We’ve fully made the leap from purees to big kid meals and honestly, I’m thriving. Finn has decided he’s keeping up with his sister no matter what’s on the table, which means I officially only have to make one dinner. ONE. DINNER. And let me tell you, that feels like the jackpot.
For the last three weeks straight, that dinner has been Miso Salmon with sesame noodles and green beans. It’s the kind of meal that feels restaurant-worthy, tastes insane, and yet is so simple it has earned a permanent spot in our weeknight rotation. Yes, I chopped things up into toddler-friendly bites for Finn after taking this photo, but come on, I’m a food stylist at heart LOL. This picture is a poor example of that.
Miso salmon is such a vibe: it’s sweet, savory, caramelized perfection. The marinade does all the work (you can let it hang out with the fish for as little as three hours or as long as three days), and then the oven finishes things off so you get that golden crust with tender, flaky salmon underneath. Serve it with noodles or rice and you’ve got a meal that hits every note: umami, a little sweetness, freshness from the greens. Plus it’s an amazing way to intro miso to your little ones if you haven’t done that already. It’s easy enough for a random Tuesday, but honestly special enough for a dinner party.
And the best part? The whole family eats the same thing. Adults get their gorgeous filets and the kids get a chopped-up version that’s soft, manageable, and still totally delicious.
Miso Salmon
Prep Time: 15 minutes (plus marinating)
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes active
Serves: 4
Ingredients:
¼ cup sake
¼ cup mirin
4 tablespoons white miso paste
1 tablespoon sugar
4 salmon fillets (about ⅓ pound each)
Vegetable oil, for cooking
Sesame Noodles, below
Green Beans, for serving
Instructions:
In a medium saucepan, bring the sake and mirin to a boil over high heat. Boil for 20 seconds to evaporate the alcohol.
Reduce the heat to low, add the miso paste, and whisk until dissolved. Raise the heat back to high, add the sugar, and whisk constantly until dissolved. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature.
Pat salmon fillets dry with paper towels. Slather them with the cooled miso marinade, place in a non-reactive dish, and cover tightly. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours and up to 3 days.
When ready to cook, preheat oven to 425°F. Heat an oven-proof skillet over high heat. Lightly wipe off excess miso clinging to the salmon (don’t rinse). Add a little oil to the pan, then place salmon skin-side-up. Cook until the bottom browns and blackens in spots, about 3 minutes. Flip and cook 2–3 minutes more.
Transfer skillet to oven and bake 5–10 minutes, until the fish is opaque and flakes easily.
While salmon bakes, char broccolini in a separate skillet with a drizzle of oil until crisp-tender and browned in spots.
Serve salmon over a bed of white rice with charred broccolini on the side.
If you don’t feel like searing, you can skip straight to the broiler! Just wipe off any excess marinade, place the salmon on a parchment-lined sheet pan, and broil for 6–8 minutes until the top is caramelized and the fish flakes easily. Keep your eyes on it as you’re not supposed to broil parchment for too long!
Tips + Tricks
The longer the salmon marinates, the deeper the flavor. I love prepping it the night before. If I’m organized enough to do it 3 days before…even better! It’s just a really easy mindless meal if you’ve done the prep work.
No sake? Swap for dry white wine. And yes, the alcohol entirely cooks out so don’t worry about feeding it to kiddos.
Green Beans can easily be swapped with broccoli, asparagus, or snap peas.
Leftover salmon is incredible flaked into rice bowls. But don’t keep it for more than 2 days.
Flake salmon and double-check for bones.
Mix rice with a splash of broth or water to make it softer and easier to chew.
Ok let’s talk about the noodles:
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Serves: 4
Ingredients
8 oz noodles (soba, ramen, or spaghetti all work)
2 teaspoons sesame oil
1 tablespoon soy sauce (low-sodium if preferred)
1 teaspoon rice vinegar
½ teaspoon grated garlic (optional, leave out for littles if too strong)
1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds
1 scallion, thinly sliced (optional garnish)
Instructions
Cook noodles according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
In a small bowl, whisk together sesame oil, soy sauce, honey (1 tsp is optional if your baby is over 1), rice vinegar, and garlic (if using).
Toss noodles with the sauce until evenly coated.
Sprinkle with sesame seeds (optional) and scallions (optional) if serving to adults, or keep plain for the kids.
Tips for Little Mouths
Chop noodles into short pieces for toddlers to make them easier to grab.
Leave off scallions or sesame seeds if textures are tricky.