I didn’t grow up eating much seafood — my dad doesn’t like it — so I came to fish late and I’m still making up for lost time. Miso glazed sea bass is where I landed. It caramelizes under the broiler until the top is bubbling and almost candied, and it takes less time than ordering the same plate would. The marinade carries it: brown miso for the savory backbone, brown sugar and orange juice pushing it sweet, and enough tamari and sesame oil to round it out.
The first time I made the orange sticky rice I reduced the vinegar sauce down until it thickened and folded the reserved orange zest in right at the end. I could not stop eating it straight from the pan. It's tangy, a little sweet, and the zest hits you last. If you like the bright, glazy direction this fish takes, you'll want it next to my roasted veggie tortellini or after a few blackened shrimp pasta nights when you want something lighter on the plate.
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Ingredients
Two short lists here, and most of it is pantry-stable. See the recipe card below for exact quantities.
For the Sea Bass
- Sea bass fillets
- Brown miso
- Brown sugar
- Orange (juice and zest)
- Mirin
- Tamari
- Toasted sesame oil
For the Orange Sticky Rice
- Cooked rice
- Rice vinegar
- Sugar
- Salt
- Reserved orange zest
- Toasted sesame seeds
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- The glaze caramelizes into a bubbling, almost-candied top under the broiler.
- One bowl, one whisk, thirty minutes of hands-off marinating.
- The orange sticky rice is the sleeper hit - tangy, glazy, and dead simple. Sea bass at home for a fraction of what the restaurant charges.
- Naturally gluten-free if you use certified tamari.
How to Make Miso Glazed Sea Bass
Marinate first, then sear-and-bake the fish while the rice sauce reduces. Here's the order I work in.
Whisk the Marinade
In a bowl, whisk the brown miso, brown sugar, orange juice (reserve the zest), mirin, tamari, and sesame oil until smooth.
Marinate the Fish
Coat both sea bass fillets evenly. Cover and refrigerate at least 30 minutes.
Sear the Sea Bass
Preheat the oven to 425°F with a rack in the top position. Coat an oven-safe pan with a little oil and heat over medium-high. Let the extra marinade drip off the fillets, then place them in the pan skin-side down (if they have skin) and sear 1 to 2 minutes.
Bake, Then Broil
Move the pan to the top rack and bake 8 minutes. Switch the oven to broil and cook 4 more minutes, until the top is caramelized and bubbling. If you have a kitchen torch, hit the top for even more caramelization.
Reduce the Rice Sauce
While the fish bakes, combine the rice vinegar, sugar, and salt in a small saucepan over medium heat. Simmer until the sugar dissolves and the sauce thickens.
Finish the Sticky Rice
Stir the reserved orange zest into the thickened sauce, then drizzle over the cooked rice. Gently fold in the toasted sesame seeds.
Serve
Serve the sea bass over the orange sticky rice, with bok choy or spinach alongside if using.
Substitutions
A few easy swaps if your pantry doesn't match mine.
- Sea bass - Chilean sea bass is luxurious, but black cod (sablefish), halibut, or even salmon take this glaze beautifully. Adjust bake time for thickness.
- Brown miso - Red (aka) miso works and pushes it saltier and bolder. White (shiro) miso makes it milder and sweeter.
- Mirin - No mirin? Use a splash of dry sherry or rice wine with a pinch of sugar.
- Tamari - Regular soy sauce works if gluten isn't a concern. Coconut aminos for a soy-free version.
Variations
Once you've made it straight, here's where I take it.
- Spicy - Whisk a teaspoon of chili crisp or a little gochujang into the marinade.
- Citrus swap - Trade the orange for tangerine, or a mix of orange and lime for a sharper finish.
- Bowl it - Pile the sticky rice in a bowl, flake the fish over the top, and add quick-pickled cucumbers and edamame.
- Sheet pan - Roast bok choy or broccolini alongside the fish on the top rack.
Equipment
This is a fast recipe, so the right pan matters more than the number of gadgets. These are the pieces I reach for when I make it.
