My baked and broiled Miso Glazed Eggplant strikes a delicious balance of silky texture and sweet, umami flavor. It’s creamy in the middle with crisp edges and a bubbly, caramelized sauce on top. This satisfying vegan/vegetarian recipe is ready in only 30 minutes.
Eggplant can be tricky to cook. When it’s done right, it has a silky and sumptuous texture that can’t be beat. Give it a try with my wonderfully simple Miso Glazed Eggplant (茄子の味噌焼き) that’s so easy to make. It has a crispy exterior, a super-creamy interior, and a sweet-savory flavor that’s truly irresistible.
If you love this eggplant dish, try my Soy-Glazed Eggplant Donburi, Eggplant Agebitashi, and Mapo Eggplant recipes next!
Table of Contents
What is Miso Glazed Eggplant?
Miso-glazed eggplant is my adaption of the classic dish nasu no miso dengaku (茄子の味噌田楽), where eggplant is grilled and slathered with a sweet and savory miso glaze. It is commonly served alongside other vegan/vegetarian ingredients like grilled tofu, daikon, taro root, and konnyaku (konjac) in a dish called miso dengaku (味噌田楽) that the Japanese have enjoyed since the 1500s.
Why I Love This Recipe
- Fuss-free oven method: I bake and broil the miso eggplant for a more hands-off approach compared to pan-frying or grilling. With the oven, it’s much easier to make a big batch, too.
- A silky and creamy texture: I love how baking the eggplant sweetens the flavor and softens the middle. It’s so tender and luxurious!
- The caramelized glaze adds incredible depth: Once baked, the eggplant goes under the broiler to intensify the sweet and salty flavors.
Ingredients for Miso Glazed Eggplant
- Japanese eggplants – or use slender Chinese/Italian eggplants
- Toasted sesame oil
- Miso – I use white miso
- Sake
- Mirin (sweet rice wine)
- Sugar
Find the printable recipe with measurements below.
Jump to RecipeSubstitutions
- Miso: Classic miso dengaku uses red or Hatcho miso, but I chose Organic White Miso from Hikari Miso (find it on Amazon) because it’s mild, flavorful, and sweet. You can use any type of miso, but you may need to add more mirin and sugar to counterbalance the increased saltiness.
- Sake: Adds subtle sweetness and umami. In a pinch, you can substitute Chinese rice wine, dry sherry, or water.
- Mirin: You can substitute 1 Tbsp sake (or water) + 1 tsp sugar for every 1 Tbsp mirin. The flavor isn’t the same, but it’s close.
How to Make Miso Glazed Eggplant
Preparation
Step 1 – Make the sweet miso glaze. Combine the miso and sugar in a small bowl. Mix in the mirin. Add the sake to your preferred consistency.
Step 2 – Score and soak. Cut the eggplants in half lengthwise, then score the surface with a knife in a crisscross pattern. Briefly soak the eggplants in water and dry.
Baking
Step 3 – Brush with sesame oil and bake. Brush the flesh with sesame oil and place cut side down on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake in a preheated 425ºF (220ºC) oven until the skin begins to shrivel and the flesh softens. Remove the pan and preheat the broiler.
Step 4 – Broil. Turn over the eggplant and brush the cut surface with sweet miso glaze. Place under the broiler until the glaze begins to bubble.
Assemble
Step 5 – Garnish and serve. Sprinkle with optional sesame seeds, sliced green onions, and julienned shiso leaves. Serve with optional yuzu kosho on the side.
Nami’s Recipe Tips
- Score the eggplant in a crisscross pattern – Scoring helps the eggplant cook faster and absorb more flavor and improves the presentation. I make diagonal cuts with a sharp knife about ⅛ inch (3 mm) deep and apart in one direction first, then the other.
- Soak the cut eggplant in water – Soaking removes the astringency from the eggplant for improved flavor. I usually soak them for just 10 minutes, then dry well with a kitchen towel or paper towel.
- Brush with enough glaze to coat the surface – Don’t overload your eggplant with sweet miso glaze or it will taste too salty. One batch of sauce makes enough for 3 large or 5 medium eggplants, so you may have some leftover.
- Broil at an ideal distance – Keep the rack in the center of the oven, roughly 7 inches (18 cm) away from the heating element. I find that it takes 3–5 minutes to caramelize the glaze from this distance. The cooking time varies based on how far away you place the baking sheet from the heating element.
Variations and Customizations
- Try it with tofu. Cut tofu into bite-sized pieces and cook it like Miso Glazed Eggplant.
- Sprinkle with julienned shiso. I listed shiso as an optional ingredient, but I highly recommend using it if you can find it at your local Japanese grocery store. Eggplant, miso, and shiso are a golden trio!
- Sprinkle with yuzu zest. If you have fresh yuzu on hand, try adding the bright and aromatic zest of this Japanese citrus to the glaze. In Japan, we also add kinome leaves, an herb from the Japanese prickly ash tree.
What to Serve with Miso Glazed Eggplant
You can enjoy this Miso Glazed Eggplant as a tasty appetizer, side dish, or main dish. Here are some of the dishes you can serve it with.
