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This miso, honey, soy, garlic, and ginger glazed cod is perfectly cooked at lightning speed. It takes longer to cook the accompaniments than it does to get your gorgeous main dish on the table and it’s perfect for either a quiet dinner at home or entertaining during Lent. 
I love fish. Love. It. I love it pretty much any which way I’ve ever had it. If you wave a perfectly cooked steak and a perfectly cooked piece of fish in front of me and ask me to choose, what would I do? Well, I’d try to figure out if I could knock you over and run away with both, first, but if that wasn’t optional due to your strength relative to mine or too many witnesses, I’d go for the fish nearly every time.
Why do I like fish so much? There are many reasons, including how effectively it serves as a vehicle for just about any flavour profile I care to tag onto it, how fast it cooks (I seldom make fish dishes that take more than 30 minutes from start to finish), and how healthy it is. A big factor, too, is that I love how it makes me feel full and completely satisfied without making me feel like my stomach is weighing me down.
With all this in mind, you can understand how excited I was when Alaska Seafood contacted me and offered to send me some of their freshly caught cod. I about broke my fingers trying to type “yes!” as fast as I could. When the shipment arrived yesterday and I saw how gorgeous and fresh the cod was, I knew I had to treat it with the respect it was due and come up with a beautiful way to showcase it. I polled the Foodie with Family facebook community and asked what you all would do with it. Two people responded “miso glazed cod”. DINGDINGDINGDINGDING.
Now y’all, I love fish and chips. We covered that at the beginning of this post. But this fish was so fresh and so beautiful I just couldn’t bread it and deep fry it on my inaugural effort with it. (Don’t worry, fish and chips are forthcoming. Really!) The miso glaze suggestion was the perfect way to highlight the perfection of the fish. I opted to make the glaze sticky, tangy, savoury, garlicky and gingery, with the sweetness of the honey matching the sweetness of the cod.
I lined a pan with foil and laid out my cod filets then whisked together the glaze ingredients and brushed a little bit over the tops of the cod filets. Into the refrigerator for thirty minutes they went to let them absorb the flavours while I got my rice on and steamed my broccoli. I heated my broiler to high, put an oven rack about eight inches away from the broiler element, tossed some beech mushrooms with oil and salt and scattered them around the cod filets. Under the broiler it went just for long enough to make the glaze bubbly and slightly charred in spots. I pulled the pan from the oven, killed the broiler, and turned the heat to 375°F, brushed the remaining glaze on and popped the pan back into the oven for a handful of minutes, pulling the pan as soon as the filets were opaque in the center and flaking easily under a fork. It was just that easy to have a meal that was restaurant worthy.
Cook’s Notes:
- I use white miso paste in this recipe. It is pretty widely available at better stocked grocery stores with decent Asian sections, Asian markets, health food stores, and my beloved Amazon.com (Click here for an Amazon.com affiliate link to purchase !)
One package of miso lasts just shy of forever when properly stored in the refrigerator and adds great flavour to many dishes. It’s wonderful to have on hand! Please note, traditional Korean cuisine usually uses Doenjang in place of miso, but miso is similar (if milder) and far easier to find! - If your broiler is anemic in power, you can turn to one of my favourite kitchen tools to help bubble and char your glaze: a blowtorch. I’m not saying you have to go out and buy one of those adorable little chef’s torches (although, if you want to, do so by all means.) I’m talking about the $10 number from Walmart that uses a mini propane tank about the size of a 1 liter bottle of seltzer. Just get your flame on and pass it over the surface of the glazed fish until it bubbles up and chars in places then continue baking as directed. Voila! Problem solved!
- I used beech mushrooms here (available at most Asian markets and many well-stocked produce departments.) If you’re unable to find them, you can use baby button mushrooms halved, or thinly sliced regular sized button or crimini mushrooms. Oooor, if you’re not a fan, omit them entirely. I think they compliment the fish beautifully.
One package of miso lasts just shy of forever when properly stored in the refrigerator and adds great flavour to many dishes. It’s wonderful to have on hand! Please note, traditional Korean cuisine usually uses Doenjang in place of miso, but miso is similar (if milder) and far easier to find!
Korean Miso and Honey Glazed Cod
This miso, honey, soy, garlic, and ginger glazed cod is perfectly cooked at lightning speed. It takes longer to cook the accompaniments than it does to get your gorgeous main dish on the table and it's perfect for either a quiet dinner at home or entertaining during Lent.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds fresh cod *See notes or thawed, previously frozen cod
- 2 tablespoons mild honey
- 1 1/2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon gochujang **See notes
- 1 tablespoon white miso paste
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce
- 2 garlic cloves peeled and minced or pressed through a garlic press
- 1 teaspoon grated ginger
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- Optional: Beech mushrooms separated from their base, tossed in 1 teaspoon canola or peanut oil and a pinch of salt ***See notes
For Serving:
- hot cooked rice
- steamed broccoli
- toasted sesame seeds
- thinly sliced green onions
Instructions
- Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and oil it or spray it with non-stick cooking spray. Arrange the cod filets on the baking sheet.
- In a small bowl, whisk together or use a fork to combine the honey, vinegar, gochujang, miso, soy sauce, garlic, ginger and sesame oil. Separate out about 2 tablespoons of the mixture and brush it over the fish. Let the fish rest in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes but up to an hour to let the fish marinate.
- Preheat your broiler to HIGH with a rack placed about 8 inches below the element. Scatter the prepared beech mushrooms around the fish filets and slide the pan onto the rack. Broil the fish for 3 to 5 minutes, or until the glaze is bubbly and charred in places. Remove the pan from the oven and turn the oven off of broil and up to 375°F. Brush the remaining glaze over the fish and return the pan to the oven for 5 to 10 minutes, depending on the thickness of your filets, or until they are opaque and flake easily with a fork.