- Oven-safe skillet - The whole method lives or dies on this. You sear on the stovetop, then the same pan goes straight to the top rack. A heavy stainless or cast iron pan with no plastic handle is what you want.
- Fish spatula - Thin, flexible, and slotted so you can lift a delicate fillet off the pan without tearing the glaze.
- Microplane / zester - You're reserving and folding orange zest at the end, so a fine zester earns its spot.
- Small saucepan - For reducing the rice vinegar sauce down to that glossy, thickened finish.
- Kitchen torch - Optional, but if you want the top even more caramelized after the broiler, this is how you get there.
Storage
- Store - Keep leftover fish and rice in separate airtight containers in the fridge up to 2 days.
- Reheat - Warm the fish gently in a 300°F oven just until heated through so it doesn't dry out; the rice reheats well with a splash of water, covered, in the microwave.
- Freeze - Cooked sea bass can be frozen up to 1 month, but the texture is best fresh. The sticky rice is best made fresh and not frozen.
Top Tip
Let the extra marinade drip off before the fish hits the pan. Miso and sugar burn fast over medium-high heat, and a thick coat of marinade scorches before the fish even gets going. A thin layer is what caramelizes into that glossy top - a dripping one just smokes.
Chilean sea bass and black cod (sablefish) are the most luxurious, but any firm white fish like halibut or even salmon works. Just adjust the bake time for thickness.
No. If your fillets have skin, place them skin-side down to sear. Skinless fillets work exactly the same - just lay the prettiest side down first.
Yes. Whisk it up to 3 days ahead and keep it covered in the fridge. You can also marinate the fish a few hours ahead - just don't go overnight, as the salt in the miso starts to cure the fish.
Reducing the rice vinegar, sugar, and salt concentrates the flavor and gives the rice that glazy, sticky coating instead of a thin, watery splash. Stir the zest in once it's thickened so the citrus oil stays bright.
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Orange Miso Glazed Sea Bass with Orange Sticky Rice
- Total Time: 55 minutes
- Yield: 2 servings 1x
Description
Miso glazed sea bass that caramelizes under the broiler into a sweet-savory glaze, served over tangy orange sticky rice. One bowl, a 30-minute marinade, restaurant-quality at home.
Ingredients
For the Sea Bass
- ⅓ cup brown miso
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- Juice of ½ orange (reserve the zest)
- 1 tablespoon mirin
- 1 tablespoon tamari
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- Two 4-ounce sea bass fillets
For the Orange Sticky Rice
- ½ cup rice vinegar
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- Reserved orange zest
- 1 cup cooked rice
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds
Get Recipe Ingredients
Instructions
Marinate the Sea Bass
- In a bowl, whisk the brown miso, brown sugar, orange juice, mirin, tamari, and sesame oil until smooth. Reserve the orange zest.
- Coat both sea bass fillets evenly in the marinade. Cover and refrigerate at least 30 minutes.
Cook the Sea Bass
- Preheat the oven to 425°F with a rack in the top position.
- Let the extra marinade drip off the fillets.
- Place the fillets skin-side down (if skin-on) in a lightly oiled oven-safe pan over medium-high heat. Sear 1 to 2 minutes.
- Transfer the pan to the top rack. Bake 8 minutes.
- Switch the oven to broil. Cook 4 more minutes, until the top is caramelized and bubbling.
- Optional: torch the top for extra caramelization.
Make the Orange Sticky Rice
- In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the rice vinegar, sugar, and salt.
- Simmer, stirring, until the sugar dissolves and the sauce thickens.
- Stir the reserved orange zest into the thickened sauce.
- Drizzle over the cooked rice. Gently fold in the toasted sesame seeds.
Serve
- Serve the sea bass over the orange sticky rice, with bok choy or spinach alongside if using.
Notes
Let the extra marinade drip off before searing - a thick coat scorches before the fish cooks. A thin layer is what caramelizes into that glossy top.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Asian-Inspired
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