A super easy go-to midweek dinner: Miso Roasted Aubergine!
This humble vegetable, also known as eggplant, is transformed into a deliciously caramelized, umami-rich dish that's both satisfying and nutritious. Aubergines are not only low in calories but also packed with fiber, potassium, and antioxidants.
The magic happens when the miso glaze meets the heat of the oven - the natural sugars caramelize while the flesh becomes wonderfully tender, creating a melt-in-your-mouth texture that's simply irresistible. Plus, it takes just 20 minutes to make!
🌟 What's Great About This Recipe?
- ⏰ Perfect for busy days - ready in just 20 minutes from start to finish!
- 🌱 100% vegan and absolutely delicious - proving plant-based cooking can be incredibly satisfying
- 🧂 Packed with umami flavor thanks to the magical miso paste
- 💪 A nutritious choice that's low in calories but high in fiber and antioxidants
- 🔄 Super versatile - works brilliantly as a main dish or a fancy side
- 👩🍳 Beginner-friendly with minimal prep and simple ingredients
- ♨️ Creates the most gorgeous caramelized edges that'll make you want seconds!
Jump to:
I'm simply in love with the delicious vegetable that is aubergine - and roasting it in the oven with a delicious miso flavour is one of my favourite ways to enjoy this goodie for a mid-week dinner.
This Miso Roasted Aubergine recipe (or roasted eggplant if you're in the USA!) is often also called 'Miso Glazed Aubergine' and it's so simple to make you'll be surprised why you've not tried it sooner!
I always find that it makes the aubergine the star of the show on the dinner plate and I like serving mine with steamed vegetables and rice (sushi rice in the pictures, so delicious!) but it goes with all sorts of food!
🍆 Ingredients & Notes
- aubergine - or 'eggplant' as people say over the pond! Any size of aubergine will work, but for this recipe, best keep an eye out for a medium to large aubergine
- white miso paste - personally my favorite to use for glazed aubergine! It has a little sweet note and also a slight cheesiness, hence why it's often also used in vegan cheese dishes. See my notes below for any suitable replacements. Miso should normally always be vegan as it's made from fermented soya beans. If you're unsure of any additions, always check the label to make sure it's vegan miso.
- tamari soy sauce - adds a wonderful caramelized tone to the glazed aubergine when roasted! I love using Japanese tamari sauce from Clearspring for this recipe.
- apple cider vinegar - for a tangy flavor! You can substitute this with rice vinegar if you have any to hand.
- sesame seeds - completely optional, but they add a wonderful crunchy finish!
Recipe Variations
- spicy - I love to add a little spice! Either by drizzling sriracha or sprinkling chilli flakes or shichimi over the glazed aubergine
- toasted sesame - drizzling a small amount of toasted sesame oil onto the aubergine tastes absolutely next level!
- diced - I find it easiest to just slice the aubergine in half, cut a criss-cross pattern and then add the miso mix onto the surface, but you can also roast some cubed aubergine (add a little oil to prevent it from sticking!) and
🔄 Ingredient Substitutions
- miso paste - white miso is my personal favorite to use in this recipe, but you can swap it for brown miso, it's just as delicious!
- tamari - substitute with dark soya sauce or use coconut aminos instead for a low salt alternative.
- vinegar - use rice vinegar instead of apple cider vinegar
🔪 Equipment
You only need a few simple items from your kitchen:
- a sharp knife - to slice & criss-cross the aubergine
- an oven dish - to roast the aubergine
🧑🍳 Instructions (Step-by-Step)
Step 1: Preparation
To start with, preheat your oven to 190ºC before washing your aubergine and gutting it in half, length-ways.
Step 2: Cut the aubergine
To start the recipe, one important step is how you cut your aubergine. I cut mine in half lengthwise and then create a criss-cross pattern along the inside flesh, keeping the cuts about 1cm apart. Be very careful when doing this, so that you don't cut yourself (been there, done that!).
Creating this cutting pattern on the insides of the aubergine will allow for the miso sauce to be properly absorbed and distributed across the aubergine, creating a delicious and flavoured aubergine, rather than just a roasted miso layer on the top. At the same time, it will also help your aubergine halves cook quicker - more surface area to be exposed to the heat in your oven, shorter cooking time. Perfect!
Step 3: Creating the miso marinade
I like to keep the miso glaze/marinade just as simple, using only a few key ingredients: white miso paste, tamari soy sauce, apple cider vinegar, sesame seeds and a little water to thin the marinade and make it spreadable.
All you have to do is blend all the ingredients for the miso marinade together until smooth.
Step 4: Getting oven ready
Let's get your aubergine ready for the oven. Place the halves on a lightly greased baking tray (or a baking sheet) with your criss-cross pattern facing upwards before gently spooning on the miso mixture onto each half.
Step 5: Roasting
Once you've roasted your aubergine for 15 minutes, serve up with rice, steamed vegetables and a sprinkle of sesame seeds - if you like sesame seeds that is! I’ve used the Sesame Toragashi Spice Blend by Wicked Kitchen on this occasion, which gives it a special kick! Shichimi seasoning is also a delicious option to finish off the dish with a spicy flavor.
📌 If you love Pinterest you can pin any of the images to your boards!
💡 Expert Tips & Tricks
Please ensure to use white miso paste over brown miso paste, if you're recreating this recipe. Both have an entirely different taste - white miso paste is smoother and has a naturally light sweet flavour, whilst brown miso paste is sourer. The sweet-ish white miso flavour will work perfectly with the addition of tamari soy sauce to create a sweet-salty flavour explosion for you.
