Miso-Glazed Eggplant with Sesame Rice and Quick-Pickled Cucumber
Japanese home cooks have been glazing eggplant with miso for a very long time, and for good reason, the combination of sweet, salty, and deeply savory against the creamy, yielding flesh of roasted eggplant is one of the best things you can do with vegetables. Our version keeps it simple: halved eggplant, scored and brushed with a miso-mirin glaze, broiled until bubbling and caramelized on top. The quick-pickled cucumber is there because every rich, sweet, salty thing needs something cold, crunchy, and acidic to balance it out. This is Kiana's "fancy Tuesday" dinner, looks impressive, takes forty-five to fifty minutes.
- VEG
- DF
Estimated macros per serving
Calories ~600 · Protein ~14g · Carbs ~104g · Fat ~16g
Ingredients
For the miso glaze:
- 2 tablespoons white miso paste (use certified gluten-free, rice-koji based miso to keep this dish gluten-free)
- 1 tablespoon mirin (use gluten-free mirin or substitute with 2 teaspoons rice vinegar plus ½ teaspoon maple syrup to keep this dish gluten-free)
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil, divided (1 teaspoon for glaze, 1 teaspoon for rice)
- 1 teaspoon rice vinegar
For the eggplant:
- 2 medium globe eggplants, halved lengthwise
- 1 tablespoon neutral oil (avocado or light olive oil)
For the quick-pickled cucumber:
- 1 medium English cucumber, thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 1 teaspoon sugar (or ½ teaspoon maple syrup)
- Pinch of kosher salt
- Pinch of red pepper flakes
For serving:
- 2 cups cooked short-grain white or brown rice, warm
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
- 1 green onion, thinly sliced
Method
- Start the pickled cucumber. Toss the cucumber slices with rice vinegar, sugar, a pinch of salt, and red pepper flakes in a small bowl. Set aside. It'll be ready by the time everything else is done. Give it a stir now and then.
- Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C) and line a sheet pan with parchment paper.
- Prep the eggplant. Score the cut side of each eggplant half in a crosshatch pattern, about 1/2 inch deep. Brush the cut sides with neutral oil and place them cut-side down on the sheet pan. Roast for 25 to 30 minutes until the flesh is completely tender when pierced with a fork and the skin has begun to shrivel.
- While the eggplant roasts, make the miso glaze. Whisk together the miso paste, mirin, maple syrup, 1 teaspoon of the sesame oil, and rice vinegar until smooth.
- Flip the eggplant halves so they're cut-side up. Brush generously with the miso glaze. Switch the oven to broil and broil for 3 to 5 minutes, watching carefully, until the glaze is bubbling and caramelized with dark spots. Don't walk away; this goes from perfect to burnt quickly.
- Toss the warm rice with the remaining 1 teaspoon sesame oil and the sesame seeds.
- Plate the sesame rice and top with the miso-glazed eggplant. Pile the quick-pickled cucumber alongside and garnish with sliced green onion.
Variations & Notes
- Extra Hungry: Double the rice portion and add a handful of shelled edamame to the bowl.
- Protein add-on: Top with crumbled firm tofu that's been pan-fried until crispy, or add a sliced soft-boiled egg (no longer vegan; cook yolks firm for anyone in a higher-risk group).
- Sub notes: Japanese eggplant works beautifully here and cooks faster: halve them lengthwise and reduce initial roasting time to 10–15 minutes. Yellow or red miso can replace white; the flavor will be stronger and saltier, so start with a bit less.
- Air-fry option: Score and oil the eggplant and set your oven's air-fry setting to 400°F (200°C) (or use a standalone air fryer). Air fry cut-side down for 10 minutes, flip, glaze, and air fry 3 to 5 more minutes.
- Storage: The eggplant is best fresh but keeps refrigerated for 2 days. The pickled cucumber keeps for up to 4 days and actually gets better.