25 Exciting Japanese Eggplant Recipes

Japanese eggplant is arguably the best variety of eggplant to cook with because it’s scrumptious, tender, and sweet when roasted or grilled. This dark purple vegetable is long and slender in shape and soaks up the flavor just like a sponge! The best part is that they contain minimal seeds, a huge bonus. Whether you’re a vegetarian or meat lover, you will find something you’ll love on this list of 25 Exciting Japanese Eggplant Recipes.

Japanese eggplant AKA Nasu can be roasted, grilled, stir-fried, air fried, and more. If you like saucy recipes, try the Sweet & Sour Eggplants or the Grilled Eggplant in Sweet Chili Garlic Sauce recipe. On the other hand, if you prefer crispy & crunchy vegetables try the Grilled Japanese Eggplant With Scallions And Ginger or the Nasu Dengaku なす田楽 (Oven Roasted Eggplant with Miso). There are recipes to please any preference on the list so have a look and try one or all!

1. Mabo Nasu (Japanese Style Eggplant Stir Fry)

If you’re looking for vegetarian Japanese eggplant recipes that taste amazing, this Mabo Nasu stir-fry is for you. This particular Mabo Nasu is a cross between Yú Xiāng (鱼香茄子), or fish fry eggplant, and mapo tofu. The gooey sauce is the real star of this dish, made with tobanjan, soy sauce, oyster sauce, sugar, stock, and potato starch. Serve it over a bed of rice for a full-course meal that’s wholesome, nutritious, and mouthwatering!

2. Mapo Eggplant (Mabo Nasu) 麻婆茄子

What is Mapo Eggplant (Mabo Nasu) 麻婆茄子? Well, this Japanese eggplant recipe is a little spicy and very tasty. This classic Japanese dish is a stir fry with eggplant, ground pork, Doubanjiang (Fermented Bean Paste), Tienmienjiang (Sweet Bean Sauce), Miso (Soybean Paste), ginger, soy, and more. Serve it with freshly steamed rice and some saki for a fun Japanese restaurant-like quality meal in the comfort of your home!

3. Sweet & Sour Eggplants

I love cooking with Japanese eggplants because they are like sponges that absorb every flavor! In this recipe you’ll need oil to fry, finely chopped garlic, spring onion, red bell pepper, soy sauce, chilli sauce, vinegar, chilli powder, sugar, salt, water, and cornstarch. All you have to do is slice the eggplants, fry them in a little oil, add the other ingredients for the sauce, and stir. It’s a delicious stir fry that will have you jumping for joy about these Japanese eggplants!

4. Grilled Eggplant in Sweet Chili Garlic Sauce Recipe

Grilled Eggplant in Sweet Chili Garlic Sauce is an easy recipe made with either roasted, stir-fried, or grilled eggplant. Just cook it up and stir-fry with sweet & spicy chili sauce, garlic, and herbs! To reduce calories, toss the vegetable in oil before frying it to control the amount. Another way is to grill the eggplant which also results in a smokey flavor you will love.

5. Sauteed Japanese Eggplant

If you’re looking for amazing Japanese eggplant recipes full of flavor, this sautéed meal is for you. The vegetable is sautéed until soft, then flavored with ginger, miso, and sesame sauce. You will love it because it’s savory, salty, and nutty with ingredients like shiitake mushrooms, fresh ginger, white miso paste, sesame oil, and more.

6. Grilled Japanese Eggplant With Scallions And Ginger

Looking for a Weight Watchers Japanese eggplant recipe that’s packed with flavor? This Grilled Japanese Eggplant with Scallions and Ginger is perfect for you. It’s sweet, buttery, and melts in your mouth! All you need is Japanese eggplant, cooking spray, soy sauce, ginger root, water, lemon, rice wine vinegar, scallions, and minced garlic. This meal is actually made of ZeroPoint™ foods!

7. Eggplant With Thai Basil & Chicken

This Japanese Eggplant with Chicken and Thai basil stir-fry is a restaurant-like recipe you will love. These flavors and aromas wake up your taste buds. Thai basil is an amazing and complex flavor profile. The tender Japanese eggplant is so easy to make in the comfort of your own home. Serve with a bed of white rice and some saki or sparkling water!

