Quick Recipe Version (TL;DR)
Quick Ingredients
- 2 medium eggplants (about 1.5–2 lb total)
- 3 tbsp neutral oil (plus extra for brushing)
- 3 tbsp white or yellow miso paste
- 2 tbsp mirin
- 1 tbsp soy sauce (or tamari)
- 1 tbsp honey or maple syrup
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
- 1 tsp freshly grated ginger
- 1 small garlic clove, grated or minced
- 1 1/2 cups short-grain white rice
- 2 1/4 cups water (for rice)
- 4 scallions, thinly sliced
- 1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
- Salt and black pepper
- Optional toppings: sliced cucumber, pickled veggies, chili crisp, soft-boiled egg or tofu
Do This
- 1. Rinse 1 1/2 cups short-grain rice until water runs mostly clear. Combine with 2 1/4 cups water and a pinch of salt in a pot or rice cooker; cook until fluffy, 15–20 minutes, then rest covered 10 minutes.
- 2. Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C). Halve eggplants lengthwise, score flesh in a crosshatch pattern, brush with neutral oil, and season with salt and pepper. Place cut-side up on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
- 3. Roast eggplant for 20 minutes while you make the glaze: whisk miso, mirin, soy sauce, honey/maple, rice vinegar, sesame oil, ginger, and garlic until smooth.
- 4. Brush roasted eggplant generously with miso glaze. Return to oven and roast 10–15 more minutes, until deeply caramelized and very tender.
- 5. Toss sliced scallions with a drizzle of sesame oil, a splash of rice vinegar, sesame seeds, and a pinch of salt.
- 6. Fluff rice with a fork. Divide rice into bowls, top with miso-glazed eggplant halves, sesame scallions, and any optional toppings.
- 7. Spoon any pan juices/glaze over the bowls and serve hot.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Deep, savory miso glaze turns simple eggplant into silky, caramelized comfort food.
- Fluffy short-grain rice soaks up all the flavorful juices, making every bite satisfying.
- Comes together in under an hour with mostly hands-off roasting time.
- Easily adaptable: make it vegetarian, vegan, or add extra protein and veggies to taste.
Grocery List
- Produce: 2 medium eggplants, 4 scallions, 1 small piece fresh ginger, 1 garlic clove, optional cucumber and other fresh or pickled vegetables.
- Dairy: None required (optional: eggs for soft-boiled topping).
- Pantry: Short-grain rice, neutral oil, white or yellow miso paste, mirin, soy sauce or tamari, honey or maple syrup, rice vinegar, toasted sesame oil, toasted sesame seeds, salt, black pepper, optional chili crisp or chili flakes.
Full Ingredients
For the Miso-Glazed Eggplant
- 2 medium eggplants (about 1.5–2 lb / 680–900 g total), globe or large Japanese
- 2 tbsp neutral oil (such as canola, grapeseed, or sunflower), plus more for brushing the pan if needed
- 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
- 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
Miso Glaze
- 3 tbsp white or yellow miso paste
- 2 tbsp mirin
- 1 tbsp soy sauce or tamari (low-sodium if preferred)
- 1 tbsp honey or maple syrup
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
- 1 tsp freshly grated ginger (about a 1/2-inch knob)
- 1 small garlic clove, finely grated or minced
- 1–2 tbsp water, as needed to loosen the glaze to a brushable consistency
For the Rice
- 1 1/2 cups (285 g) short-grain white rice (such as sushi rice or Calrose)
- 2 1/4 cups (530 ml) water
- 1/4 tsp fine sea salt
For the Sesame Scallions & Bowl Toppings
- 4 scallions, thinly sliced (white and green parts separated if you like)
- 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
- 1 tsp rice vinegar
- 1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds (white, black, or a mix)
- Pinch of fine sea salt
- Optional fresh toppings: 1 small cucumber, thinly sliced or ribboned; shredded carrots; thinly sliced radishes
- Optional extra flavor: chili crisp or chili oil, shichimi togarashi, or a pinch of red pepper flakes
- Optional protein add-ons: 2–4 soft-boiled eggs, halved; or 7–8 oz (200–225 g) firm tofu, cubed and pan-seared
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Rinse and Cook the Short-Grain Rice
Place the short-grain rice in a fine-mesh strainer or a bowl. Rinse under cool running water, gently swishing the rice with your fingers, until the water runs mostly clear. This removes excess starch and helps the rice cook up fluffy rather than gummy.
Combine the rinsed rice, 2 1/4 cups water, and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a medium saucepan. Bring to a gentle boil over medium-high heat. As soon as it boils, stir once, reduce the heat to low, and cover tightly with a lid. Simmer for 15–18 minutes, without lifting the lid, until the water is absorbed.
Turn off the heat and let the rice rest, still covered, for another 10 minutes to finish steaming. Fluff with a fork just before serving. (If using a rice cooker, cook according to the manufacturer’s instructions using the same rice-to-water ratio.)
Step 2: Prep the Eggplant
While the rice cooks, preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper for easy cleanup.
Trim the stem ends from the eggplants and slice each one in half lengthwise. With the cut side facing up, use a sharp knife to score the flesh in a crosshatch pattern, cutting about 1/2 inch deep but taking care not to pierce the skin. This helps the eggplant cook evenly and allows the glaze to penetrate.
Brush the cut surfaces with the neutral oil, making sure the oil gets into the scored cuts. Sprinkle evenly with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Arrange the eggplant halves cut-side up on the prepared baking sheet, leaving a little space between them.
