Miso Glazed Eggplant (Print version)

Silky roasted eggplant with sweet-savory miso glaze, broiled to caramelized perfection.

# What You Need:

→ Eggplant

01 - 2 medium Japanese eggplants

→ Miso Glaze

02 - 3 tablespoons white miso paste
03 - 1 tablespoon mirin
04 - 1 tablespoon sake
05 - 1 tablespoon sugar
06 - 1 tablespoon sesame oil

→ Garnish

07 - 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
08 - 2 green onions, thinly sliced

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
02 - Slice eggplants in half lengthwise. Score the flesh in a crosshatch pattern, being careful not to pierce the skin.
03 - Brush cut sides with sesame oil and place cut-side up on the prepared baking sheet.
04 - Roast for 20 to 25 minutes, until the flesh is tender and golden.
05 - Whisk together the miso paste, mirin, sake, sugar, and remaining sesame oil in a small bowl until smooth.
06 - Remove eggplants from the oven. Spread a generous layer of miso glaze evenly over the cut sides.
07 - Set oven to broil. Broil eggplants for 2 to 3 minutes, until the glaze bubbles and caramelizes. Watch closely to prevent burning.
08 - Remove from oven and sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds and green onions. Serve warm.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The eggplant becomes impossibly tender and almost creamy, nothing like the rubbery texture you might fear.
  • Miso and mirin do all the heavy lifting flavor-wise, so you look like you spent hours when it's genuinely effortless.
  • It's naturally vegan, impressive enough for guests, and still humble enough to eat on a Tuesday night.
02 -
  • Don't use regular globe eggplants here—they'll cook unevenly and stay watery; Japanese eggplants have less moisture and a silkier texture that actually absorbs the glaze instead of just sitting on top.
  • The broiler is a game-changer but also a trap; set a timer and stay in the kitchen because caramelization and burning happen in the same three-minute window.
  • If your miso glaze looks too thick, you can whisk in a few drops of water or sake to loosen it—it should spread easily but still cling to the eggplant without running off.
03 -
  • Make the glaze while the eggplants roast so you're not scrambling at the last minute, and keep it at room temperature so it spreads smoothly without cooking the outer eggplant layer prematurely.
  • If you can't find Japanese eggplants, look for long, narrow Italian eggplants as a substitute—they're not identical but they're way closer to what you need than a globe eggplant.
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