Elevate your weeknight dinner game with this simple yet flavorful miso butter fish recipe. Don't let the idea of cooking fish intimidate you – this dish is a breeze to prepare, even for the most inexperienced cooks. With just a handful of ingredients and minimal prep time, you'll have a restaurant-quality meal on the table. The star of the show is the homemade miso compound butter, which adds a rich, umami-packed punch to any delicate white fish. Whether you're using fresh catch from the market or quickly defrosting frozen fish fillets, this versatile recipe will surely become a favorite.
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Why you’ll love this recipe
✔️ Quick and Easy: This dish requires minimal prep work and takes less than 15 minutes to cook in the oven. It is perfect for busy weeknights when time is of the essence.
✔️ Flavor Explosion: The combination of white miso paste, orange juice, and zest creates a buttery sauce that's both savory and tangy, perfectly complementing the subtle taste of fish.
✔️ Versatile: Whether you prefer Halibut, Haddock, Barramundi, or Chilean sea bass, this recipe is incredibly versatile. You can use any white, flaky fish, making it adaptable to your taste and preferences.
Different ways to cook fish
There are different cooking methods for fish: poaching, pan-searing, grilling, baking, and oven roasting are some of the popular ones. They are all delicious in their own way, and some methods may be better suited for certain types of fish or personal preferences. I find oven roasting or baking fish, terms that are often used interchangeably, to be the easiest, least messy option that requires the fewest pots, pans, and dishes. This method also works well with a wide variety of fish. This recipe will guide you on how to bake or oven-roast fish perfectly.
What is compound butter?
Compound butter is butter that is softened and mixed with an assortment of add-ins like fresh herbs, spices, citrus, or other flavorings – in basic terms, it is flavored butter. It can be made from salted or unsalted butter, and popular additions are chives, garlic, and lemon zest - you can get as creative as you want. What I love most about compound butter is that it's effortless to make and can be prepared ahead of time, and stored in the fridge or freezer for when you need to elevate a dish. It works great as a butter sauce on top of fish, shellfish, chicken breast, grilled or roasted vegetables, or simply spread on delicious sourdough toast.
Miso Butter
This recipe uses a compound miso butter I shared in a separate post. The miso butter is infused with orange zest, orange juice, and the umami flavors from the miso, creating a tangy and delightful blend. It pairs exceptionally well with mild-flavored, white, flaky fish varieties. It's important to note that miso is a fermented food naturally rich in probiotics. Consequently, I recommend using the miso butter as a finishing touch after cooking, allowing it to melt over the hot dish. This approach helps preserve the probiotic benefits instead of cooking the butter, which could diminish them.
Ingredients
Fish: Any white, flaky fish works nicely in this recipe. Some of my favorites are Haddock, Barramundi, Chilean Sea Bass, Cod, and Halibut.
Miso Butter: The rich umami flavors of light miso, combined with bright citrus notes of orange zest and juice, create a delicious compound butter. This easy miso butter recipe perfectly complements fish.
Seasoning: Because we're adding flavorful miso butter to the fish, there's no need for elaborate seasoning. A sprinkle of salt and pepper will do the trick. Alternatively, to enhance the citrus notes, consider using a citrus-infused salt like Borsari Citrus Blend. Feeling fancy? Try the Cancale spice blend from La Boite for a gourmet touch.
How to Make This Recipe
Step 1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Pat the fish dry with a paper towel and place it on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, skin side down.
Step 2. Season each piece of fish with salt and pepper, or a citrus-infused salt if you want to get fancy.
Step 3. Bake on the middle rack for about 10 to 15 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fish. Fish is ready when it turns opaque.
Step 4. Slice already-made miso butter into pieces.
Step 5. When the fish is cooked and still hot from the oven, place miso butter slices on top of the fish and let them melt, making a butter sauce.
Step 6. Spread the miso butter with a spatula and ready to serve.
Expert Tips
- If using frozen fish, make sure it is completely thawed before cooking.
- Pat the fish dry with paper towels or a kitchen towel before seasoning, ensuring it will roast properly.
- Use parchment paper for easy cleanup, nonstick properties, and convenience.
- Preheat the oven before cooking the fish.
- For extra flavor and texture, garnish with fresh herbs like mint, chives, or dill.
- Miso is a fermented food, which means it's loaded with good bacteria. Therefore, to preserve all those healthy probiotics, I don't recommend cooking with miso butter or exposing it to high temperatures. Instead, I use it as a finishing touch at the end and allow the residual heat to melt the butter, creating a miso butter sauce.
What to serve with oven roasted Fish with miso butter
Oven roasted fish with flavorful miso butter pairs beautifully with a variety of sides. It goes exceptionally well with creamy mashed potatoes, simple steamed rice, or nutty buckwheat. You can also serve it alongside roasted vegetables for a complete meal. For a lighter option, a fresh fennel salad or a crisp broccoli apple slaw would make a delightful accompaniment to the rich, umami flavors of the miso butter fish.
Recipe FAQ
It is best to roast fish in the oven, on the middle rack, at temperatures between 375°F and 425°F. I prefer to bake fish fillets at 400°F for a flaky, juicy interior with a slightly crispy top.
The baking time of fish in the oven depends on the thickness of the fillet. The thicker the fish, the longer it will take to cook through. A thin fillet like barramundi would take no more than 10 minutes, while a thicker cut like halibut would need around 12-15 minutes. The general rule of thumb is to bake for approximately 5 minutes per half inch of thickness.
Some fish fillets can vary significantly in thickness. So rather than strictly relying on time, I prefer to keep an eye on the appearance and texture of the fish. The fish is cooked when it turns opaque throughout and easily flakes with a fork. Watching for this visual cue is more reliable than going strictly by time, since fillet thickness can vary considerably.
Yes, you can absolutely use frozen fish for this recipe. However, I suggest defrosting the fish first before roasting. The best way is to transfer it from the freezer to the refrigerator and let it thaw overnight. Alternatively, you can place the frozen fillets in a ziploc bag and submerge them in a bowl of cool to room temperature water for about 30 minutes to defrost.
Whichever defrosting method you choose, be sure to thoroughly pat the fish dry with paper towels before seasoning and roasting. This will help ensure a crisp exterior when baking.
More Fish Recipes
More Side Dishes
Oven Roasted Fish with Miso Butter
Ingredients
- 2 - 4 fillets halibut, barramundi, cod, haddock or sea bass , (4 - 6 oz each)
- ½ tsp sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper , optional
- 4 slices miso butter
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400℉ with the rack positioned in the middle.
- Pat the fish dry paper towel and place it on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Skin side down. Season with salt and pepper.
- Bake for about 10 minutes, or until fish is opaque and easily flakes with a fork.
- Slice and add miso butter slices on hot fish, and let the butter melt, creating a butter sauce.
- Spread with a spatula and serve.
Notes
- Optional: Serve with fresh mint, chives, or dill sprinkled on top.
- Alternatively, swap sea salt with citrus-infused salt for extra flavor.
- If using frozen fish, make sure it is fully defrosted before cooking.
- The cooking time of the fish will depend on the thickness of the fillet. The thicker the fish, the longer it will cook. The general rule of thumb is to bake for approximately 5 minutes per half-inch of thickness. On the other hand, instead of relying on time, look for visual cues. Fish is cooked when it is opaque throughout, and it easily flakes with a fork.
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