfect for this - use 1 if you are just cooking for yourself or feel free to scale up this recipe and use more salmon fillets.

Miso paste: I find white miso to be the best for this dish as I think it tastes so delicious when mixed with honey. But if you have red or yellow miso that will work too, I’d just use a little less.

Honey: I use an equal amount of honey for this miso-honey marinade/glaze. If you don’t have honey, try maple syrup or brown sugar as a substitute!

Mirin: This is a Japanese cooking wine that is a little on the sweeter side. I love the flavor it adds here, but you can easily replace with rice vinegar or even lime juice in a pinch. 

Soy sauce: To add some saltiness and extra umami flavor.

Optional: When the salmon is done, you can garnish with sesame seeds, green onions and a light drizzle of sesame oil. But none of that is necessary. As-is, this miso salmon is perfect!

How to make miso honey salmon for one

1. Move rack to top third of your oven and heat broiler to high. If you don’t like using your broiler, preheat your oven to the highest temperature you are comfortable with.
2. Line a small baking sheet or unheated cast iron skillet with parchment paper for foil (I’d suggest the latter if you broiling just to avoid it getting too close to the flame).
3. Place salmon filet in center of the prepared baking sheet or skillet, skin side down. If you want you can season salmon with a little salt and olive oil (or another oil), but I do not find this to be necessary.
4. In a small bowl, whisk together miso paste, honey, mirin or vinegar, and soy sauce. Once combined, spoon miso glaze all over the top and sides of salmon. You want to cover as much of the flesh side as possible.
5. Broil salmon for 5-7 minutes, or until the internal temperature in the thickest part  reaches 125 degrees fahrenheit (for medium-rare). Add an extra minute or 2 if you want it more cooked. If baking instead of broiling, it will likely take about 10 minutes. 

Broiling vs. Baking Salmon

I love broiling because the super high, direct heat gives you a crispy, caramelized top without drying out the salmon as a result. Depending on your broiler, you might end up with some slightly burnt edges, but I happen to LOVE that. 

If broiling makes you a little nervous (I still get nervous!), you can absolutely bake this salmon and still end up with a delicious meal. Bake it at a high heat (425-450) and let it go until it’s perfectly cooked to your liking. 

Tip: The miso-honey glaze can make this salmon a little sticky when it comes out of the oven. I highly suggest having a fish spatula to help transfer the salmon from your pan!

Side dish ideas

You can easily just serve this salmon with some white rice or brown rice (or try my fried rice for one!) and call it a day, but if you’re looking for something extra (i.e. maybe a vegetable), try one of these:

• Roasted maple sesame broccoli (You can easily scale this recipe down for one, and just put it in the oven at the same time as your salmon. Since it will be lower in the oven, the heat won’t be as strong so it can still roast without burning!)
• Everyday roasted potatoes 
• Spicy Asian cucumber salad for one
• House salad
• 10-minute sauted kale
• Gochujang roasted sweet potatoes

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