Nobu-style miso-marinated black cod that cooks up quickly and perfectly in a hot pan in minutes! While it does need to marinate for at least 24 hours, it is worth every minute when you bite into this luscious fish!
Black cod is a special treat, and there’s no better way to enjoy it than miso-marinated. This classic miso marinade has just 4 ingredients, so it mixes up quickly and easily. Add to the black cod and refrigerate for at least 24 hours or up to 3 days. Once marinated, quickly cook in a hot skillet until golden and enjoy!
Black cod can be pricey (though no more than a nice steak!), but it is a lovely treat for a special meal. You can substitute regular cod or other fish varieties with this same miso marinade, if you like.
Ingredients and substitutions
A few notes about the key ingredients …
Black cod – Black cod and regular cod (Pacific or Atlantic) are, in fact, two different fish. Black cod is sablefish. Black cod is prized for its rich, buttery, melt-in-your-mouth texture. Its high oil content means it sears up beautifully and is almost impossible to overcook. Black cod is highly recommended for this recipe for the best results.
That said, you can certainly try this miso marinade with Chilean sea bass, regular cod, halibut, salmon, mahi mahi or Arctic char.
White (shiro) miso paste – Miso is quite easily found in most grocery stores these days. Look for it with the international foods. In my grocery store, it is found in the refrigerated section in the natural food section.
Sake (Rice Wine) – Sake can be found at most liquor stores, often sold in quite small bottles. Look for a filtered sake. Once opened, sake will keep for 1-3 weeks, so you can enjoy the rest of it with this meal or other meals. If you don’t want to invest in sake, substitute dry sherry, Chinese Shaoxing wine, or dry white wine.
Mirin – Mirin used to be difficult to find in many grocery stores, but it has become easier to find in recent years. Look for Aji-Mirin around the soy sauce at the grocery store. Aji-Mirin is a budget-friendly mirin. You could also find true mirin (Hon Mirin) in Asian grocers. Substitute dry white wine and a teaspoon of sugar for Mirin (or simply water and a teaspoon of sugar).
How to make miso black cod: step-by-step
This is a visual summary of the steps to make this recipe. Scroll down to the Recipe Card below for the complete list of ingredients and instructions.
Step 1: Prepare the miso marinade and add it to a plastic zipper bag or a shallow container with the black cod.
Step 2: Marinate the cod for at least 24 hours or up to 3 days.
Step 3: Sear the cod in a hot skillet, then transfer to the oven to finish cooking.
Step 4: Finished black cod ready for plating.
Recipe tips!
I prefer to use a non-stick skillet to sear the black cod, as I don’t want to risk sticking and messing up this beautiful fish. Unfortunately, the non-stick skillet is not oven-safe, so it can’t go directly into the oven to finish cooking the cod. I transfer the fish to a parchment-lined baking sheet and pop that into the oven.
What to serve with miso black cod
I love keeping the sides simple when serving this black cod, to really let the fish shine. I love to serve it with white or brown rice and steamed or roasted green vegetables, such as green beans, asparagus or broccoli/broccolini. Steamed or sautéed baby bok choy would also be nice.
A salad is another simple choice or maybe an Asian-inspired cucumber salad.
Want to save this recipe?
Enter your email and I’ll send it to your inbox. Plus, you’ll get great new recipes from me every week!
By submitting this form, you consent to receive emails from Seasons and Suppers.
You can unsubscribe at any time.
Get the Recipe: Miso Black Cod
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 Tablespoons white miso
- 1 1/2 Tablespoons mirin
- 1 Tablespoon sake, Japanese rice wine
- 1 1/2 Tablespoons white granulated sugar
- 2 fillets black cod, about 10-12 oz
- 1 – 2 Tablespoons cooking oil
To serve:
- lemon wedges
- green onion, green part only, sliced diagonally
- black sesame seeds, optional
Instructions
- In a small saucepan, combine the 1 1/2 Tablespoons white miso, 1 1/2 Tablespoons mirin, 1 Tablespoon sake and 1 1/2 Tablespoons white granulated sugar. Heat slowly over medium-low heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves and the mixture is smooth. Don't let it boil. Remove from the heat and allow it to cool completely (to avoid cooking the fish!)
- Once the marinade is cooled, place the cod fillets in a plastic zipper bag or a shallow container and coat thoroughly with the marinade. Seal or cover and refrigerate for at least 24 hours or ideally, 2-3 days.
- When ready to cook, preheat the oven to 400F (non-convection/not fan-assisted). Remove the fish from the refrigerator and let it stand at room temperature for 15 minutes. Remove the fish from the marinade, gently wiping off excess marinade.
- Heat the 1 – 2 Tablespoons cooking oilcooking oil in a non-stick skillet over medium heat. Place the cod into the hot skillet with the skin-side up and sear for 2-3 minutes, or until golden and caramelized in spots. Flip the fish and cook another 1-2 minutes.
- Transfer the fish to the preheated oven (in the skillet or on a baking sheet as described above) and cook for 5-7 minutes or until the fish flakes easily and reaches 145F internal temperature. If you'd like to add a bit more colour to the fish, switch to the broiler for a minute or two at the end of cooking.
- Serve immediately with lemon wedges and sliced green onions. Garnish with black sesame seeds, if you have some.
Notes
More cod recipes to love!
Hi! I’m Jennifer, a home cook schooled by trial and error and almost 40 years of getting dinner on the table! I love to share my favourite recipes, both old and new, together with lots of tips and tricks to hopefully help make your home cooking enjoyable, stress-free, rewarding and of course, delicious!