8. Roasted Mini Eggplants With Only 5 Ingredients

Another restaurant-like eggplant recipe that is surely a hit. I made this dish at home and loved how crunchy and flavorful it was. You will be surprised to know this recipe is plant-based and gluten-free! Made with red miso paste, almond flour, ground black pepper, and coriander – you won’t be disappointed. Serve it up with some fresh rice, quinoa, and a glass of almond milk!

9. Japanese Eggplant Tempura

Tempura is my favorite thing to order when I’m having Asian food! Whether it’s shrimp, vegetables, crab, or anything else, that crispy batter is like nothing else. Why not try a tempura-fried Japanese eggplant recipe right at home? You only need six simple and affordable ingredients! Grab yourself some Japanese eggplant (aka Nasu), flour, water, Panko bread crumbs, oil for frying, and soy sauce for dipping!

10. Vegan “Unagi” Don (Eggplant)

Unagi is an eel dish commonly used in sushi rolls like the Dragon roll or the Tiger roll! It’s delicious, but if you want to try a vegan-friendly version then Vegan “Unagi” Don Japanese Eggplant recipe will delight you! The eggplant is cooked to perfection resulting in a tender melt-in-your-mouth texture, then glazed with a sweet and savory tare sauce. Serve it with a bed of freshly cooked fluffy rice for a wholesome meal! It’s extremely simple to make and takes only 15 minutes!

11. Mapo Nasu Eggplant

Mapo Nasu Eggplant is packed with creamy slices of Japanese eggplant with a spicy savory miso sauce. The flash frying cooking process preserves the pretty purple color of the skin! Similarly the inside remains tender and creamy. It’s then braised in a Japanese-style Mapo Tofu sauce packed with umami, dashi, miso, oyster sauce, and mirin. It’s sure to be a winning Japanese eggplant recipe at the dinner table.

12. Easy Eggplant Stir-Fry

Preparing this stir-fried Japanese eggplant is fun and effortless. You will need tender and elongated Japanese eggplants. However, using regular eggplant chopped into 1-inch pieces works too. The spiciness of jalapeño peppers may differ, ranging from mild to fiery hot. So if you prefer a milder flavor, replace them with small sweet peppers or use less or omit them altogether. This stir-fry meal will quickly become a household favorite.

13. Garlic Roasted Japanese Eggplant Recipe 

This Garlic Roasted Japanese Eggplant Recipe is so quick, easy, and tasty. For best results, it’s important to roast the eggplant until it is tender and golden. If you’re not sure when that is, take it out a little early and check. If it’s not what you want, roast it a little longer. All you need is 4 (1 1/4 pounds) eggplant (Japanese), sea salt, olive oil, crushed garlic (heaping), and 3 tablespoons lemon juice (or juice of 1 lemon)!

14. Japanese Eggplant Stir-fry With Bell Peppers

The Japanese eggplant stir-fry recipe is inspired by a delicious dish from a Thai restaurant. However, this one is noticeably lighter and fresher! Typically, eggplant dishes at Thai restaurants tend to be excessively oily or drowned in a thick, heavy sauce. That’s because they’re commonly heavy on cornstarch. Due to the fact that eggplants soak up oil like a sponge, the outcome can be a heavy and soggy dish. This recipe solves such problems by roasting the eggplant separately and stir-frying later.

15. Sauteed Japanese Eggplant

The sautéed Japanese eggplant recipe is the perfect solution when you’re craving a delectable dish. Very simple and quick to make, yet packed with flavor. The eggplant is cooked until tender and then seasoned with ginger, miso, and sesame sauce. Look no further for a delicious eggplant dish that goes with everything from rice and grits to quinoa or noodles! It’s sure to be a hit at the dinner table any night of the week.

16. Soy-Glazed Eggplant with Red Onion, Garlic and Ginger

Cooking eggplant in a pan on the stovetop is the best and easiest way in my opinion. This Soy-Glazed Eggplant with Red Onion, garlic, and ginger was inspired by dishes often served in Japanese restaurants. There’s no need for breading on this vegetable either. It tastes spectacular without it. It’s creamy with a caramelized flavor and coated in a savory & salty soy glaze made with garlic, ginger, and red onion. It’s then topped off with peanuts and cilantro.

