Miso Marinade

Five ingredients stirred together and you’ve got a Japanese-inspired marinade with serious umami depth. Organic miso paste, minced garlic, grated ginger, brown rice vinegar, and water combine into a thin, savory paste that works beautifully on fish fillets or roasted vegetables.

Miso is fermented soybean paste, and it brings a salty, funky complexity that salt alone can’t touch. The garlic and ginger add aromatic heat, while the brown rice vinegar provides a mellow acidity that helps the marinade penetrate the surface of whatever you’re coating.

The water thins the miso to a brushable consistency. Straight miso paste is too thick to spread evenly and will burn in patches under high heat. Thinned out, it coats uniformly and creates a caramelized, savory glaze as it cooks.

Chef Tips

• Let fish marinate for 20 to 30 minutes. Longer than an hour and the salt in the miso can cure the flesh and change the texture.
• For vegetables, toss them in the marinade before roasting. The miso caramelizes beautifully at high heat.
• Use white (shiro) miso for a milder, sweeter flavor or red miso for something bolder and saltier.

Variations

• Add a teaspoon of mirin or honey for a sweeter, more glazed finish.
• Stir in a splash of sesame oil for a nuttier, more aromatic marinade.
• Add a pinch of red pepper flakes or a dash of sriracha for heat.