This crispy miso cod recipe takes takes less than 10 minutes to cook, after it has marinated in lots of gorgeous Asian flavours, including sherry, mirin, soy and miso paste.
A dip in flour gives the outside a crisp crunchy coating, which my family love, along with meltingly moist and tasty fish. It’s a delicious combination.
Bon appétit!
Jump to:
Why you will love this
- great for entertaining as the fish is marinated in advance and just needs 10 minutes to cook
- perfect for using more economical frozen fish portions
- swap the cod for hale, pollock, haddock or any white fish of your choice.
What is miso?
Miso is a fermented soybean paste and is the base for many Japanese broths. There are also miso pastes made from other fermented grains too. If you haven't tried it before, it sounds rather unpalatable but it adds a real depth of taste to dishes. To me it smells like a fruity soy sauce paste with the sweet and sourness of tamarind. The flavour is said to be an umami one, and I would totally agree as it is so difficult to describe!
What are the ingredients?
This dish is based on using quite chunky pieces of cod, rather than thin fillets.
You will need miso paste, dry sherry, rice wine vinegar, brown sugar and soy sauce.
For frying you will need oil and flour.
How to make crispy miso cod
If you are using frozen cod leave it to defrost fully and then pat it dry with kitchen paper, otherwise the excess moisture will dilute the marinade. Run your fingers over the fish and pull out any bones with tweezers.
Make a marinade for the fish by combining mirin, miso paste, soy sauce, brown sugar, rice vinegar and sherry.
Pour it all over the cod and leave covered in the fridge for the flavours to develop, ideally overnight.
When you are ready to cook take each piece of fish and shake off the excess marinade then dip each piece into plain flour, then back into the marinade and back into the flour.
Heat some oil in a pan and fry for a few minutes each side until crispy.
This crispy miso cod is delicious served with steamed or stir-fried vegetables.
Recipe FAQs
There are many different varieties of miso but the easiest to find in the UK is red and white. I’ve used a red miso paste in this recipe but I am sure you could use any type.
Some boiled rice or sir fried vegetables are all that is needed. You could also serve this Asian style coleslaw too.
Top tips
- use a thicker piece of fish such as cod steaks or loin rather than thin fillets for best results
- if using defrosted fish make sure that it is well drained before marinating
More fish recipes to try
📋 Recipe
Crispy Miso Cod
Ingredients
- 800 g cod fillet skinless, in 8 portions
- 8 tablespoon plain flour
- 4 tablespoon oil for shallow frying
Marinade
- 5 tablespoon mirin
- 5 tablespoon miso paste
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 2 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoon dry sherry I used French Pineau
Instructions
- Mix all the marinade ingredients together and pour over the cod.
- Leave covered in the fridge to marinate, ideally overnight.
- Dip the cod in the flour, back to the marinade, then back to the flour.
- Heat about 1 cm of oil in a pan and fry over a medium heat for a few minutes each side until crisp and cooked through.
Notes
- use a thicker piece of fish such as cod steaks or loin rather than thin fillets for best results
- if using defrosted fish make sure that it is well drained before marinating
Disclaimer: The nutritional information provided is approximate and is calculated using online tools. Information can vary depending on various factors, but we have endeavoured to be as accurate as possible.
Detailed instructions for this recipe, including step by step photographs, hints and tips, can be found in the main article.
Food safety
We sometimes take for a granted that we have years (or decades) of cooking experience, that the average visitor may not. Add to, or remove from, the list below with health and safety tips.
- Cook to a minimum temperature of 165 °F (74 °C)
- Do not use the same utensils on cooked food, that previously touched raw meat
- Wash hands after touching raw meat
- Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
- Never leave cooking food unattended
- Use oils with high smoking point to avoid harmful compounds
- Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove
Katherine
Wow - I can't believe this is so quick. I adore miso and this is incredible!
Carrie Robinson
I just love Miso soup, so I am sure I would love this recipe as well! Looks delicious. 🙂
Natalie
I prepare cod a lot for my family. I never used soy suce to make cod before. I will definitely give this a try. Sounds so delicious. And so crispy. Love it!
Bintu | Recipes From A Pantry
I love that this takes less than 10 minutes to cook - I'm all about the quick cooking! This cod sounds so delicious and so flavourful. I'm definitely going to be giving this a try asap!
Dannii
We are always looking for new ways to eat white fish and this looks delicious. So much flavour.
Heidy M
This crispy miso cod sounds like it's right up my alley, and I'm going to give your recipe a whirl on my day off. Happy New Year.
Jessica Formicola
I've been trying to add more fish to my diet, and this cod looks wonderful! I can't wait to try it!
Beth
My hubby and daughter are going to love this! I can't wait to give this a try! Looks so delicious and full of flavor!
ali randall
What a delicious recipe. I always have to marinate fish or dress it up so my husband will eat it. He loved this recipe and so did the kids. It's a winner. Thanks so much.
Pam
That looks wonderful! I have some snapper in my freezer that I think I'll get out and try this recipe with.
Amanda
Thanks Cherie. I love miso too, sometimes I just have a mug of hot water with a spoonful in it!
Amanda
Thanks so much Melve it is really delicious.
Amanda
Thanks Julie. I hope you like it!
Melve
This will surely add a great taste to my fish dishes. Thank you for this recipe.
Cherie
Looks really delicious! Will try this out - I am a fan of miso! 😉
Julie Wunder
I love Asian flavors too! This sounds amazing... I can't wait to try!
Amanda
Thanks John. I had only had it as a soup before so I'm definitely experimenting too! Just glad it turned out so well.
ChgoJohn
A number of years ago, I experimented with miso but that's about all I did. I do think that I'd really enjoy this cod, Amanda. Maybe it's time I put on my lab coat and start experimenting again. 🙂
Amanda
Thanks Mimi. We loved the crunch and the rch flavour. It's so different!
Amanda
Hi Karen. It's a bit unusual but really flavourful. We don't have restaurants nearby so I have to improvise!
Karen
My husband orders a fish dish at a local restaurant that is served in a miso broth. I know he would really enjoy this dish.
chef mimi
This looks and sounds so good. Asian flavors are some of the best!
Amanda
Thanks. The flavour is amazing!
jackcollier7
what a great recipe <3