Easy Air Fryer Miso Eggplant recipe : with miso sake sauce
Japanese eggplant, slathered in miso sake sauce, air fried to perfection, and topped with scallions and black sesame seeds.
This recipe is incredibly easy to make and takes less than 15 minutes from start to first bite!
Serve this easy air fryer miso eggplant recipe with miso sake sauce, as a side dish. It will be perfect alongside any Asian-inspired meal. Or serve this easy to make recipe over rice for a flavor-packed meal!
Simple Ingredients for this easy Air fryer Miso Eggplant recipe
Who doesn’t love a recipe that is full of flavor, but can be created in very little time with simple ingredients? I know I do!
This recipe can be prepared in about 15 minutes! The ingredients are simple as well. It all starts with Japanese eggplant, sliced and air fried.
The sauce is made with soy sauce, sake, rice vinegar, toasted sesame oil, sugar, garlic, and ginger. Simply add to a bowl and mix! No pans, blenders, or skillets needed.
Jump to RecipeFinish this air fried miso eggplant off with sliced scallions and sesame seeds. And ENJOY!
EASY RECIPES WITH AN AIR FRYER
Air fryers are a gift from the heavens! They are super easy to use, fit on even the smallest counter tops, and can help you have dinner ready in no time!
Air fryers can make a recipe waaaay healthier than the deep fried versions!
You can air fry just about anything and skip the oil all together. However, I find best results are derived from lightly brushing oil on ingredients before air frying them. This allows your vegetables and other dishes to have a little bit more moisture and reach that perfect golden brown.
Eggplant is the perfect candidate for the air fryer and this air fried miso eggplant with miso sake sauce is a flavor packed recipe that is perfect for beginners, but tastes gourmet!
MISO SAKE SAUCE
Looking for that perfect Asian-inspired sauce? This is it! I love to put this sauce on pretty much everything!
This miso sake sauce is super simple to make and requires very little time. The ingredient are simple, made with soy sauce, sake, rice vinegar, toasted sesame oil, sugar, garlic, and ginger. This savory miso sauce is the perfect balance of umami flavor, salt, a slight kick from the sake and rice vinegar, and a touch of sweetness from a little sugar.
JAPANESE EGGPLANT AND ITS SUBSTITUTES
For this recipe I went with Japanese eggplant. This eggplant is long and thin. With a delicious, savory flavor and nice texture, Japanese eggplant never disappoints.
Substitute for Japanese eggplant
If you are unable to get your hands on Japanese eggplant, you can substitute any variety of eggplant, such as Italian eggplant or Chinese eggplant. If substituting the Japanese eggplant, I recommend going with a smaller, thinner eggplant if possible. This will allow the ratio of the eggplant to sauce and cook time to remain relatively the same. But adjust if needed!
This air fryer miso eggplant recipe is perfect for meal prep
This recipe only takes about 15 minutes to complete if prepped from start to finish. But it is also a great candidate for meal prep.
You can prepare a large batch of this recipe a head of time. Simply complete the recipe and store in air tight containers in the fridge or freezer. Reheat when ready to eat!
Easy Air Fryer Miso Eggplant recipe : with miso sake sauce
Ingredients
- 4 Japanese eggplant Can substitute other eggplant, but long, Japanese eggplant works best
- 2 tbsp avocado oil can substitute any oil with a high smoke point
Miso Sake Sauce
- 1 tbsp miso paste I used white miso, but any miso paste works
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 tsp toasted sesame oil
- 2 tsp rice wine vinegar
- 2 tsp sake
- 2 tsp brown sugar can substitute any sugar or sweetener
- 4 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1 inch of fresh ginger, grated
Toppings
- 1 tbsp black sesame seeds
- 2 scallions, thinly sliced
Instructions
Prepare the Eggplant
- First, properly cut the Japanese eggplant
- Start by cutting the eggplant lengthwise down the center
- Next, cut a grid into the eggplant. To do this cut a little over half way through the eggplant, you want to create slits, but don't want to cut it all the way through
- Evenly cover eggplant with olive oil with a brush
- Place eggplant in air fryer. If you have a smaller air frier, you will need to air fry the eggplant in batches
- Cook the eggplant in your air fryer at 375 degrees for 6 minutes
- While the eggplant is cooking, move ahead and prepare the miso sake sauce
For the miso sake sauce
- chop the garlic and grate the fresh ginger
- In a bowl, place chopped garlic and grated ginger. Add the rest of the ingredients listed under the miso sake sauce. Mix until evenly distributed
Cover eggplant with miso sake sauce
- Once eggplant has finished frying for the first 6 minutes, it's time to add the sauce
- Evenly cover the eggplant with the prepared miso sake sauce. Be sure to get the sauce into the slits of the eggplant for the most amount of flavor
- Place sauce-covered eggplant back in the air fryer and cook for another 2 minutes at 375 degrees
Top and Plate
- When eggplant is done cooking, remove from air fryer and top with chopped scallions and sesame seeds
- Serve and enjoy! This recipe makes a perfect side dish or can be enjoyed as a main course when served over rice