Nasu Dengaku
Roasted eggplant glazed with sweet miso.
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Join HomecookedIngredients
- 3 Eggplant
- 3 tbsp Miso
- 2 tbsp Mirin
- 1 tbsp Sugar
- 3 tbsp Neutral oil
- 1 tbsp Sesame seeds (optional)
Method
- Heat the oven to 200°C (400°F).
- Halve the eggplant, score the cut faces in a crosshatch, and brush with the oil.
- Roast the eggplant cut-side up until soft and collapsing, about 18 minutes.
- Whisk the miso, mirin, and sugar into a glaze.
- Spread the glaze over the roasted eggplant and grill until the top is bubbling and caramelised, about 3 minutes.
- Scatter the sesame seeds over and serve.
Nutrition per serving
Estimated from ingredients; varies with exact portions and brands.
About Nasu Dengaku
Nasu dengaku is a Japanese dish of eggplant glazed with sweet miso, part of the broader dengaku tradition in which vegetables or tofu are coated in a rich miso topping and grilled until caramelized. The eggplant is roasted until its flesh turns meltingly soft and silky, then crowned with a glaze of miso, mirin, and sugar that runs savory, sweet, and deeply umami all at once. Scoring the cut faces in a crosshatch helps the eggplant cook through evenly and gives the glaze grooves to settle into.
The finishing move is a quick pass under the grill so the miso topping bubbles and caramelizes, developing dark, blistered spots that add a slightly bitter, roasted edge against the sweetness. The contrast of that concentrated glaze against the creamy, almost custardy eggplant interior is what makes the dish memorable. It's a vegan side that eats richly enough to feel indulgent, traditionally served in Japanese meals alongside rice and other small dishes, and it comes together in about twenty-five minutes. A scatter of sesame seeds adds a nutty crunch and a clean finish.
Nasu Dengaku: frequently asked questions
How many calories are in Nasu Dengaku?
One serving of Nasu Dengaku has about 233 calories, with 4g of protein, 24g of carbs, 14g of fat and 6g of fiber. These are estimates based on the ingredient amounts in this recipe and will vary with your exact portions and brands.
Is Nasu Dengaku gluten-free?
Based on its ingredients, Nasu Dengaku has no gluten-containing components, so it's naturally gluten-free — as always, check that any packaged ingredients you use are certified gluten-free to be safe.
How long does Nasu Dengaku take to make?
About 25 minutes start to finish, but only around 14 of those are hands-on — the rest is largely unattended cooking time you can step away from. In the Homecooked app the timers and parallel steps are sequenced for you so the hands-on part feels even shorter.
Do I need every ingredient to make Nasu Dengaku?
The core ingredients are essential, but you can leave out sesame seeds — they're optional and mainly there for extra flavor or finish.
How many servings does Nasu Dengaku make?
This recipe makes 4 servings. In the app you can scale it up or down and the ingredient amounts adjust automatically.