Description
Miso Baked Oysters offer a quick and delightful West Coast-inspired appetizer featuring fresh oysters topped with a creamy, umami-rich miso mayonnaise, fresh spinach, and melted cheese, broiled to golden perfection.
Ingredients
Scale
Oysters
- 12 pieces Fresh Oysters (substitute with any large oysters available)
Sauce
- 1/2 cup Japanese Mayonnaise (for regular mayo, increase lemon juice to balance flavor)
- 2 tablespoons Miso Paste (light miso for milder taste, darker for deeper flavor)
- 1 tablespoon Mirin (do not substitute for authentic flavor)
- 1 teaspoon Hot Sauce (adjust to spice preference)
- 1 tablespoon Fresh Lemon Juice (recommended fresh)
Additional Ingredients
- 2 cups Fresh Spinach (can substitute with kale or other leafy greens)
- 1 cup Cheddar or Mozzarella Cheese, shredded (omit for dairy-free version)
Instructions
- Preheat Broiler: Preheat your broiler or BBQ to high heat, approximately 500°F (260°C). Allow about 10 minutes for it to fully heat up to ensure even cooking.
- Prepare Baking Sheet: Arrange oyster shells or ramekins on a baking sheet. Fill the shells or ramekins with coarse salt to stabilize the oysters and prevent tipping during baking.
- Make Miso Mayo Sauce: In a mixing bowl, combine Japanese mayonnaise and miso paste, stirring until smooth and well blended. Add mirin, hot sauce, and fresh lemon juice, mixing thoroughly to incorporate all flavors.
- Arrange Spinach: Evenly distribute fresh spinach leaves among the oyster shells or ramekins, creating a bed for the oysters.
- Place Oysters: Carefully place one oyster on top of the spinach in each shell or ramekin.
- Add Sauce and Cheese: Generously spoon about 1 tablespoon of the creamy miso mayonnaise sauce over each oyster. Sprinkle shredded cheddar or mozzarella cheese evenly on top of each.
- Broil Oysters: Place the baking sheet under the preheated broiler. Broil for 5 to 8 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbling and golden brown, and the oysters are cooked through.
- Cool and Serve: Remove from the oven and allow the oysters to cool for about 5 minutes. Serve warm, ideally paired with a crisp salad or crusty bread for a complete appetizer experience.
Notes
- Use light miso for a milder flavor or darker miso for a deeper, richer taste.
- For a dairy-free version, omit the cheese topping.
- Fresh lemon juice is essential for balancing the richness of the miso mayo.
- Substitute spinach with kale or any preferred leafy green.
- Adjust hot sauce amount according to desired spice level.
- Coarse salt in baking shells stabilizes oysters and prevents spills during broiling.
