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With just 5 ingredients, this roasted miso eggplant is a show-stopping dish that’s ready in just 35 minutes. Savory and tangy, this recipe turns this humble vegetable into your new favorite side dish!
save this recipe!Sometimes, all I want for dinner is a deliciously roasted veggie. There are so many great options, from simply using olive oil to breading to coating with delicious sauces. But today, we make miso eggplant.
Dengaku is what the Japanese call “miso glazed” dishes, and eggplant in Japanese is “nasu,” so this delicious dish is plainly called “nasu dengaku.”
Salty miso, acidic mirin, and a spoonful of sugar meld into the most wonderfully textured glaze. You will always want to eat eggplant this way! Because of how we slice the eggplant, it’s also perfect for sharing. You can enjoy this on your own and eat the entire thing, or cut along the lines and serve to a group!
Your don’t need much
Some quick ingredients come together to season this eggplant. They might not already be in your pantry, but they are amazing for giving umami to your food, and I’ll share a few recipes to help you use them up! Jump to the recipe card for exact measurements—this is only an overview!
- Eggplant: Reach for the standard Italian eggplant and not globe or mini, as that’s what I’ve based my cooking times on.
- Sesame Oil: This bottle may seem a bit pricy in the store, but the flavor is what is familiar to many Asian dishes and a little goes a long way.
- Miso Paste: Soybeans are fermented with a mold starter and salt is then added. This adds great umami and, like the oil, you only need a little!
- Mirin: A sweet and tangy rice wine. Look for it in the vinegar section of your grocery store.
- Sugar: Just a bit to aid in caramelization.
Eggplant vs. Aubergine
Miso aubergine? Why not! You may or may not be familiar with the French word, which simply means “purple.” The plant was called aubergine before the name eggplant came about, and it is still used in most parts of the world. Eggplant is used in North America and Australia.
Let’s make Miso Glazed Eggplant
This couldn’t be easier! We roast our eggplant, then glaze it, and broil the glaze to create a delicious crust! Jump to the recipe card for the full printable instructions!
Step 1: Prep the Eggplant
Preheat the oven and line a sturdy baking sheet with parchment. Halve a cleaned eggplant and then crosshatch it, making sure not to cut all the way through the skin.
Step 2: Bake Them
Brush the sesame oil over the cut sides and then place them on the prepared baking sheet, cut side down. Bake until tender.
Step 3: Miso
Stir together remaining ingredients, and brush this onto the cut sides of the eggplant, leaving them cut side UP on the sheet.
Step 4: Broil
Move the oven rack to the middle of the oven and turn the broiler on. Broil carefully until the glaze is bubbling and the perfect golden color.
Step 5: Serve
Serve hot with your favorite toppings like scallions and sesame seeds and a side of rice.
Watch the paper!
Be careful! Most parchment paper is rated at 450°F, and broiling is usually at 500°F. Because the rack is further from the heating element and you are keeping an eye on things, you should be ok! But you can use foil instead if you aren’t comfortable with the parchment.
Serving Suggestions
I love to serve a meal from a different culture or cuisine. What a great way to have fun with friends. You could also pair it with tofu and brush it with the same glaze for a protein boost.
- Kimchi is the perfect side dish for adding crunch to your meal.
- Asian Inspired Carrot Noodles are the perfect grain-free side dish.
- Kimchi Fried Rice brings in everyone’s favorite rice with a twist.
- Teriyaki Chickpeas cook on the stove in 20 minutes while the eggplant bakes.
Roasted Miso Eggplant (Super Easy!)
Ingredients
- 1 eggplant
- 1 Tbsp sesame oil, 15 mL
- 2 Tbsp miso paste, 30 g
- 1 Tbsp mirin, 15 mL
- 1 tsp sugar
- To serve: green onions, sesame seeds, rice
Instructions
- Prep: Preheat oven to 400°F (204°C). Cut the eggplant in half lengthwise, then score it – with the cut side facing up, lightly slice on a diagonal all the way along the eggplant. Slice in a diagonal direction the other way as well, making sure to only go about ½-inch deep.
- Bake: Brush sesame oil evenly over the cut side of both halves, then place cut side down on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake for 20 minutes, or until tender.
- Miso: Stir together miso paste, mirin, and sugar. When eggplant is finished cooking, carefully remove it from the oven, flip it so the cut side is facing up, and spread the miso onto it.
- Broil: Set eggplant cut side up, put back in the oven (middle rack), and turn the oven to broil. Broil, watching carefully, until miso mixture is golden brown and bubbling.
- Serve: Serve hot with sliced green onions, sesame seeds, and rice.
Notes
did you make this?Leave a comment below and tag @liveeatlearn on social media! I love seeing what you’ve made!
