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    Home » Recipes » Vegan Dinner Recipes

    Published: Apr 21, 2022 · Modified: Jul 19, 2023 by joskitchenlarder · 2 Comments. · This post may contain affiliate links ·

    Miso-Glazed Aubergine (Nasu Dengaku)

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe Bookmark Bookmarked!
    Close up of one half of miso aubergine on top of rice.
    Close up of miso aubergine with sesame seeds and spring onions.
    Plater with four miso-glazed aubergine halves topped with spring onion slices.
    2 halves of miso aubergine on top of rice, spring onion slices on top.

    This Japanese inspired miso-glazed aubergine (Nasu Dengaku) is packed full of umami flavours. Aubergine (eggplant) glazed with rich miso based sauce and roasted in the oven until soft and melt in the mouth delicious.

    Plater with four miso-glazed aubergine halves topped with spring onion slices.

    Aubergine or eggplant is the perfect blank canvas for soaking up flavours.

    In this super quick and simple, Japanese inspired dish, it's paired up with rich, creamy, sweet and salty, delicious miso based glaze!

    This very low-maintenance vegan dish is baked in the oven until aubergine collapses and its flesh turns so soft that you could almost eat it with a spoon!

    Naturally vegan and easy to make gluten-free, Nasu Dengaku celebrates aubergine (eggplant) in its full glory with its texture and flavour seducing even toughest sceptics.

    Jump to:
    • 📝 Ingredients & substitutes
    • 🔪 How to make miso-glazed aubergine
    • 🍽 Equipment
    • 🥡 Storing
    • 💭 Top tips
    • 🍴 Serving suggestions
    • ❓ FAQs
    • 😋 More recipe you might enjoy
    • 📋 Recipe
    • 💬 Comments

    📝 Ingredients & substitutes

    To make my take on miso-glazed aubergine all you need is a handful of simple ingredients:

    2 aubergines, sesame seeds, spring onions, miso glaze, whisk and pastry brush.
    • Aubergine (Eggplant) - Any variety will do. Try choosing ones similar in size so that bake at the same rate.
    • Miso Paste - Either brown or white miso will work well here. I use Organic Yutaka Miso Paste as my everyday kitchen staple and really like it. You can get it from most supermarkets in the UK or online. It also happens to be gluten-free.
    • Soy Sauce or Tamari (if gluten-free) - More flavour!
    • Tahini (Sesame Paste) - Even though not really authentic here, I think tahini works really well with all the other flavours in the miso glaze and makes it really nice and creamy too. In a pinch you could use your favourite nut butter instead.
    • Rice Vinegar - It mellows all the saltiness from miso paste and soy sauce and adds extra flavour too. It can be substituted with Mirin (rice wine) even though the latter is slightly sweeter. If you use Mirin you might want to adjust the amount of liquid sweetener accordingly.
    • Sesame oil - Little goes a long way here but for me it's a must. It gives that toasted, nutty flavour.
    • Maple syrup - It's your vegan liquid sweetener that counteracts all the saltiness. Use to taste especially if you substitute rice vinegar with sweeter mirin. Agave or date syrups could be used here instead.
    • Sesame seeds - You could use already toasted sesame seeds and sprinkle them over baked miso aubergine but I like to sprinkle mine before baking. Either does the job!
    • Spring onions - Perfect garnish!

    🔪 How to make miso-glazed aubergine

    Ingredient quantities & detailed instructions to be found in recipe card at the bottom of the post.

    Preheat the oven to 180C(fan)/350F/Gas Mark 4.

    Wash and dry aubergines (eggplants) and cut them in half lengthwise, leaving the top intact (mostly for presentation).

    Next, using a sharp knife, score each half of aubergine with criss cross incisions. They should be deep but not all the way through as to cut through the skin.

    Repeat with all remaining aubergine halves.

    Scoring aubergine halves to make criss cross pattern.

    In a small bowl mix/whisk together miso, soy sauce/tamari, tahini, rice vinegar, sesame oil and maple syrup (or other sweetener of choice).

    Mix them until you get nice and glossy glaze (consistency of natural peanut butter).

    Mixing miso glaze in a bowl.

    Line the baking sheet with some greaseproof paper and place scored aubergine halves on top.

    Using pastry brush or a spoon brush/spread miso glaze generously over all the aubergine halves, making sure you get miso mixture into all the incisions.

    Sprinkle over some sesame seeds and bake in the preheated oven for 30-40 minutes until aubergine (eggplant) halves collapse and brown on top and the flesh is really soft and squidgy.

    Serve immediately with plenty of sliced spring onions on top and enjoy!

    Brushing aubergine halves with glaze, sprinkling with sesame seeds and aubergines after baking.

    🍽 Equipment

    One piece of kitchen kit worth mentioning here would be silicone pastry brush.

    Super versatile and very hygienic, it can be used for savoury dishes (like this lovely nasu dengaku) and of course sweet ones too.

    Using it to get miso glaze into all the little cuts in the aubergines makes the task so much quicker and easier.

    🥡 Storing

    Miso aubergine is best enjoyed straight away but if you've got any leftovers they can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days.

    Reheat in the oven or microwave depending on your preferences.

    2 halves of miso aubergine on top of rice, spring onion slices on top.

    💭 Top tips

    Don't cut through the skin of aubergines when scoring the flesh. You want to make pretty deep incisions but leave skin intact.

    Adjust roasting/baking time to the size of your aubergines/eggplants. I used standard ones here hence 30-40 minutes baking time but if you use smaller or baby ones the timing will be reduced.

    Use toasted sesame seeds or toast them yourself in a dry pan and garnish your aubergines after baking instead.

    🍴 Serving suggestions

    I like to serve my miso aubergines as a main dish but super simply with some brown rice and plenty of sliced spring onions sprinkled over the top.