Step 3: Roast the Eggplant Until Tender
Transfer the baking sheet to the preheated oven and roast the eggplant for 20 minutes. During this first phase, the eggplant will soften and start to collapse slightly, and the edges may begin to turn golden. This pre-roasting step ensures the miso glaze does not burn before the eggplant is fully cooked.
While the eggplant roasts, you will prepare the miso glaze in the next step.
Step 4: Make the Miso Glaze
In a small bowl, whisk together the miso paste, mirin, soy sauce or tamari, honey or maple syrup, rice vinegar, toasted sesame oil, grated ginger, and grated garlic. The mixture will start out quite thick; add 1–2 tablespoons of water, a little at a time, whisking until the glaze is smooth, glossy, and easily brushable but not runny.
Taste a small dab of the glaze (it will be salty on its own) and adjust to your liking: add a few more drops of honey or maple for sweetness, or a splash more rice vinegar for brightness. Set the glaze aside until the eggplant is ready for its second roast.
Step 5: Glaze and Finish-Roast the Eggplant
After the eggplant has roasted for about 20 minutes, remove the baking sheet from the oven. The flesh should look soft and slightly golden at the edges. Use a spoon or pastry brush to generously coat the cut surfaces with the miso glaze, working it into the scored cuts as much as possible. Use all or almost all of the glaze; any extra will caramelize around the eggplant and can be spooned over the bowls later.
Return the glazed eggplant to the oven and roast for another 10–15 minutes. The glaze should bubble, darken, and become glossy; the eggplant flesh should be very tender, almost silky, and easily pierced with a fork. If at any point the glaze edges seem to be getting too dark, lower the oven temperature to 400°F (200°C) for the remaining time.
Step 6: Make the Sesame Scallions and Optional Toppings
While the eggplant finishes roasting, place the sliced scallions in a small bowl. Add the toasted sesame oil, rice vinegar, sesame seeds, and a small pinch of salt. Toss well to combine and let sit for at least 5 minutes. This lightly pickles the scallions and mellows their sharpness.
If using, prepare any additional toppings: slice or ribbon the cucumber, chop any other fresh vegetables, and cook soft-boiled eggs (simmer for 6–7 minutes, then cool in ice water and peel) or quickly pan-sear cubed tofu in a little oil with a pinch of salt until golden on a few sides.
Step 7: Assemble the Miso-Glazed Eggplant Rice Bowls
Fluff the steamed short-grain rice with a fork and divide it among 4 bowls. Place one eggplant half on top of each portion of rice (or two smaller halves if your eggplants are very small). Spoon any extra miso glaze and pan juices from the baking sheet over the eggplant and rice.
Top each bowl with a generous spoonful of the sesame scallions. Add cucumber, pickled vegetables, soft-boiled egg halves, tofu, or any other toppings you like. Finish with an extra sprinkle of sesame seeds and, if desired, a little chili crisp or chili oil for heat.
Serve immediately while everything is hot and fragrant, letting people mix the toppings into the rice as they eat.
Pro Tips
- Choose the right eggplant: Look for eggplants that feel heavy for their size with smooth, shiny skin and no soft spots. Slightly smaller to medium eggplants tend to be creamier and less bitter.
- Do not skip scoring: The crosshatch scoring allows the miso glaze to soak deep into the flesh, giving you flavorful bites all the way through instead of just at the surface.
- Control the glaze thickness: Add water to the glaze slowly until it is just thin enough to brush. Too thick and it will clump; too thin and it may slide off the eggplant.
- Make the rice extra fluffy: Rinsing thoroughly and allowing the rice to steam off-heat for 10 minutes makes a big difference in texture, especially with short-grain rice.
- Batch cook for later: Roast extra eggplant and cook more rice; both reheat well and make excellent next-day lunches with minimal effort.
Variations
- Vegan protein boost: Add pan-seared or baked tofu, tempeh, or edamame to turn this into a higher-protein vegan meal. Toss tofu cubes in a little soy sauce and cornstarch before pan-searing for a crispier bite.
- Brown rice base: Swap the short-grain white rice for short-grain brown rice. Increase the water and cooking time according to package directions; the nutty chew works beautifully with the rich miso glaze.
- Spicy miso version: Stir 1–2 teaspoons of chili paste (such as gochujang or chili garlic sauce) or a pinch of red pepper flakes into the miso glaze for a subtle to bold kick, depending on your preference.
Storage & Make-Ahead
Store leftover eggplant, rice, and toppings in separate airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. The miso-glazed eggplant can be reheated in a 350°F (175°C) oven for 10–12 minutes or in the microwave until hot; if it looks dry, drizzle with a teaspoon of water before reheating and cover loosely with foil. Rice reheats best with a sprinkle of water, covered, in the microwave until steamy. The sesame scallions keep well for 2 days and actually gain flavor as they sit. This recipe is great for meal prep: cook the rice and roast the eggplant in advance, then assemble fresh bowls with reheated components and quick toppings when ready to eat.
Nutrition (per serving)
Approximate values per serving (1 bowl, without optional eggs or tofu): about 520 calories; 10 g protein; 80 g carbohydrates; 16 g fat; 5 g fiber; 1,250 mg sodium. Adding a soft-boiled egg or a serving of tofu will increase the protein and calorie counts. Actual values will vary based on brands, portion sizes, and toppings used.
