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This miso-teriyaki black cod features buttery sablefish fillets coated in a deeply savory, lightly sweet marinade. White miso, soy sauce, honey, brown sugar, ginger, and garlic cook into a glossy sauce that caramelizes beautifully under the broiler. After a short marinate, the fish broils in just minutes, delivering rich umami flavor with a tender, flaky finish.
Here’s Why This Teriyaki Cod Recipe Works
Miso builds depth: White miso adds rich umami and balances the sweetness of the teriyaki, giving the glaze real savory backbone.
Marinating adds flavor: A longer soak lets the flavors fully penetrate the fish, resulting in deeper flavor.
Broiling: High heat caramelizes the glaze quickly, creating beautifully browned edges while keeping the fish tender.
From-scratch sauce: Making the sauce yourself lets you control the sweetness, salt, and depth for a glaze that tastes exactly how you want it.
If you love this recipe, try my teriyaki salmon recipe.
Ingredient Notes
White miso paste: Mild and slightly sweet, white miso adds depth without overpowering the fish. Look for it in the refrigerated section, and always whisk it into a cooled sauce to preserve its flavor.
Black cod (sablefish): Known for its rich, buttery texture, this fish stays moist under high heat and pairs especially well with bold, savory marinades.
Soy sauce: Use a standard brewed soy sauce for balanced flavor.
Brown sugar & honey: These work together to create sweetness and help the glaze caramelize under the broiler.
Fresh ginger & garlic: Use the fresh stuff for the cleanest flavor and keeps the sauce from tasting flat.
Cornstarch: Just a small amount thickens the sauce so it clings to the fish instead of sliding off.
For a lighter broiled option, this broiled cod with chive butter highlights fresh herbs and a clean, buttery finish.
Recipe Tips
Cool the sauce before marinating: Adding fish to a hot marinade will start cooking it. Let the sauce chill completely first.
Use black cod or sablefish: They’re the same fish sold under different names, prized for their rich, buttery texture.
Don’t skip the rack: Elevating the fillets prevents steaming and promotes even caramelization under the broiler.
Marinate long enough: Two hours will add flavor, but overnight delivers the deepest, most developed results.
Position the rack correctly: Broiling about six inches from the heat gives you browned, caramelized tops without scorching.
Wipe off excess marinade: Too much sauce can burn under the broiler. Let the excess drip off for clean caramelization.
Line the pan well: Broiled miso sugars stick aggressively. Parchment or foil makes cleanup painless.
Watch closely at the end: The glaze can go from golden to burnt fast. Stay nearby during the final minute.
Check doneness by flake, not time: Black cod should separate easily with a fork while still looking moist in the center.
If you’re looking for another oven-baked option, my baked cod with tomatoes and beans is a great follow-up with a lighter, Mediterranean-style approach.
For another sablefish recipe with bold umami flavor, try this red miso glazed sablefish.
Black Cod with Miso Teriyaki Sauce
Once you make this, it’s easy to see why miso and black cod are such a good match. The marinade adds depth without masking the fish, and broiling gives you that lightly caramelized finish in minutes. It’s the kind of recipe that feels special but stays comfortably doable.
Serve this fish with my simple white rice recipe to soak up the miso-teriyaki glaze.
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Miso Teriyaki Black Cod
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Ingredients
For the Miso-Teriyaki Marinade:
- 1 cup water
- ½ cup soy sauce
- 3 tablespoons brown sugar, packed
- 2 tablespoon honey
- 3 garlic cloves, grated or minced
- 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
- 2 teaspoons cold water
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- ¾ cup white miso paste
- 12 ounces black cod, two fillets, 6 oz. each. or sablefish fillets
Garnishes:
- Sliced green scallions
- Sesame seeds
- Pickled ginger
Instructions
The Miso-Teriyaki Marinade:
- Combine water, soy sauce, brown sugar, honey, ginger, and garlic in a saucepan over medium heat. Cook until nearly heated through, about 1 minute.
- Mix cornstarch and ¼ cold water together in a cup; stir until dissolved. Add to the saucepan. Cook and stir sauce until thickened, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from heat refrigerate until cold; then add the white miso paste, whisking until smooth.
- Add the cooled miso-teriyaki marinade to a closable plastic bag, place the the sablefish fillets inside. Close the bag and marinate for 2 hours, or overnight, turning occasionally.
Broil the Fish:
- Preheat the oven to broil setting and move the oven shelf to 6-inches below the heat unit. Remove the fish fillets from the marinade, allowing the marinade to drip off, place the fillets on a rack set over a parchment-lined baking sheet and place in the oven and broil for 6-8 minutes, depending on thickness of fish or until the fish begins to become flaky and is nicely caramelized.
- Serve topped with the garnishes of sliced scallion tops, sesame seeds and pickled ginger.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Like this recipe? Rate & comment below!
My favourite way to cook black cod! This looks fabulous, Pat.
Thank you, Angie….It tastes fabulous also, moist and full of flavor!