Miso Glazed Eggplant (Printer-friendly)

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

# Ingredient List:

→ 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, taking care 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 white miso paste, mirin, sake, sugar, and remaining sesame oil in a small bowl until smooth.
06 - Remove eggplants from the oven and 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. Monitor closely to prevent burning.
08 - Remove from oven and sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds and green onions. Serve warm.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The eggplant becomes impossibly silky inside while the glaze caramelizes into something that tastes like sweet and savory dancing together.
  • It comes together in under 45 minutes but tastes like you've been fussing over it all afternoon.
  • One dish works as a humble side or stands confidently as a light main, depending on what else you're serving.
02 -
  • If your glaze is too thick to spread, add a teaspoon of water or sake at a time—it should coat like soft butter, not sit in stiff clumps.
  • The broiler is fast and unforgiving, so set a timer and stay near the oven; the difference between caramelized and burnt is maybe 30 seconds.
  • Japanese eggplants really do cook differently than the big globe kind—trust the 20 to 25 minute window rather than trying to force faster cooking.
03 -
  • Score the eggplant flesh deeply enough that the glaze can seep in, but carefully enough that you're not creating weak spots that fall apart—a steady hand and a sharp knife make all the difference here.
  • If you find white miso too mild, you can sneak in just a teaspoon of red miso for depth, but taste as you go because it shifts the whole personality of the dish.
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