Japanese Miso Marinade

Rich, savory, and delightfully easy, this versatile miso marinade is a game-changer for your kitchen. It takes advantage of the intense aroma and umami of our 3 year aged miso to create a luscious seasoning perfect for everything from miso salmon to miso chicken to miso tofu. It’s flexible enough to marinate various proteins, but it’s also a fantastic seasoning for other Japanese recipes, such as stir-fries and glazed eggplant.

Why This Recipe Works

• This versatile Japanese condiment transforms thick miso paste into a luscious, pourable sauce—perfect for marinating meat and fish, seasoning stir-fries, or glazing grilled dishes with mouthwatering umami.
• Garlic and ginger work double-duty in the marinade, tenderizing the meat while infusing it with a bold, aromatic flavor.
• Boiling the sake cooks off the alcohol, leaving behind a rich, savory depth that amplifies this miso seasoning’s natural umami.

Ingredients

Sake – Japanese rice wine adds a subtle sweetness and enhances the umami in this miso marinade recipe. Boiling concentrates its flavor while burning off the alcohol. If sake isn’t available, you can use chicken or vegetable stock.

Organic Miso “3 Year Aged Miso” – This premium, aged miso paste provides the salt for the marinade and has a deep, rich umami and intense aroma. If you can’t find it, other types of miso, such as red or white miso paste, will work. 

Maple Syrup – Adds a gentle sweetness that balances the salty umami of the miso mixture while giving it a beautiful glossy finish that makes it perfect for miso-glazed fish. Brown sugar, honey, or agave syrup will work as substitutes.

Ginger – Bright, fresh, and slightly spicy, ginger helps tenderize meats while adding aromatic warmth to this versatile condiment.

Garlic – Infuses the marinade with savory depth and complexity, which makes it ideal for meats such as pork or beef. A fresh garlic clove works best, but garlic powder is a convenient substitute.

How to Make Miso Marinade

Pour the sake into a small saucepan and heat it over medium heat until it reaches a gentle boil. Allow it to cook until the liquid reduces by half; this should only take a minute or two. This concentrates the sake’s subtle sweetness and natural umami while evaporating the alcohol.

Once the sake is reduced, add the miso paste, maple syrup, freshly grated ginger, and garlic. Stir until the mixture becomes thick, smooth, and bubbly. Remove the pan from heat and let the miso marinade cool completely. 

Once fully cooled, you can store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a month. To use it, just spread a generous amount of marinade onto chicken breasts, salmon fillets, pork chops, steaks, or tofu and let them marinate for at least 2 days.

Ways to Use Miso Marinade

This versatile miso marinade can be used to season various dishes, and all you need to round out your meal is steamed white rice and a salad. 

• Marinade for Fish – Perfect as a miso salmon marinade or for white fish fillets such as cod, halibut, or sablefish. Just slather the mixture onto all surfaces of the fresh fish pieces and let it cure for 2-3 days before wiping off the excess marinade and pan-frying, oven-roasting, or grilling the fish. Don’t wipe the marinade off if you’re pressed for time and only have a few hours to marinate. 
• Marinade for Chicken and Pork – Whether you’re using lean chicken breast, skinless chicken thighs, or pork chops, the process for curing chicken and other meats is similar to what’s described above for miso fish. I recommend roasting thicker cuts like chicken breast in a 400°F oven for 20-25 minutes (cooking time will vary depending on the thickness of the meat).
• Tofu Marinade – Works beautifully as a miso tofu marinade, infusing firm or extra-firm tofu with a deep, complex flavor that’s ideal for oven-roasting, pan-searing, or grilling.
• Glaze for Grilled Dishes – Brush onto grilled proteins like steak or pork chops and let it caramelize around the meat. The sugars burn easily, so make sure you keep an eye on it once it hits the grill. It will also work for grilled vegetables like corn, zucchini, eggplant, or portobello mushrooms. 
• Stir-Fry Sauce – Stir fry your favorite protein with a colorful mixture of veggies and then finish it off with a spoonful of this miso seasoning to flavor it.