Miso Eggplant Onigiri
- May 19
- 2 min read
Stir-fried eggplant with miso is a classic Japanese home-cooked dish. It pairs perfectly with plain white rice. Soft eggplant coated in sweet and savory miso makes this incredibly comforting and satisfying. The flavor is bold enough that you don’t even need to salt the rice — every bite is delicious from start to finish. These onigiri are also vegan-friendly and freezer-friendly 🍙
What is Miso ?
Miso is a traditional Japanese seasoning made from fermented soybeans, salt, and kōji (a fermented rice or grain culture). The ingredients are mixed together and aged for months to develop a deep, savory umami flavor. It’s commonly used in miso soup, marinades, sauces, and many Japanese home-cooked dishes.
Ingredients
For Miso eggplant
150g eggplant
1 Tbsp miso
1 Tbsp mirin
1 Tbsp sake
1 Tbsp sugar
1 tsp soy sauce
1 Tbsp toasted sesame
For Miso eggplant onigiri (2–3 onigiri)
200g cooked Japanese rice
some miso eggplant
½ sheet nori seaweed
👩🍳 Instructions
🍆 Miso eggplant
Cut the eggplant into bite-sized chunks. Toss with about 1 teaspoon of oil, then microwave for about 2 minutes. This helps prevent the eggplant from soaking up too much oil.
Mix all the seasonings together in advance.
Heat a little oil in a frying pan and sauté the eggplant.
Pour in the seasoning mixture and cook until the liquid is mostly gone and the eggplant looks glossy and well coated.
Finish with a sprinkle of sesame seeds.
🍙 Miso eggplant onigiri
Place the miso eggplant in the center of warm rice and shape it into an onigiri.
Wrap with nori, then top with a little extra miso eggplant.
✨ Tips for success
Mix the seasonings.
Toss with about 1 teaspoon of oil, then microwave for about 2 minutes. This helps prevent the eggplant from soaking up too much oil.
💡 Why you’ll love this recipe
Sweet & savory miso eggplant makes every bite deeply satisfying 🍆
No need to salt the rice — the flavorful filling does all the work
Vegan-friendly, freezer-friendly, and perfect for meal prep 🍙
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