This simple Japanese eggplant dish is not only delicious but holds an odd nostalgic place in my heart. It’s baked to a creamy softness with a simple glaze of sauce made of miso paste, mirin, sesame oil, and a bit of ginger and vinegar. While it’s absolutely wonderful as an appetizer, it’s also great as a side dish or even a vegetarian main served with white rice.

I have a whole category of Japanese restaurant memories spanning from my young adulthood to the present. Some of the restaurants I have loved are high-end (thanks, Mom and Dad), some have been super casual and fairly cheap (all-you-can-eat at Yuka, which is still on the Upper East Side), and there has been everything in between.

I first tried this eggplant dish at a wonderful (rest in peace) restaurant called Tatany in NYC. It was one of the first places I experienced high-end Japanese food as a college student and realized that there was a whole world of Japanese food beyond sushi. (And that there was a world of sushi that did not come in clamshell containers.)

The sushi was amazing, but it’s this vegan eggplant dish that I remember with great love. Long, slender halves of Japanese eggplant were dotted with a pungent, potent, slightly sweet, salty umami (I was years from knowing what the word umami meant) sauce and cooked to a melting tenderness. The smell alone was amazing. I never went back to that restaurant without ordering this dish. And I finally created my home version.

But here is the craziest part — a few years back, I joined a Japanese pottery studio in NYC. The owner, Risa Nishimori, told me that her father had been a Japanese restauranteur. And guess which restaurant he owned…my heart and mind almost burst.

This would be great with Takikomi Gohan with Chicken, a salad with Japanese restaurant dressing, or Vegetable Yaki Udon. Leftovers are great chopped up and added to vegetable fried rice.

Japanese Miso Eggplant: Long slender halves of Japanese eggplant are baked to a melting tenderness with a slightly sweet and salty sauce rich in umami flavor.

Miso-Glazed Japanese Eggplant Ingredients

• Japanese eggplant – You could also try this with thick slices of globe eggplant.
• Miso paste – White or yellow, which are the milder varieties.
• Mirin or sake – Mirin is a slightly sweet low-alcohol rice wine (or you can use regular sake).
• Sesame oil – Adds a toasty, nutty flavor.
• Soy sauce
• Rice or white wine vinegar – Adds a bit of acidity.
• Sesame seeds and sliced scallions – For garnish, adding color and texture.

How to Make Miso-Glazed Japanese Eggplant

1. Cut the eggplant: Preheat the oven to 400 F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil or parchment paper. Cut the eggplant down the middle the long way so you have two long flat halves for each.
2. Roast the eggplant: Place the eggplant cut side up on the baking sheet. Brush the cut sides of the eggplant lightly with the oil. Roast the eggplant for about 25 minutes, until very tender and lightly browned on the top. Remove the eggplant, and change the oven setting to broil.

3. Make the miso glaze: Meanwhile, in a small bowl, stir together the miso, ginger, sesame oil, soy sauce, vinegar, and pepper.
4. Glaze the eggplant and roast: Brush the mixture evenly over the top of the roasted eggplant. Sprinkle over the sesame seeds. Return the baking sheet to the oven and broil for about 4 minutes, until the tops are browned in spots along with the sesame seeds; watch carefully to make sure they don’t get too brown.

5. Serve: Remove from the oven and sprinkle with the scallions if desired (which I forgot to do for these photos). Serve hot or warm.

What to Serve With Japanese Miso Eggplant

How to Make Crispy Tofu 

Chicken Yaki Udon

Asian Bok Choy

More Vegetarian Asian Recipes

• Spicy, Sweet, and Nutty Tofu
• Angel Hair “Ramen” with Shiitake Mushrooms, Tofu, Baby Bok Choy, and Scallions
• Noodles with Peanut Sauce
• Shiitake Mushroom and Spinach Dumplings
• Vietnamese Garlic Noodles