    It will go equally well with noodles. Try cooked soba noodles dressed with a drizzle of sesame oil and miso-glazed aubergine on top.

    You can also serve it super simply with the side of steamed or sautéed bok choy, pak choi or any of your favourite greens.

    I love it with mizeria aka Polish Cucumber salad and despite two completely different cuisines, the flavours mingle so well.

    If you like a bit of spice, try drizzling some sriracha sauce over the aubergines. It works really well!

    Close up of miso aubergine with sesame seeds and spring onions.

    ❓ FAQs

    Do aubergines/eggplants needs salting?

    There is no need to salt aubergines prior to cooking anymore as modern varieties do not have that bitter flavour that salting was suppose to reduce or eliminate.

    Do you eat the skin of the aubergine/eggplant?

    The skin of the aubergine is perfectly edible although depending on the preparation it might be a bit tough.

    Because we roast our miso-glazed aubergines here, the skin looses its toughness and you eat it together with the flesh.

    Have you tried my Miso-Glazed Aubergine?
    Please consider giving it ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating in recipe card below and share your views or tips in the comments.

    😋 More recipe you might enjoy

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      Easy Cauliflower & Lentil Curry (Vegan)
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      Easy Indian Chapati (Only 2 Ingredients)

    📋 Recipe

    Miso-glazed aubergine halves served in a bowl on top of rice with lime and spring onions.
    Print Pin
    5 from 3 votes

    Miso-Glazed Aubergine (Nasu Dengaku)

    This Japanese inspired miso-glazed aubergine (Nasu Dengaku) is packed full of umami flavours. Aubergine (eggplant) glazed with rich miso based sauce and roasted in the oven until soft and melt in the mouth delicious.
    Course Main Course, Side Dish, vegetable dish
    Cuisine Japanese
    Keyword miso aubergine, nasu dengaku

    Equipment

    • Pastry Brush*
    • Whisk*
    • Baking Paper*
    • Non-Stick Baking Tray*
    Prep Time 10 minutes minutes
    Cook Time 40 minutes minutes
    Total Time 50 minutes minutes
    Servings 2 servings
    Calories 254kcal
    Author Jo Allison
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Ingredients

    • 2 aubergines (eggplants)
    • 2 tablespoon brown or white miso
    • 1 tablespoon soy sauce or tamari
    • 1 tablespoon tahini or your favourite natural nut butter
    • 1 tablespoon rice vinegar or mirin
    • 1 teaspoon sesame oil
    • 1.5 tsp maple syrup or to taste
    • 1-2 tablespoon sesame seeds if using toasted ones, sprinkle them over aubergine after baking
    • spring onions to serve

    Instructions

    • Preheat the oven to 180C(fan)/350F/Gas Mark 4.
    • Wash and dry aubergines (eggplants) and cut them in half lengthwise leaving the top intact (mostly for presentation).
    • Next, using a sharp knife, score each half of the aubergine with criss cross incisions. They should be deep but not all the way through as to cut the skin. Repeat with all remaining aubergine halves.
    • In a small bowl mix/whisk together miso, soy sauce/tamari, tahini, rice vinegar, sesame oil and maple syrup (or other sweetener of choice).
    • Mix them until you get nice and glossy glaze (consistency of natural peanut butter).
    • Line the baking sheet with some greaseproof paper and place scored aubergine halves on top.
    • Using pastry brush or a spoon brush/spread miso glaze generously over all the aubergine halves, making sure you get miso mixture into all the incisions.
    • Sprinkle over some sesame seeds and bake in the preheated oven for 30-40 minutes until aubergine (eggplant) halves collapse and brown on top and the flesh is really soft and squidgy.
    • Serve immediately with plenty of sliced spring onions on top and enjoy!

    Notes

    • Nutritional information is approximate,  per serving based on two servings and should be treated as a rough guideline only. 
    • Serve simply with rice, noodles or your favourite steamed greens. Plenty of sliced green onions work great as garnish. 
    • Best eaten straight away but leftover can be kept in the fridge for up to 3 days and reheated in the oven or microwave. 
    • Not recommended for freezing. 
    TIPS:
    • Don't cut through the skin of aubergines when scoring the flesh. You want to make pretty deep incisions but leave skin intact.
    • Adjust roasting/baking time to the size of your aubergines/eggplants. I used standard ones here hence 30-40 minutes baking time but if you use smaller or baby ones the timing will be reduced.
    • Use toasted sesame seeds or toast them yourself in a dry pan and garnish your aubergines after baking instead.

    Nutrition

    Nutrition Facts
    Miso-Glazed Aubergine (Nasu Dengaku)
    Amount Per Serving
    Calories 254 Calories from Fat 90
    % Daily Value*
    Fat 10g15%
    Saturated Fat 1g5%
    Polyunsaturated Fat 4g
    Monounsaturated Fat 3g
    Sodium 1150mg48%
    Potassium 1169mg33%
    Carbohydrates 38g13%
    Fiber 16g64%
    Sugar 21g23%
    Protein 10g20%
    Vitamin A 126IU3%
    Vitamin C 10mg12%
    Calcium 108mg11%
    Iron 3mg17%
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
    Tried this recipe?Tag me @Joskitchenlarder or use hashtag #joskitchenlarder!

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

      5 from 3 votes (2 ratings without comment)

      Please leave a comment & rating if you've made my recipe! Feel free to ask questions too, I reply to all! Cancel reply

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    1. Kim says

      February 07, 2023 at 11:20 am

      5 stars
      Absolutely gorgeous! Thank you!

      Reply
      • joskitchenlarder says

        February 07, 2023 at 12:50 pm

        You're so welcome Kim! I'm glad you liked it! 🙂

        Reply

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