Nasu Dengaku
Roasted eggplant glazed with sweet miso.
Ingredients
- 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.
Tap “Start cooking” for live timers that flag what to get ahead on while something simmers.
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?
A serving has about 223 calories — 4.2g protein, 20.7g carbs, 13.3g fat, 6.7g fiber. Figures are estimated from the ingredient amounts and will shift with your 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.