Miso-Glazed Eggplant with Sesame Rice and Pickled Daikon

By AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-05-21 · Updated 2026-05-21

Roasted eggplant glazed with sweet-savory miso paired with fragrant sesame rice and crisp, tangy pickled daikon for a harmonious Japanese-inspired vegetarian dish. This Japanese-inspired vegetarian recipe, ready in about 45 minutes, pairs Japanese eggplant, white miso paste, mirin for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 400 calories and feeds 2, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Ingredients

• 2 medium, halved lengthwise Japanese eggplant
• 3 tbsp white miso paste
• 2 tbsp mirin
• 1 tbsp sake
• 1 tbsp granulated sugar
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 cup, rinsed short-grain sushi rice
• 1 1/4 cups water
• 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
• 2 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
• 1 cup, julienned daikon radish
• 1/2 cup rice vinegar
• 2 tbsp granulated sugar
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 2, thinly sliced scallions

The rice cooker we’d use for this → Best Rice Cookers for 2026: Fuzzy Logic, Induction & Basic Picks for Perfect Grains

Instructions

1. Step 1: Preheat oven to 425°F. Score the cut sides of 2 halved Japanese eggplants in a crosshatch pattern without cutting through the skin. Brush cut sides with 1 tbsp vegetable oil and place cut-side up on a baking sheet.
2. Step 2: In a small bowl, whisk together 3 tbsp white miso paste, 2 tbsp mirin, 1 tbsp sake, and 1 tbsp granulated sugar until smooth. Spread the miso glaze evenly over the cut sides of the eggplants.
3. Step 3: Roast eggplants for 20-25 minutes until tender and caramelized around the edges.
4. Step 4: While eggplants roast, rinse 1 cup short-grain sushi rice thoroughly until water runs clear. Combine rice and 1 1/4 cups water in a rice cooker or pot and cook according to package instructions.
5. Step 5: Once rice is cooked, fluff with a fork and stir in 1 tsp toasted sesame oil and 2 tbsp toasted sesame seeds.
6. Step 6: For pickled daikon, combine 1/2 cup rice vinegar, 2 tbsp granulated sugar, and 1 tsp kosher salt in a bowl. Stir until sugar and salt dissolve, then add 1 cup julienned daikon radish. Let sit at room temperature for 15 minutes.
7. Step 7: To serve, place a miso-glazed eggplant half on each plate, spoon sesame rice alongside, and garnish with pickled daikon and 2 thinly sliced scallions.