The apple cider vinegar adds a nice acidity to the marinade and also aids in breaking down the thick miso paste into a smooth marinade. If you don't have apple cider vinegar to hand you can also use lemon juice - though this will alter the taste (not negatively, if you like lemon though!).
For a little crunch and addition of some texture, I like to add sesame seeds to my marinade - and add a little more onto the finished dish.
🍳 Alternative Cooking Methods
Looking to switch thing up? Here a re few delicious ways to prepare this miso aubergine:
- Grilled Version - Instead of roasting, you can cook the aubergine halves on a griddle pan or BBQ for 4-5 minutes on each side until charred and tender. Brush with the miso glaze during the last minute of cooking.
- Air Fryer Method - Place the glazed aubergine halves in your air fryer at 180°C (360°F) for 12-15 minutes until golden and caramelized. This creates a wonderfully crispy exterior!
- Cubed & Roasted - Cut the aubergine into 2cm cubes, toss with the miso glaze, and roast for 20-25 minutes until crispy on the outside and tender inside. Perfect for adding to stir-fries or nourish bowls!
🍽️ Serving
When it comes to serving this delicious miso aubergine, presentation can make all the difference! I love to place each glazed aubergine half on a warmed plate, allowing the beautiful caramelization to be the star of the show. 🌟
For an extra special touch, try these finishing touches:
- Drizzle with a little extra miso glaze just before serving
- Sprinkle with fresh spring onions and extra sesame seeds
- Add a wedge of lime on the side for a zesty kick
The dish is best served straight from the oven while the aubergine is perfectly tender and the glaze is still beautifully sticky. If you're preparing this for guests, you can have the aubergine pre-scored and the glaze ready to go, then just pop it in the oven 15 minutes before you want to serve! 👩🍳
A little tip on the side: Drizzle a small amount of toasted sesame oil over your rice and vegetables - yum!
What to Serve with Miso Aubergine
Here are a few suggestions of what you can serve with your glazed aubergine:
- cooked rice, such as basmati rice, brown rice and also sushi rice
- roasted vegetables
- steamed leafy greens, such as kale or chard
- creamy polenta
- green salad
- nourish bowls
- noodles, such as peanut noodles
- lentils or lentil salad
- slaw or kimchi
❄️ Storing Leftovers
Got leftovers? No problem! While this miso-glazed aubergine is definitely best enjoyed fresh from the oven, you can totally store and reheat it for later. Here's how to do it right:
- Fridge storage: Pop your leftover aubergine in an airtight container and store it in the fridge for up to 3 days. The texture might change slightly, but the flavours will continue developing!
- Best reheating methods:
- Oven (recommended): Reheat at 180°C for 5-7 minutes until warmed through
- Microwave: Heat in 30-second intervals until hot - though this might make it slightly softer
- Air fryer: A quick 2-3 minutes at 180°C will help restore some crispiness!
- Top tip: Drizzle a little extra miso glaze over the aubergine before reheating to refresh the flavours. You can quickly whip up extra glaze using the same proportions as in the recipe!
❗ I wouldn't recommend freezing this dish as aubergine can become quite watery when thawed.
🔜 Related Recipes
If you're a fan of aubergine recipes, try this next-level Eggplant Parmigiana Focaccia Sandwich!
Love this recipe? You might also enjoy my Vegan Katsu Curry with Tempeh - it's another Asian-inspired dish that's perfect for weeknight dinners. For another umami-rich meal, try my Creamy Sun Dried Tomato Pasta which combines delicious Mediterranean flavors.
📖 Recipe Card
Miso Roasted Aubergine
Equipment
- 1 oven dish
- 1 sharp knife
- 1 small bowl
Ingredients
- 1 large aubergine (eggplant)
- 1 tablespoon white miso paste
- 2 teaspoon tamari soya sauce
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
- 1 tablespoon water
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 190ºC (375ºF). Wash the aubergine and cut it in half lengthwise.
- Using a small sharp knife cut a criss-cross pattern into each of the aubergine halves.
- Mix the miso paste, tamari, vinegar and water in a small bowl until smooth.
- Place your aubergine halves on a lightly greased baking tray, criss-cross pattern facing up. Gently spoon the miso mixture onto them, covering the top of both halves.
- Roast in the oven for 15 minutes or until the aubergine is softened and caramelized around the edges.
- Sprinkle with sesame seeds (optional) - I've used a tangy spice blend by Wicked Kitchen on this occasion which gives it a special kick!
- Serve the aubergine halves with rice and steamed veggies.
Notes
- vinegar: instead of apple cider vinegar, you can also use rice vinegar
- miso paste: you can use brown miso to glaze the aubergine. The flavor will be slightly different, but still delicious!
- spicy: I love to add a little spice! Either by drizzling sriracha or sprinkling chilli flakes or shichimi over the glazed aubergine
- storage: the roasted aubergine is best enjoyed right away but you can also store it in an airtight container and reheat for up to 3 days.
Looking for more easy mid-week dinners? Check out this recipe section - or see some of my top picks below:
- Vegan Arancini Recipe with Pumpkin and Sage
- Roasted Pumpkin Red Lentil Dhal Recipe
- Creamy Sun-dried Tomato Pasta Recipe
- Vegan Katsu Curry Recipe with Tempeh
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Liana
Super delicious! We served it with roasted broccoli, rice and some sushi flavoured spinach.
romylondonuk
Hi Liana! So glad you enjoyed them! They're one of my favourite things to make for a quick midweek meal 🙂 Thank you so much for leaving a rating 🙏