Nasu no Miso-yaki

Nasu no Miso-yaki is soft, silky roasted aubergine lacquered with a sweet-savoury white miso glaze. The surface turns lightly caramelised and glossy, while the inside becomes creamy and delicate, finished with sesame and fresh spring onion for contrast.

Nutrition · per serving

121kcal

4.4gProtein

21.1gCarbs

2.4gFat

5.7gFiber

2 servings

Ingredients

9 items

Roasted aubergine

aubergines2 medium (about 500 g total)

fine salt2 g

Miso glaze

white miso40 g

mirin25 ml

sake15 ml

caster sugar8 g

water15 ml

Finish and garnish

toasted sesame seeds4 g

spring onion, very finely sliced15 g

Tips

•For the best texture, choose medium aubergines with glossy skin and few seeds; very large ones can be spongy and take longer to cook.
•If your white miso is very salty, add an extra 5 ml water to the glaze to keep the balance gentle and light.
•Serve with steamed rice and a simple cucumber salad if you want a fuller meal, though the dish also works as a small plate or side.
•A blowtorch can be used very lightly after roasting for a restaurant-style charred finish, but keep it brief to avoid bitterness.

Steps

1
Preheat the oven to 230 C with a rack in the upper third. Line a tray with baking paper. Trim the aubergines, halve them lengthwise, and score the cut sides in a shallow diagonal crosshatch, stopping short of the skin so they hold together. Sprinkle the cut sides evenly with the fine salt and leave for 10 minutes; this seasons the flesh and helps it soften faster in the oven.
2 medium (about 500 g total) aubergines2 g fine salt
2
While the aubergines rest, make the glaze. In a small saucepan, combine the white miso, mirin, sake, caster sugar, and water. Set over low heat and stir for 1-2 minutes until smooth, glossy, and just loosened enough to brush; do not boil hard, or the sugars can catch and the miso can lose its fresh aroma. Remove from the heat.
40 g white miso25 ml mirin15 ml sake8 g caster sugar15 ml water
3
Pat the aubergine surfaces dry with kitchen paper to remove excess moisture drawn out by the salt. Place them cut side up on the tray and roast for 12 minutes, until the flesh is beginning to collapse and the scored surface has opened slightly. This first roast cooks the aubergine before glazing, which keeps the low-fat dish from turning greasy or soggy.
2 medium (about 500 g total) aubergines
4
Brush the cut sides generously with all of the miso glaze, working it into the score marks for even flavour. Return the tray to the oven and roast for 5-6 minutes more, until the glaze is bubbling at the edges and lightly caramelised in spots. If needed, switch to grill for the final 1 minute only, watching closely so the miso does not burn.
2 medium (about 500 g total) aubergines40 g white miso25 ml mirin15 ml sake8 g caster sugar15 ml water
5
Transfer the aubergines to serving plates and let them rest for 2 minutes so the glaze sets slightly and the flesh finishes steaming inside. Scatter with the toasted sesame seeds and the very finely sliced spring onion, then serve hot.
4 g toasted sesame seeds15 g spring onion, very finely sliced

Origin & History

Miso-glazed aubergine is a classic preparation in Japan, where miso is often used to add savoury depth and sweetness to vegetables as well as fish and tofu. Variations of nasu no miso-yaki appear in home cooking, izakaya menus, and kaiseki-inspired meals, prized for the way aubergine absorbs seasoning while becoming creamy and tender.

japanese aubergine vegetarian lowfat roasted miso side dish

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Steps

Preheat the oven to 230 C with a rack in the upper third. Line a tray with baking paper. Trim the aubergines, halve them lengthwise, and score the cut sides in a shallow diagonal crosshatch, stopping short of the skin so they hold together. Sprinkle the cut sides evenly with the fine salt and leave for 10 minutes; this seasons the flesh and helps it soften faster in the oven.

2 medium (about 500 g total) aubergines2 g fine salt

While the aubergines rest, make the glaze. In a small saucepan, combine the white miso, mirin, sake, caster sugar, and water. Set over low heat and stir for 1-2 minutes until smooth, glossy, and just loosened enough to brush; do not boil hard, or the sugars can catch and the miso can lose its fresh aroma. Remove from the heat.

40 g white miso25 ml mirin15 ml sake8 g caster sugar15 ml water

Pat the aubergine surfaces dry with kitchen paper to remove excess moisture drawn out by the salt. Place them cut side up on the tray and roast for 12 minutes, until the flesh is beginning to collapse and the scored surface has opened slightly. This first roast cooks the aubergine before glazing, which keeps the low-fat dish from turning greasy or soggy.

2 medium (about 500 g total) aubergines

Brush the cut sides generously with all of the miso glaze, working it into the score marks for even flavour. Return the tray to the oven and roast for 5-6 minutes more, until the glaze is bubbling at the edges and lightly caramelised in spots. If needed, switch to grill for the final 1 minute only, watching closely so the miso does not burn.

2 medium (about 500 g total) aubergines40 g white miso25 ml mirin15 ml sake8 g caster sugar15 ml water

Transfer the aubergines to serving plates and let them rest for 2 minutes so the glaze sets slightly and the flesh finishes steaming inside. Scatter with the toasted sesame seeds and the very finely sliced spring onion, then serve hot.

4 g toasted sesame seeds15 g spring onion, very finely sliced

Origin & History