Seafood

Serving

Seafood Quick & easy

Miso-Glazed Cod

Name: Miso-Glazed Cod
Total time: 25 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Seafood
Ingredients: 4 cod fillets (6 oz each); 1/4 cup white miso paste; 2 tbsp mirin; 2 tbsp sake or dry white wine; 2 tbsp granulated sugar; 1 tsp sesame oil; 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds; 2 scallions, thinly sliced

Flaky cod fillets marinated in a sweet-savory miso glaze and broiled until caramelized on top, inspired by Japanese izakaya cooking.

25 minutes

Serves 4

Dinner

11 min prep

19 min cook

Contains common allergens

Fish Seafood Sesame Soy

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Good to know

Ready in under 30 minutes

Matched from this dish's own ingredients and timing. Browse more: 30-minute meals

Instructions

6 steps

1
Whisk together miso paste, mirin, sake, sugar, and sesame oil in a bowl.
2
Coat cod fillets in the marinade and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or up to overnight.
3
Preheat the broiler and line a baking sheet with foil.
4
Wipe excess marinade from the fillets and place on the baking sheet.
5
Broil 6-8 minutes until the top is caramelized and fish flakes easily.
6
Garnish with sesame seeds and scallions before serving.

Miso-Glazed Cod — plated and served — Serving moment. How Miso-Glazed Cod looks plated and ready to eat — a representative photo, not a step in the recipe.

Listahan Family Score™

63/100

Works for many families

Allergen-friendly 60

Kid-friendly 55

Weeknight-easy 86

Budget-friendly 72

Great leftovers 50

Pantry-friendly 41

Score reflects how well this recipe fits a typical busy household. In the app, your Family Score is personalized to your household's allergens, kids, and pantry.

Nutrition

per serving

100

Calories

2 g

Protein

15 g

Carbs

3 g

Fat

Estimated per serving. Actual values depend on the brands and portions you use.

Listahan cooking guide

Chef notes & practical guide

Technique notes, ingredient swaps, serve-alongside ideas, storage guidance, and equipment for this recipe.

Cultural context

Miso-marinated fish traces back to Japanese izakaya cooking, most famously in the black cod dishes popularized by chef Nobu Matsuhisa, but the technique works beautifully on more everyday, affordable fish like cod. The marinade does the work of both seasoning and tenderizing before the broiler adds a lacquered top.

Listahan note

This version uses cod rather than the pricier black cod so the technique is accessible for a weeknight, while still delivering that same sweet-savory caramelized top.

Technique cues

Marinate for at least 30 minutes, but the flavor deepens significantly if you can leave it overnight.
Wipe excess marinade off the fillets before broiling — a heavy coating burns before the fish finishes cooking.
Watch the broiler closely in the last two minutes; the sugar in the marinade caramelizes quickly and can go from golden to burnt fast.

Kitchen flow

Parallel prep: Start the marinade the night before or the morning of, then cook rice while the broiler preheats.
Make-ahead: The fish can marinate up to 24 hours ahead — the flavor only improves with more time.
Leftover move: Flake leftover cod over rice with a drizzle of soy sauce for a quick donburi-style lunch.
Cleanup rhythm: Line the baking sheet with foil before broiling; the sugary glaze sticks stubbornly otherwise.

Ingredient brief

Role, handling, and swap guidance for each key ingredient.

Cod fillets

Main protein

Purpose: Cod's mild flavor and flaky texture soak up the miso marinade well without competing with it.

Handling: Pat dry before marinating so the glaze adheres evenly.

Adaptation: Black cod, halibut, or salmon all work with the same marinade and timing.

White miso paste

Marinade base

Purpose: Its fermented sweetness and umami are what make this dish distinctive rather than just a sweet glaze.

Handling: Whisk it smooth with the liquid ingredients first so it does not clump against the fish.

Adaptation: Yellow miso works with a slightly stronger flavor; avoid red miso, which is much saltier.

Mirin and sake

Marinade liquid

Purpose: They thin the miso into a spreadable marinade and add a gentle sweetness and depth.

Handling: Use them at room temperature so they combine smoothly with the miso.

Adaptation: Dry sherry can replace sake; a mix of rice vinegar and a little extra sugar can approximate mirin.

Toasted sesame seeds and scallions

Garnish

Purpose: They add a fresh, crunchy contrast to the sticky glaze right before serving.

Handling: Slice the scallions thin on a bias for the best presentation.

Adaptation: Black sesame seeds add visual contrast if you have them.

Technique notes

Do not skip wiping the marinade off before broiling — it is the difference between a caramelized glaze and a burnt one.
Position the oven rack so the fish sits a few inches from the broiler element, close enough to caramelize but not scorch.
Fish is done when it flakes easily with a fork and the center is opaque; err on pulling it slightly early since it keeps cooking off the heat.

Ingredient swaps

Soy-free direction: Miso is a fermented soybean product, so this dish cannot be made soy-free; substitute a citrus-herb marinade for a soy-allergic diner instead.
Gluten-free direction: Confirm the miso paste is labeled gluten-free, since some brands add barley koji.
Dairy-free direction: Wherever dairy shows up here, a neutral dairy-free butter or oil and a full-fat plant milk (oat or coconut work best for body) is the straightforward stand-in. This one leans on the sake or dry white wine.

Serve alongside

Steamed jasmine rice
Sesame-dressed spinach
Quick-pickled cucumber
Warm or chilled sake
Iced green tea
Sparkling water with a twist of lime

Serving suggestions only — check pairings for your household's allergens.

Storage & reheating

Refrigerate leftover cod in a sealed container for up to 2 days.
Reheat gently in a low oven or in a covered pan to avoid drying out the fish; microwaving works in short bursts.
Freezing the marinated raw fish works well for up to a month — thaw overnight in the fridge before broiling.

Equipment

Foil-lined baking sheet
Broiler-safe pan
Whisk

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