17. Ginger-Miso-Glazed Eggplant

You will love this Ginger-Miso-Glazed Eggplant recipe and so will the whole family. The umami-rich miso glaze is the real star of the show too. With ingredients like Japanese eggplants (1 1/2 lb. total), cut on a diagonal into 1-inch thick slices, white miso (fermented soybean paste), finely grated peeled ginger, sesame oil, soy sauce, distilled white vinegar, spices, sesame seeds, and thinly sliced scallions, trust me, it will become your brand-new favorite.

18. 30-Minute Japanese Miso Eggplant Recipe

If you’re looking for quick and easy Japanese eggplant recipes full of flavors this 30-Minute Japanese Miso Eggplant is right up your alley. This dish is ready in a flash with a lovely caramelized, creamy, velvety texture that will melt in your mouth. It is every eggplant lover’s dream meal and will even impress people not so in love with the purple vegetable. The best part is the beautiful presentation, especially with simple garnishes like sesame seeds and green onion.

19. Low Carb Broiled Japanese Eggplant 

This Low Carb Broiled Japanese Eggplant recipe with spicy soy glaze is ready in only 15 minutes. This fabulous dish is adapted from chef Jacques Pépin in Quick and Simple! Broiled to a tender charred perfection, this purple vegetable is then topped with a scrumptious spicy soy glaze made from soy sauce, minced garlic, sambal, and olive oil. Serve it up with a bed of fluffy jasmine rice and almond milk!

20. Sautéed Japanese Eggplant

You will adore this recipe for Sautéed Japanese Eggplant! Japanese eggplant is simpler to make, plus it’s milder in flavor. It’s ready in 30 minutes, including prep time. All you need is Japanese eggplant, garlic (finely minced), soy sauce, oyster sauce, brown sugar, green onions, cooking oil, and lime! Give this scrumptious meal a try you won’t be disappointed!

21. Healthy “Soy” Glazed Eggplant

Wait until you have a taste of this Healthy “Soy” Glazed Eggplant! Eating healthy never tasted so delicious. It actually does not use soy sauce but rather coconut aminos. Coconut Aminos are super nutritious, packed with amino acids, and low in calories! It is savory, kind of sweet, and tastes similar to umami. Other important ingredients include eggplant, coconut sugar (or brown sugar), fresh ginger, rice wine vinegar, garlic cloves, salt, and red crushed pepper!

22. Stir-Fried Miso Eggplant ナスの味噌炒め

This Stir Fry Miso Eggplant ナスの味噌炒め has a fabulous combination of ingredients! It can be a side dish, appetizer, or even a main course any day of the week. All you need are simple pantry ingredients too. I love how it’s ready and on the table in 20 minutes flat. Serve it with some noodles and saki or lentils and almond milk. The ideas are endless and you won’t be disappointed.

23. Nasu Dengaku なす田楽 (Oven Roasted Eggplant with Miso)

This Nasu Dengaku なす田楽 is also known as Oven Roasted Eggplant with Miso. This recipe serves 4 when prepared as a side dish. All you need is 2 medium eggplants, Olive oil, 1 finely sliced spring onion, toasted white sesame seeds, 2 tbsp miso paste, 1 tbsp white sugar, 2 tbsp mirin, 1 tbsp sake, and 1 tbsp hot water! After cooking, transfer it to a large bowl and garnish with sliced spring onions and sesame seeds!

24. Chinese Eggplant Recipe with Garlic Sauce 

This Chinese Eggplant Recipe with Garlic Sauce will put a smile on everyone’s face! Featuring crispy Japanese eggplant slices that are coated in a yummy sauce. The sauce itself is a sticky, spicy, savory-sweet garlic sauce. It is so easy yet bursting with flavor. All you have to do is prep your vegetable and marinate them with a colander and salt before cooking. Then you will make the sauce and serve it!

25. Stir-Fried Japanese Eggplant with Garlic and Ginger

If you’re looking for Japanese eggplant stir-fry recipes this is for you. It’s ready in 20 minutes with a garlic-ginger sauce. You can taste the fresh garlic, fresh ginger, and soy sauce! For best results slice the eggplant on the diagonal ¾ to 1 inch thick. Serve it up with some udon noodles and rice. It is so delicious and sure to be a hit at the dinner table.