- Fish: Teriyaki Salmon
- Meat: Tonkatsu (Japanese Pork Cutlet)
- Vegetables: Japanese Cucumber Salad (Sunomono)
- Soup: Kakitamajiru (Japanese Egg Drop Soup)
Storage Tips
To store: You can keep the nasu dengaku leftovers in an airtight container and store it in the refrigerator for 3 days. You can keep the miso glaze leftovers in the fridge for up to 7 days or in the freezer for up to 1 month.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! Please see my Miso Dengaku recipe for how to make the miso sauce using red miso or dark, pungent Hatcho miso from the Nagoya region. These two types are most commonly used to make miso dengaku, although white miso paste and Saikyo miso are also popular. If you feel the flavor is too strong, particularly in the case of Hatcho miso, you can add dashi (Japanese soup stock) to dilute the flavor a bit.
Miso-Glazed Eggplant
Ingredients
For the Sweet Miso Glaze
- 3 Tbsp miso (I recommend Organic White Miso by Hikari Miso)
- 1 Tbsp sugar
- 1 Tbsp mirin
- ½ Tbsp sake (or more, if your miso is chunky; you can use water)
For the Eggplant
- 3 Japanese eggplants (1.2 lb, 518 g)
- 1 Tbsp toasted sesame oil
For the Garnish (optional)
- 1 green onion/scallion (or 2 thin stalks)
- 5 shiso leaves (perilla/ooba) (find it at a Japanese market; no similar substitute)
- 2 tsp toasted white sesame seeds
Instructions
- Gather all the ingredients. Set the rack in the center of the oven about 7 inches (18 cm) away from the heating element. Preheat the oven to 425ºF (220ºC). For convection, reduce the temperature by 25ºF (15ºC).
To Make the Sweet Miso Glaze
- Combine 3 Tbsp miso and 1 Tbsp sugar in a small bowl. Mix well to dissolve the sugar.
- Add 1 Tbsp mirin and ½ Tbsp sake and stir. If needed, you can add a bit more sake until you reach your preferred consistency, as some miso is chunkier than others. Mix well and set aside.
To Prepare the Eggplants
- Cut off the stem and calyx of 3 Japanese eggplants. Cut the eggplants in half lengthwise from stem to tip, creating boat-like halves. If your eggplants are long, you can cut them in half crosswise so they're shorter.
- With the knife, score the cut surface of eggplant diagonally about ⅛ inch (3 mm) deep and apart. Work in one direction first and then the other, creating a crisscross pattern on the flesh. Tip: In addition to improving the presentation, this crisscross scoring helps the eggplants cook faster and absorb more flavor.
- Soak them in water for 10 minutes to remove the astringency. Blot them with paper towels or a clean kitchen towel and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
- Brush the cut surface with 1 Tbsp toasted sesame oil. Turn them over so they are cut side down on the baking sheet.
To Bake
- Bake the eggplants at 425ºF (220ºC) for 15 minutes.
- Meanwhile, cut 1 green onion/scallion into thin rounds. Roll up 5 shiso leaves (perilla/ooba) and cut them into julienned strips.
- After 15 minutes, the eggplant flesh should be soft and the skin slightly shriveled. Remove the baking sheet from the oven. Now, preheat the broiler. Keep the rack in the same center position, roughly 7 inches (18 cm) away from the heating element.
To Broil
- Carefully turn the eggplants cut side up and brush the flesh with a layer of sweet miso glaze. Coat the surface completely. You don't need to use all the glaze; one batch makes enough for 3 large or 5 medium eggplants. Tip: You can freeze any leftover glaze to use later or enjoy it as a dip for veggies.
- Place the eggplants under the broiler until the glaze begins to bubble and caramelize, about 3–5 minutes. Remove from the broiler. Tip: The cooking time varies based on how far away you place the food from the heating element.
To Serve
- Sprinkle the baked eggplants with 2 tsp toasted white sesame seeds, sliced green onions, and julienned shiso leaves. I serve a dab of yuzu kosho (optional) on a maple leaf for a spicy kick. Serve immediately.
To Store
- You can keep the nasu dengaku leftovers in an airtight container and store it in the refrigerator for 3 days. You can keep the miso glaze leftovers in the fridge for up to 7 days or in the freezer for up to 1 month.
Nutrition
Editor’s Note: This post was originally published on June 30, 2013. It was updated with new images and a revised recipe on September 27, 2021, and republished with more helpful content on March 5, 2025.
nice recipe! i used 2 spoons of miso and it was a bit too salty for my liking, but it depends on the brand i guess.
Hello, Elisa! Thank you so much for trying Nami’s recipe and for sharing your experience with us!
We hope adjusting the miso to your taste helps next time!🤗 Happy cooking!
I used my air fryer instead of the oven and broiler, and it turned out great! It tastes just like what I enjoy in restaurants. I’ve always wanted to make this dish at home since it’s my favorite, and now I can have it as much as I want! Thank you!!!
Hello, Wachansa! We are so happy to hear you enjoyed the dish!
Thank you for trying Nami’s recipe and for your kind feedback. Happy cooking!