- Serve over rice and steamed broccoli and garnish with toasted sesame seeds and thinly sliced green onions.
Recipe Notes
If your cod filets are quite large, you will want to cut them into pieces that are about 4 inches at their largest point. The more evenly you can cut them, the more evenly they will cook. Also, if your cod is skin on, prepare it with the skin side down and then slide it from the skin before serving.
*If you cannot find gochujang, you can substitute chili garlic sauce or sambal oelek. It will be slightly spicier, but still good.
***If you cannot find beech mushrooms, you can halve 1 cup of baby button or crimini mushrooms or thinly slice larger button or crimini mushrooms.
Having trouble finding Miso Paste or Gochujang? Click the preceding links and you can order them from my buddy Amazon.com
Fun fact: If you order this miso paste, they will ship ten free pairs of chopsticks to you!
Originally posted March 7, 2014.
Paula-bell'alimento says
Oh girl. You have outdone yourself. This. This is stellar.
Rebecca says
Aw shucks. Thank you!
Courtney @ Neighborfood says
This fish is GORGEOUS! I love fish too but hardly ever make it at home (doh!). That definitely needs to change. Also, give me any excuse to break out the blow torch in the kitchen and I’ll be happy.
Rebecca says
You and me both with the blowtorch! Makes me feel all tough. 😀 And you SHOULD make fish at home!! This fish!
Meredith In Sock Monkey Slippers says
I was just thinking about miso cod the other day! Love this recipe!
Rebecca says
Thanks, Meredith! It’s definitely going on repeat rotation around here!
Charbel says
This looks delicious! I just bought some cod, and may have to try this out. Thanks!
Rebecca says
Oh, do try it! It’s so, so, so good!
Lauren @ Climbing Grier Mountain says
Um, this is beautiful!!! I really need to up my fish rotation and I’m thinking this cod is the perfect start!
Tanya Schroeder says
See, I am not a steak fan. But fish.. oh yes! It will every time! I adore this glaze…I could eat ginger every day and be happy! And I may have to invest in a mini blow torch, just for fun!
Whitney @ Jewhungry says
This looks SOOOO incredibly fresh and delicious. Girl, I want some Alaskan Cod! Think they’d ship to Miami?
Rebecca says
I bet they could! 😀 And thanks!
Kim Beaulieu says
This looks absolutely spectacular. I want to make this asap.
Christie - Food Done Light says
What a gorgeous recipe. I love finding different ways to use miso. This shoulds like the perfect way to add it
cheri says
Cod with miso, wow! genius!
Bonnie says
Stunning pictures and great recipe – thanks for sharing!
Bonnie
Amy @Very Culinary says
That looks incredible, Bec. Wow.
Rebecca says
Thanks, sweetie! It was so bleepin’ good.
John says
Looks like a great way to spice up cod
Carol at Wild Goose Tea says
I like in Washington State. Alaskan cod is readily available. I am super glad
that you didn’t bread it. I see lots of delicious recipes I know I will never have
the opportunity to make, since I am no longer cooking for a family. BUT this
one does not fall in that category. Easy and luscious and GUILT FREE as far
as calories.
Rebecca says
I am a big fan of glazed or broiled or grilled fish because I like the fish to shine through. (I’ll admit it, though, I love breaded fish, too. I have one that’s coming up that’s breaded on one side!)
DP | hungry wanderlust says
I’m always looking for new fish recipes and this looks really yummy. I haven’t cooked with miso paste before so I will have to try this sometime!
Rebecca says
It gives it a nice nutty, savoury kind of quality. It’s like umami paste!
Brenda @ a farmgirl's dabbles says
I want to make this!!!
karyn rukin says
My beloved Hates fish. I know how can that be? So I made this for him. He made a face and I just said you have to taste it before you say no. He did and now we have lover of THIS fish. Baby steps.
Rebecca says
GET OUT! That is so fantastic!
Rach's Recipes says
Because I absolutely love gochu jang, I used two tablespoons instead of one. I love me a little heat. I also went with your recommendation for Beech mushrooms. This dish was superb. Thank you for sharing.
Li says
this was perfect! i wanted to find a quick/easy recipe for cod, and this was acceptably spicy for the husband, and sweet enough to cancel out the spice for me! the torch (which i have from making creme brulee) made the perfect finishing touch! thank you so much for sharing!!
Rebecca says
I’m so glad you liked it, Li!
Suz says
The flavor of the glaze was quite nice. It isn’t spicy in the mouth burning sense. It works well on the cod we had in the freezer.
We think it would shine on chicken thighs or glazed onto baked chicken wings (baked out to develop the crispness in the skin, not flabbiness). Keeping this in the recipe files for future use.
The sweetness is just right. It’s not sticky sweet.
Rebecca says
Thanks so much! I’m glad you loved it.
Momof3 says
How do I make this recipe using prepackagedindividual pieces of frozen cod? Thanks!!!
Rebecca says
Hi Momof3! I’d recommend thawing the fish and following the rest of the instructions. If the filets are thin, you’ll want to start testing them for doneness sooner. 🙂
Momof3 says
Thanks!
Baladan Cho says
What’s Korean about this recipe?
You used a Japanese style miso paste…
Rebecca says
Hi Baladan Cho,
At the time I wrote this recipe, I couldn’t get Doenjang where I lived. Fortunately, I can now get it, so I’d sub it in for the miso, but it doesn’t suffer from being there. And as for what’s Korean about it, I took inspiration from some classic flavours in Korean cuisine: gochujang, doenjang, soy sauce, sesame oil, scallions, ginger, garlic…(I also used honey in place of malt syrup because I couldn’t find that where I live, either!)