Spicy Miso Salmon with Ginger Garlic Couscous
This simple fish dish is easy to make but feels restaurant quality and incorporates all the major flavor profiles: sweet, spicy, salty, savory, umame, and sour
Ingredients
Salmon and Marinade
- 4 filets salmon
- 3 Tbsp white/lite miso paste
- 3 Tbsp lite soy sauce or coconut aminos
- 3 Tbsp rice wine vinegar
- 2 tsp toasted sesame oil
- 1-3 tsp sriracha (to taste)
- 2 Tbsp honey
Ginger Garlic Couscous
- 1 cup Israeli couscous
- 1 Tbsp butter
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 2 Tbsp fresh ginger, grated (about a 2" piece)
- 3 bunches scallions, sliced with green and white parts separated
- salt and pepper to taste
- ¼ cup Persian cucumber, diced
Quick Pickled Onions
- ½ small red onion, sliced in thin 1 inch pieces
- 3 Tbsp rice wine vinegar
- 1 tsp white sugar
Honey Sriracha Mayo
- 2 Tbsp sriracha
- 2 Tbsp mayo, preferably a Japanese mayo such as Kewpie
- 1 tsp honey
- Optional: toasted sesame seeds for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
- Prepare the salmon marinade by whisking miso paste, sesame oil, sriracha, rice wine vinegar, sesame oil, honey, and soy sauce (coconut aminos) together in a small bowl.
- Place salmon filets in a shallow dish and pour miso sauce over top. Allow to marinade for 20-30 minutes.
- While fish marinates, prepare your other ingredients. To make the honey sriracha sauce, mix mayo, sriracha, and honey in a small bowl. Add a teaspoon or so of water to give the sauce a "drizzly" consistency.
- Once salmon is done marinating, place each salmon filet in a foil packet with a few spoonfuls of sauce/marinade over top. Seal the packet and bake for 25 minutes.
- Start your couscous while fish bakes. Add a tablespoon of butter to a medium pot over medium high heat. Once melted, add scallion whites and cook for 1-2 minutes. Add grated ginger and minced garlic and cook about 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Add dry couscous and toss to fully coat in butter and toast slightly, 2-3 minutes. Add 1 ½ cups of water and a big pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover and cook an additional 15-18 minutes until liquid is fully absorbed.
- To make your quick pickled red onions, put red onion pieces, 3 tablespoons rice vinegar, and 1 teaspoon white sugar in a microwave safe bowl. Toss to coat fully. Microwave on high for 3 minutes until onions are soft and bright pink. Pour off any excess vinegar and set aside to cool slightly.
- When couscous is done, add diced cucumbers and pickled red onions. Add additional salt and pepper as needed.
- When salmon is done baking, spoon a teaspoon of cooked marinade over top and remove from foil packet.
- To service, place salmon filet over a healthy portion of couscous. Drizzle with honey sriracha mayo, and garnish with scallion greens and optional sesame seeds. Serve immediately.