• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Waves in the Kitchen logo

  • Food
    • Recipe Index
      • Colors & Seasons
  • Photography
  • Adventure
  • About
    • Shop
  • Nav Social Menu

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
menu icon
go to homepage
search icon
Homepage link
  • Food
    • Recipe Index
      • Colors & Seasons
  • Adventure
  • About
    • Shop
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • ×
    You are here: Home / Food / Ginger-Miso Glazed Eggplant

    Ginger-Miso Glazed Eggplant

    Oct 16, 2019 · Leave a Comment

    47 shares
    • Share
    • Tweet
    Jump to Recipe - Print Recipe

    Miso-ginger marinated eggplant that’s bursting with so much umami flavor it will have ya salivating and craving more of this savory and smoky dish with every single bite!

    Up close and overhead shot of charred ginger-miso glazed eggplant.

    Eggplants are spongy absorbent fruits that are often considered a veggie. Yep that’s right. They’re a fruit! And prime candidates to take on all sorts of flavors!

    Why this Ginger-Miso Glazed Eggplant Works

    • All the umami! This umami rich glaze will have ya craving more with every bite.
    • High temperature oven! Cooking the eggplant at high heat evaporates its moisture quickly.
    • Finishing under the broiler! Cooking the eggplant until charred caramelizes the glaze give us greater depth of flavor.

    Any variety of eggplant will do but I like using Japanese eggplants for this dish. There's a whole wide eggplant world out there!!!

    Ginger-miso glazed eggplant on a baking sheet, just out of the oven and topped with micro greens and flaky sea salt.

    Japanese Eggplants

    Their long, narrow shape, thin skin, few seeds and deep purple color characterize Japanese eggplants. They’re milder and less bitter than other varieties. Their flesh is extra cream when cooked and can be used just like the standard globe eggplants you may be used to from the super market.

    Japanese eggplant is extra spongy so don’t overdo the marinade — a little goes a long way.

    What is umami?

    Umami is one of the 5 basic tastes, along with sweet, sour, bitter and salty. It literally means “a pleasant savory taste.”

    Ya know when ya eat something that makes your mouth salivate and crave more… that’s umami!!! Examples of foods with lots of umami are mushroom, tomatoes, soy sauce and cheese.

    Japanese eggplant coated with a glossy, umami rich savory sauce and charred to perfection…. YUM!!! Such a simple dish with amazing flavor.

    How to Make the Ginger-Miso Marinated Eggplant

    First we roast the eggplant, make the glaze, and brush it on the roasted eggplant and finish under the broiler. Sprinkle with garnishes and serve.

    Japanese eggplant sliced in half lengthwise and coated with sesame oil.

    Cooks Tips

    • Any type of eggplant variety works for this dish.
    • Pick eggplants with shiny and firm skin. We don’t want any mushy eggplants.
    • To make the dish gluten-free, use Tamari instead of soy sauce. 
    • Leftovers can be stored in the fridge for up to 4 days.

    Stoked on eggplant recipes? Check out my Bulgur Stuffed Eggplant with Fresh Herbs & Tahini-Yogurt Drizzle.

    Have ya tried this recipe? I’d love to hear about it and see it too! Please leave a comment below and take a pic and tag it on Instagram with #chefdanielagerson. You can also follow me on Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest to see more colorfully delicious food and all sorts of awesome adventures!

    Let's make waves in the kitchen!

    Up close and overhead shot of charred ginger-miso glazed eggplant.
    Print Recipe

    Ginger-Miso Marinated Eggplant

    Miso-ginger marinated eggplant that’s bursting with so much umami flavor it will have ya salivating and craving more of this savory and smoky dish with every single bite!
    Prep Time10 mins
    Cook Time25 mins
    Course: Sides
    Cuisine: Californian
    Servings: 8

    Ingredients

    • 6 Japanese eggplants 1 1/2 lb. total cut on a diagonal into 1-inch-thick slices

    Ginger-Miso Marinade

    • 1 tablespoon sesame oil
    • 1/4 cup white miso fermented soybean paste
    • 1/4 cup mirin
    • 2 tablespoons unseasoned rice vinegar
    • 2-3 tablespoons soy sauce
    • 1 tablespoon sugar
    • 1 ½ tablespoons finely grated peeled ginger
    • 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
    • 1 teaspoon reduced-sodium soy sauce

