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Nasu Dengaku – Miso Glazed Eggplant

Name: Nasu Dengaku - Miso Glazed Eggplant
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 15 min
Yield: 2 people
Cuisine: Japanese
Ingredients: 2 small eggplant; 2 tablespoons vegetable oil or other neutral oil; 1/4 cup miso paste (I use awase miso which is a mix of both red and white miso paste); 2 tablespoons mirin; 1 tablespoon granulated sugar; 1 tablespoon sake; sesame seeds

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This is a traditional Japanese nasu dengaku recipe you will fall in love with! Tender broiled eggplant slices brushed with a sweet miso glaze – it’s simply irresistible and ready in just 15 minutes!

Nasu Dengaku – Miso Glazed Eggplant Recipe

Everyone has certain ingredients that give them trouble in the kitchen.

Some people can’t cook rice without burning the bottom of a pot while others have issues peeling hard boiled eggs without taking half of the white out. One of my most hated ingredient is the eggplant; although it is one of my favorite vegetables when cooked properly, I can’t seem to get it right! I either overcook it until it’s mushy and half disintegrated or undercook it, possibly the worst way to serve it to someone who’s never tasted eggplant. Crunchy trauma.

But here is a delicious eggplant dish I can ACTUALLY cook to perfection and that’s good news because the flavors are absolutely gorgeous! Nasu Dengaku is a classic Japanese side dish made with eggplant sliced in half, scored and brushed with a sweet and savory miso glaze. The translation literally means eggplant grilled over a fire, which is exactly how it’s done in Japan. My version is a little different – I pan fry the eggplants for a few minutes and finish them under a broiler until the miso glaze caramelizes and bubbles.

So.

Good.

If you ask me why I am only able to cook eggplant really well this way, I think it’s because the eggplant is cooked on its own at first with just a little oil, before it’s broiled with a glaze. I tend to mess up eggplant when I incorporate it with other veggies and/or meats, and toss it with a sauce. Since carrots, potatoes and other veggies all have a different cooking time, my guess is I either put it in too early or too late.

But the way nasu dengaku is cooked makes it easy for me to attain the right texture, hurray! You can serve nasu dengaku with plain white rice or pair it up with other easy Japanese dishes like kimchi udon, spaghetti squash yakisoba style, baked chicken katsu or a bowl of healthy udon noodle soup.

Other yummy miso based recipes:

Did you like this Nasu Dengaku Recipe? Are there changes you made that you would like to share? Share your tips and recommendations in the comments section below!

Serve nasu dengaku with a side of Japanese rice. Watch our video on How To Make Japanese Rice the stove top or rice cooker method!

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