Healthy & Light Vegetarian

Miso-Glazed Eggplant

Name: Miso-Glazed Eggplant
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Japanese
Ingredients: 4 small aubergines, halved lengthways; 3 tbsp white miso paste; 2 tbsp mirin; 1 tbsp rice vinegar; 1 tbsp sesame oil; 2 tsp fresh ginger, grated; 1 tsp soft brown sugar; 2 tbsp neutral oil; 1 tbsp sesame seeds, toasted; 2 spring onions, sliced; Cooked rice, to serve

Eggplant is a sponge.

By Dana Reyes

Tested at least twice · Updated September 2026

Miso-Glazed Eggplant — Roasted until collapsing, then glazed under the grill until blistered and savoury.

10 min

Prep time

20 min

Cook time

Serves

4.6

1,104 RATINGS

Why eggplant needs oil and heat

Eggplant is a sponge. Without enough heat and oil it turns rubbery; with both, the flesh collapses into a creamy texture. The miso glaze goes on at the end so it chars rather than burns.

Scoring the flesh deeply before roasting helps the glaze seep into the eggplant and speeds up cooking.

Instructions

About 30 min from start to finish

Preheat the oven to 200°C. Score the cut side of each aubergine in a diamond pattern, being careful not to cut all the way through.

Brush the cut sides with the neutral oil and season with salt. Place cut-side up on a baking tray and roast for 25 minutes until soft.

Whisk the miso, mirin, vinegar, sesame oil, ginger and sugar together. Brush generously over the roasted aubergines.

Grill on high for 3-4 minutes until the glaze bubbles and chars in spots. Scatter with sesame seeds and spring onions and serve over rice.

Testing notes & substitutions

Three rounds of testing turned up three things worth knowing before you start cooking.

Choose smaller aubergines

They have fewer seeds and a creamier texture than the large supermarket ones.

Glaze burns fast

Watch carefully under the grill. The line between charred and burnt is about 30 seconds.

Make it a main

Add a fried egg or a side of steamed greens to turn this from a side into dinner.

Questions we get a lot

Can I use different miso?

Red miso is stronger and saltier; use less. White miso is mildest and best here.

Do I need to salt the eggplant first?

Not necessary if you are using small aubergines and roasting them well.

Can I do this on a barbecue?

Yes — roast the aubergines in foil first, then unwrap and glaze over direct heat.

Dana Reyes

Dana has cooked professionally for eleven years and has been testing recipes for Hearth & Thyme since 2019. She writes about weeknight cooking, slow breads, and the small techniques that quietly change a dish. Every recipe she publishes is cooked at least twice, in an ordinary home oven.