    Toppings

    • 2 teaspoons sesame seeds divided
    • 2 tablespoons thinly sliced scallions divided
    • Handful of Microgreens
    • Flaky Sea Salt

    Instructions

    • Preheat oven to 425°. Cut eggplant in half lengthwise to expose the flesh. Score eggplant slices in a crosshatch pattern and coat completely with sesame oil. Roast the eggplant on a baking sheet cut side down, until very tender and the skin is beginning to shrivel, about 15-20 minutes. Remove from the oven, carefully turn the eggplant over and pre-heat the broiler. 
    • While the eggplant is roasting, make the giner-miso glaze.  Whisk all miso-ginger glaze ingredients together in a saucepan over very low heat for a few minutes; just until all ingredients are combined well together.
    • Brush the miso glaze on the cut surface of the roasted eggplant and broil on the same sheet/tray as used above, until golden and charred, about 4–5 minutes.
    • Remove from oven and sprinkle garnishes, sesame seeds, scallions, microgreens, and/or flaky sea salt.

    Notes

    • Any type of eggplant variety works for this dish.
    • Pick eggplants with shiny and firm skin. We don’t want any mushy eggplants.
    • To make the dish gluten-free, use Tamari instead of soy sauce. 
    • Leftovers can be stored in the fridge for up to 4 days.
    « Purple Sweet Potato Cheesecake
    Mendocino Travel Guide »

    Reader Interactions

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    Primary Sidebar

    Meet Daniela

    VEGGIES ARE SEXY 

    Hi, I'm Daniela - a Los Angeles based food photographer and creative director. I began my career as a chef with a passion for sourcing colorful produce from local markets. I love emphasizing the beauty of real food with my images. I’m also a food stylist and recipe developer with a gorgeous prop-filled studio in Venice, California.

    Daniela Gerson Photography

    Subscribe to the Newsletter

    PDN First Place Taste

    Popular Fall Recipes

    Beet Hummus with Parsley, Lemon Zest, Za'atar & Flaky Sea Salt, in a white bowl.

    Beet Hummus

    Finished tart with tahini swirl, side angle shot.

    Chocolate Tahini Tart

    Cranberry Gingersnap Pie. Topped with sugared cranberries and sugared thyme. Side Ange shot. Up close. On a black background.

    Cranberry Gingersnap Pie

    Citrus & Fresh Herb Roasted Salmon. Pre Oven with blood oranges, lemons, Meyer lemons, limes, kumquats, red onions, garlic, parsley, and dill on the salmon.

    Citrus & Fresh Herb Roasted Salmon

    Mascarpone Cheesecake with balsamic roasted long stemmed strawberries, out of the spring form pan, 45 degree angle shot.

    Amaretto & Mascarpone Cheesecake

    Pomegranate Chicken topped with pomegranate arils and parsley, in cast iron skillet on a white background; overhead shot.

    Pomegranate Chicken

    Popular Posts

    Beet Hummus with Parsley, Lemon Zest, Za'atar & Flaky Sea Salt, in a white bowl.

    Beet Hummus

    Raw chicken thighs topped with cherries and rosemary in a skillet; overhead shot.

    Cherry Chicken

    Finished tart with tahini swirl, side angle shot.

    Chocolate Tahini Tart

    Cranberry Gingersnap Pie. Topped with sugared cranberries and sugared thyme. Side Ange shot. Up close. On a black background.

    Cranberry Gingersnap Pie

    Easy to make No-Bake delicious Cheesecake topped with fresh strawberries, date syrup, and flaky salt; side angle shot on a grey background.

    No-Bake Cheesecake

    Citrus & Fresh Herb Roasted Salmon. Pre Oven with blood oranges, lemons, Meyer lemons, limes, kumquats, red onions, garlic, parsley, and dill on the salmon.

    Citrus & Fresh Herb Roasted Salmon

    Sites that have featured Waves in the Kitchen

    Copyright © 2023 Waves in the Kitchen • Privacy Policy • Disclosure

    47 shares