Description
This Miso Eggplant recipe offers two 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, the dish garnished with sesame seeds and fresh herbs delivers an umami-rich flavor.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 medium-large Italian eggplants (or 3–4 Japanese eggplants)
- 3 tablespoons white miso paste
- 1.5 tablespoons sugar
- 1 tablespoon mirin
- 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar (or sake)
- 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
- Slice the eggplants in half lengthwise. Score the flesh diagonally, creating a crisscross pattern.
- In a bowl, whisk together white miso paste, sugar, mirin, and rice wine vinegar until smooth.
- Heat sesame oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat.
- Place eggplants flesh side down in the pan. Sear undisturbed for 3-5 minutes until golden brown.
- Flip the eggplants, add a splash of water, cover, reduce heat, and steam for 5 minutes until soft.
- Remove the lid, brush the miso glaze over the eggplant flesh.
- Place eggplants flesh side up on a parchment-lined baking sheet and broil for about 5 minutes until bubbling and caramelized.
- Remove from broiler, sprinkle with sesame seeds, fresh herbs, and sliced scallions. Serve warm with rice or noodles.
- Preheat oven to 200℃ (400℉). Brush eggplants with sesame oil and place flesh side down on a baking sheet.
- Roast for 25-30 minutes until skins wrinkle and eggplants are soft. Check tenderness with tongs.
- Flip eggplants flesh side up and broil for 5 minutes to brown the flesh.
- Brush the eggplant flesh with miso glaze.
- Broil flesh sides up for about 5 minutes until the glaze bubbles and caramelizes.
- Remove from broiler, garnish with sesame seeds, herbs, and scallions. Serve with rice or noodles.
Notes
- This dish works well as a side or main dish.
- Adjust the level of miso glaze to your taste.
- Use fresh herbs like cilantro or basil for added flavor.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Vegetarian
- Method: Pan Fry, Oven Roast
- Cuisine: Asian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 150 kcal
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 300 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