Description
This Miso Eggplant recipe offers two delicious cooking methods—pan frying with a broil finish or oven roasting with a broil glaze. Featuring tender eggplant halves brushed with a sweet and savory miso glaze made from white miso, sugar, mirin, and rice vinegar, the dish is garnished with sesame seeds and fresh herbs for an irresistible umami-rich flavor. Perfect as a side or main when served with rice or noodles, this recipe is simple, flavorful, and elegant.
Ingredients
Scale
Eggplants
- 2 medium-large Italian eggplants (or 3-4 Japanese eggplants)
Miso Glaze
- 3 tablespoons white miso paste
- 1.5 tablespoons sugar
- 1 tablespoon mirin
- 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar (or sake)
Other
- 1 – 1.5 tablespoons sesame oil
- Sesame seeds (for garnish)
- Sliced scallions (for garnish)
- Fresh herbs (for garnish)
- Optional: plain white rice or noodles to serve
Instructions
- Prepare the eggplants: Slice the eggplants in half lengthwise. Using a knife, carefully score the flesh diagonally one way, then the other, creating a crisscross pattern without cutting through the eggplant.
- Make the miso glaze: In a small bowl, whisk together white miso paste, sugar, mirin, and rice wine vinegar until smooth and free of clumps, forming a thick paste.
- Pan Fry Method – Heat oil: Heat sesame oil in a large saucepan or skillet over medium-high heat.
- Sear eggplants: Place the eggplants flesh side down in the hot pan. Let them sear undisturbed for 3-5 minutes until a golden brown crust forms.
- Steam the eggplants: Flip the eggplants over, add a splash of water to the pan, cover with a lid, reduce heat to medium, and steam for about 5 minutes until soft and cooked through. Meanwhile, preheat the oven broiler to 200℃ (400℉).
- Brush miso glaze: Remove the lid, check for doneness, and generously brush the miso glaze over the eggplant flesh.
- Broil the eggplants: Place the eggplants flesh side up on a parchment-lined baking sheet and broil for about 5 minutes until the glaze is bubbling, caramelized, and golden. Watch closely to prevent burning.
- Garnish and serve: Remove from the broiler, sprinkle with sesame seeds, fresh herbs, and sliced scallions. Serve warm, optionally with white rice or noodles.
- Oven Method – Preheat oven: Preheat oven to 200℃ (400℉). Brush both sides of the eggplants with sesame oil and place flesh side down on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Roast eggplants: Roast for 25-30 minutes until the skins wrinkle and the eggplants are soft inside. Use tongs to check tenderness.
- Broil flesh side: Flip eggplants flesh side up and broil for 5 minutes to lightly brown the flesh.
- Apply miso glaze: Brush the eggplant flesh generously with the miso glaze.
- Final broil: Broil with flesh sides up for about 5 minutes until the glaze bubbles and caramelizes, monitoring closely to avoid burning.
- Garnish and serve: Remove from broiler, garnish with sesame seeds, herbs, and scallions. Serve alongside rice or noodles for a complete meal.
Notes
- When scoring eggplants, do not cut all the way through to maintain structure during cooking.
- Watch the broiler carefully during the final steps as the miso glaze can burn quickly.
- Using Japanese eggplants means adjusting the quantity to 3-4 due to their smaller size.
- Mirin can be substituted with additional rice wine vinegar or sake if desired.
- Optionally serve with steamed white rice or noodles to maximize the dish’s appeal.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/4 of recipe (approximately 1 eggplant half with glaze)
- Calories: 150 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 450 mg
- Fat: 7 g
- Saturated Fat: 1 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 18 g
- Fiber: 5 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
