Grilled Miso Eggplant
Recipe Key
This is a simple dish with incredible depth of flavor. The miso glaze caramelizes on the grill to create a melt-in-your-mouth eggplant dish.
The eggplants in the farmers market looked amazing. I picked up some Japanese eggplant but the recipe also works with Italian eggplant.*
Topping the eggplant with a sweet and salty miso glaze and grilling it gives it a remarkable umami, “meaty” taste.
This is a simple dish with only 5 ingredients and requires very little fuss.
The miso glaze has 3 ingredients: white or yellow miso paste, mirin and coconut sugar. The other 2 ingredients are eggplant and avocado oil (or other neutral oil).
The grilling is very simple.
Grill on medium so it doesn’t burn before the inside is soft and creamy. That’s when eggplant is really good. Hard undercooked eggplant is awful.
The sauce caramelizes quickly so don’t leave the grill once you flip the glazed side over! It only takes 30 seconds to 1 minute, depending on how hot your grill is.
Once it is done, garnish with chopped scallions and sesame seeds.
Experience the beauties of nature, and in doing so learn about yourself.
~ Japanese proverb
Grilled Miso Eggplant
In this dish the miso glaze carmelizes on the grill to create a melt-in-your-mouth eggplant dish.
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 10 mins
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
- Category: Vegetable
- Cuisine: Asian, Seasonal, Vegan, Gluten Free
Ingredients
- 6 Japanese eggplants (about 1 1/2 pounds)
- Celtic sea salt
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil or other mild flavored oil
- chopped scallions, for garnish, optional
- sesame seeds, for garnish, optional
Miso Glaze
- 4 tablespoons mirin
- 1 tablespoon coconut sugar
- 1/4 cup white or yellow miso paste
Instructions
- Preheat grill on medium.
- Slice your eggplants in half lengthwise. Using the tip of a knife, cut slits on each half, making sure NOT to cut through the skin, but cutting down to it. Salt the eggplant lightly and let sit for 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, make the glaze: Combine the mirin and sugar together in the smallest saucepan you have and bring to a boil over high heat. Boil 20 seconds, to dissolve the sugar,taking care not to boil off much of the liquid.
- Pat the eggplant dry.
- Brush the cut side of each eggplant with the oil. Do it 2 to 3 times to use up all the oil.
- Place the cut side down on the grill and cook for 4 minutes until it turns a light golden brown.
- Turn over, and cook for 3 to 4 minutes. While it is cooking, use a brush or spoon to spread a generous amount of Miso Glaze on the cut side of each eggplant.
- Squeeze the side of the eggplant with your tongs to see if it’s soft.
- Turn over and grill just for 30 seconds to 1 minute, to caramelise the glaze.
- Remove from grill, garnish with shallots and sesame seeds and serve immediately.
Notes
If using Italian eggplant cut into rounds about 1 inch thick, brush the oil on both sides (you will need an extra 1 tbsp of oil) then follow the directions of the recipe.
I hope you find this recipe as delicious and easy to make as I do. Please let me know what you think by leaving a comment or rate it below.
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