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–+ servings
A miso salmon in foil fillet topped with sliced mushrooms, shredded carrots, lemon, and green onions, served on a decorative plate with red chopsticks and a bowl of rice nearby.

Miso Salmon in Foil

by Namiko Hirasawa Chen
Miso Salmon in Foil is a quick weeknight dinner that delivers big flavor with minimal cleanup. We glaze salmon fillets with a savory miso-Kewpie mayo sauce, layer mushrooms and vegetables, and steam them in sealed foil packets. Perfectly cooked in 30 minutes, every time.
Prep: 13 minutes
Cook: 17 minutes
Total: 30 minutes
Servings: 2

Ingredients

For the Salmon

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • If you are using the oven method (instead of the stovetop), preheat to 425ºF (220ºC). For a convection oven, reduce the temperature by 25ºF (15ºC).
    Gather all the ingredients.
    Two raw salmon fillets in a tray, ready for miso salmon in foil, are surrounded by bowls of seasonings, butter, and mayonnaise, plus mushrooms, an onion, carrot, and scallion on a tray—all arranged on a wooden surface.

To Prepare the Ingredients

  • Peel and cut ½ onion into thin slices. Peel and cut 2 inches carrot lengthwise into thin slabs, then into julienne strips.
    Three side-by-side images showing hands slicing an onion, cutting a carrot into thin strips, and prepping veggies for miso salmon in foil on a wooden cutting board.
  • Cut off the stems from 3 pieces shiitake mushrooms and thinly slice the caps.
    Two images show hands preparing mushrooms for a miso salmon in foil recipe: one hand slices a mushroom cap in half on a wooden cutting board, while the other arranges and cuts the halves into thin pieces.
  • Cut the roots off ½ package shimeji (brown beech) mushrooms. Separate them into small clusters with your fingers.
    Two close-up images: on the left, a hand slices the base off a cluster of mushrooms on a wooden cutting board; on the right, hands separate the trimmed mushrooms into smaller pieces for miso salmon in foil.
  • Thinly slice 1 green onion and set aside.
    Two photos of hands slicing a green onion on a wooden cutting board—a perfect topping for dishes like miso salmon in foil. The left image shows the initial cut, and the right features finely chopped green onion pieces.
  • Mix 2–3 Tbsp miso and 2 Tbsp Japanese Kewpie mayonnaise in a small bowl until smooth and uniform.
    Nami's Tip: Adjust the amount of miso based on the saltiness and flavor of your miso type.
    Two hands use a spoon to mix a light-colored paste, perfect for miso salmon in foil, in a small glass bowl on a wooden surface. The left image shows separate ingredients; the right image shows them blended together.

To Assemble the Foil Packets

  • Prepare 2 sheets of aluminum foil, each 12 x 12 inches (30 x 30 cm). Use ½ Tbsp butter to lightly grease the centers, making rectangles the same length as the salmon and 2–3 times its width. Spread the sliced onion on top.
    Nami's Tip: See how to make the packets with parchment paper in the end Notes.
    Two side-by-side images: the left shows a hand spreading a white substance, likely butter, on a sheet of aluminum foil; the right displays sliced onions arranged on the buttered foil, step one for tasty miso salmon in foil.
  • Place one salmon fillet skin side down, on the onions. Sprinkle with kosher salt and black pepper.
    Two side-by-side photos show miso salmon in foil being prepared on a bed of sliced onions. In the left image, hands adjust the salmon; in the right, salt is sprinkled on top for extra flavor.
  • Spread the miso sauce on the salmon. Pile the shimeji mushrooms, carrots, and shiitake mushrooms on top. Add one lemon slice and sprinkle with ½ Tbsp sake on each fillet.
    Two-panel image: On the left, miso salmon in foil rests on sliced onions as sauce is drizzled. On the right, mushrooms, carrots, and a lemon slice are added over the salmon before cooking.
  • Bring the top and bottom edges of the foil together above the salmon. Fold it over a few times to seal, keeping the foil snug against the ingredients so they stay in place.
    Two side-by-side photos show hands folding and sealing the edges of aluminum foil on a wooden surface, wrapping miso salmon in foil inside.
  • Fold up the left and right sides a few times to seal.
    Two close-up images show hands wrapping and sealing miso salmon in foil on a wooden surface. The person, wearing a gray shirt and gold bracelets, carefully folds the aluminum to secure the fish inside.
  • Press all folds firmly to secure. Put the foil packets on a baking sheet, spacing them apart to allow heat to circulate evenly.
    A person wraps miso salmon in foil on a wooden surface; next, two foil-wrapped items are placed on a metal baking sheet, ready for baking.

To Cook

  • You can cook the salmon one of two ways:
    Oven – Bake at 425ºF (220ºC) for 15–18 minutes for center-cut fillets (1 to 1½ inches thick) or 10 minutes for thinner fillets.
    Use an instant-read thermometer to check for doneness. It's ready when the thickest part registers 125–130°F (52–54°C); pull at 120°F (49°C) for medium-rare.
    Two ears of corn wrapped in aluminum foil are shown on a baking sheet—much like how miso salmon in foil is prepared. The left image shows them baking in an oven; the right shows them just out, handled with green oven mitts.
  • Stovetop – Place the packets in a dry frying pan and cover with a tight-fitting lid. Do not overcrowd the pan so the heat can circulate evenly.
    Cook on medium for 2 minutes. Then reduce to medium-low and cook 15 minutes for center-cut fillets (1 to 1½ inches thick) or 10 minutes for thinner fillets.
    Nami's Tip: I'm using a stainless steel or carbon steel pan. If you're using a non-stick pan, add ⅓–½ cup (100 ml) water to protect the non-stick surface.
    Two images: left shows two foil-wrapped ears of corn in a stainless steel pan on a stove; right shows the same pan covered with a metal lid, also positioned on the stove.

To Serve

  • Carefully open each packet away from you to avoid the hot steam. Sprinkle with sliced green onions and serve immediately.
    A person wraps grilled vegetables, mushrooms, and lemon slices in aluminum foil alongside miso salmon in foil, then garnishes the dish with chopped green onions on a plate.

To Store

  • Keep the leftovers in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or in the freezer for 2 weeks.

To Make Packets with Parchment

  • Start with a sheet of parchment large enough to fold over the salmon with ample space on all three sides. Fold the paper in half, crease it, then open it flat. Lay your ingredients close to the fold, close the paper over the salmon, and you're ready to seal the packet.
    To seal, fold and crease each of the three open edges three times, pressing firmly as you go. Finish by folding the corners back twice in the opposite direction and pressing them down to secure.
    Three side-by-side images show hands folding parchment paper around food, sealing the edges to form a packet on a wooden surface. The packet, similar to miso salmon in foil, contains vegetables and butter.

Notes

Variations and Customizations
Looking to switch things up? Here are some of my favorite ways to customize this recipe.
  • Make plant-based version. Use firm tofu (press it for 30 minutes), crispy fried tofu, king oyster mushroom as a base instead of fish.
  • Swap the mushrooms. Cremini, oyster, or enoki mushrooms all work well here.
  • Try a different fish. Cod, halibut, or sea bass are all great substitutes. Thinner fillets will need a minute or two less; thicker ones may need a bit more.
  • Add aromatics. Add julienned ginger or slivered garlic to the packet before sealing.
  • Drizzle soy sauce + lemon juice or ponzu sauce for a bright, citrusy finish at the table.
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