4.82 from 11 votes

Servings servings

Get ready to enjoy this delicious glazed Teriyaki Eggplant recipe that can be prepared in no time! Tender eggplant and sweet teriyaki sauce are the perfect match!

Looking for more simple eggplant recipes? Try these easy Japanese eggplant recipes!

Featured Comment

From Mary T: “This eggplant teriyaki was delicious and very easy to prepare.“

I’ll walk you through the ingredients and step-by-step instructions. I hope you enjoy it!

Why You Will Love This Recipe

This teriyaki eggplant is a quick and easy side dish ready in just 10 minutes.
The sweet and savory teriyaki sauce enhances the taste of the eggplant.
Easily adjust the sweetness or spiciness of the teriyaki sauce to suit your taste (See the “Flavor Variations” section)

Japanese Eggplants

Japanese eggplants are slim and long. Their thin skin makes them perfect for quick cooking methods like stir-frying, deep-frying, and sautéing. This allows them to absorb flavors easily and stay tender.

Recipe Ingredients

You’ll need the following ingredients to make this Teriyaki Eggplant Recipe:

Japanese Eggplants: You can usually find Japanese eggplants at Japanese grocery stores or Asian grocery stores. However, if they are not available, Chinese eggplant makes the best substitute.
Potato starch: Coat eggplants with potato starch to achieve a crispy texture. If potato starch is unavailable, you can substitute corn starch or other types of starch.
Mirin, sugar, and soy sauce for teriyaki sauce: Mirin and sugar bring a sweet touch to the sauce, while soy sauce adds a savory umami flavor. To switch things up, you can use honey or maple syrup instead of white sugar, adding a unique depth of flavor to your teriyaki sauce.
Scallions: Or spring onion and green onions for garnishing.
Oil for cooking: Olive oil, vegetable oil, or any other oil of your choice.

How To Make Teriyaki Eggplant: STEP BY STEP

Here are some quick visual instructions! For the video and all the detailed ingredients and instructions, go to the printable recipe card below.

Step 1

Coat eggplant pieces with potato starch and add them to a frying pan with hot oil.

Step 2

Pan fry for 2 minutes on each side until crispy.

Step 3

Transfer the eggplant pieces to a plate, clean the pan, add mirin, sugar, and soy sauce, and bring it to a boil.

Step 4

Turn on the heat to melt the sugar, then toss with the eggplants.

Lastly, serve on a serving plate and top with scallions.

Recipe Tips

Cut the eggplant into evenly sized pieces to ensure even cooking.
Eggplant tends to absorb oil easily. If you don’t want to consume too much oil, remove it from the eggplant with a kitchen towel before tossing it with teriyaki sauce. Also, opt for lighter oils such as olive oil or sesame oil.

What To Serve With

A fantastic way to enjoy this dish is to serve it on top of steamed Japanese rice in a rice bowl. To complete the meal, serve it with Tofu Miso Soup and Sunomono Salad (Japanese Cucumber Salad)!

Flavor Variations

Teriyaki Eggplant with Sesame Seeds: Sprinkle toasted sesame seeds over the teriyaki-glazed eggplant for added texture and nutty flavor.
Spicy Teriyaki Eggplant: Add a touch of heat by incorporating chili peppers to the teriyaki sauce.
Savory Miso Glaze: To enhance the teriyaki sauce’s savory flavor, add a spoonful of white miso paste.
Tangy Teriyaki: Give your teriyaki eggplant a tangy twist by adding a splash of rice wine vinegar or a squeeze of fresh lemon juice.
Ginger-infused Teriyaki: Add a hint of freshness and warmth by grating some fresh ginger into the teriyaki sauce for a delightful gingery kick.

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Easy Teriyaki Japanese Eggplant

4.82 from 11 votes

Prep: 3

Cook: 5

Total: 8

Servings: servings

Author: Juri Austin

Get ready to enjoy this delicious glazed Teriyaki Eggplant recipe that can be prepared in no time! Tender eggplant and sweet teriyaki sauce are the perfect match!

Print Recipe Pin Recipe Add to Shopping List

Eggplant in a bowl topped with chopped green onion. Chopped eggplant is cooked with teriyaki sauce so this is brown savory tasty looking side dish.

Equipment

Large skillet
Large bowl

Ingredients

Instructions

Cut vegetables: Cut eggplant into bite-size pieces and chop the scallion.
Toss with potato starch: Put eggplant cubes and potato starch into a large bowl and toss them using your hands.
Pan-fry: Heat a frying pan on medium heat, add enough oil to cover the bottom, add eggplant, and pan-fry for 2 minutes on each side until golden brown. Turn off the heat and place eggplant on a plate.
Teriyaki sauce: Gently clean the frying pan, add mirin, sugar, and soy sauce, and bring it to a boil.
Toss: Turn the heat on low heat, let the sugar melt, put eggplant back, and toss well.
Serve: Serve on a plate and top with scallions.

Notes

Substitute: Potato starch can be substituted for corn starch or tapioca starch. Honey or maple syrup can be used instead of regular sugar.
Cut the eggplant into evenly sized pieces to ensure even cooking.
Eggplant tends to absorb oil easily. If you don’t want to consume too much oil, remove it from the eggplant with a kitchen towel before tossing it with teriyaki sauce. Also, opt for lighter oils such as olive oil or sesame oil.

Video

Nutrition

Serving: 1servingCalories: 115kcalCarbohydrates: 12.3gProtein: 0.9g

This nutritional information is estimated and provided for general reference only.

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: Japanese

Keyword: eggplant teriyaki, vegan

Did You Make This Recipe?

Please !

Juri Austin

Hi! I’m Juri, founder of Chef JA Cooks and the creator and photographer of this site. I’m here to guide you in authentic yet easy-to-follow Japanese recipes! Let’s explore the world of Japanese cuisine together!

Learn More About Juri

4.82 from 11 votes (8 ratings without comment)

8 Comments

Mary T says:

Jun 21, 2025 at 7:26 AM

This eggplant teriyaki was delicious and very easy to prepare. I used the long, light purple eggplant which was very tasty. I think I will add a tiny bit of salt next time. I have a question about my sautéing technique. I also had this problem making pan-fried tofu. I have difficulty turning the small pieces. I’m not very good with chopsticks, and my tongs got gummy from the starch. So I probably cooked the eggplant too long since it took me longer to turn all the pieces; it was very soft (but still delicious). Do you cook it firmer?

1. Juri Austin says:
  
  Jun 21, 2025 at 9:11 AM
  
  Thanks for your feedback, Mary T! For your question, maybe the heat was too low? Next time, try turning the heat up a bit to help the pieces cook crunchier faster and make flipping easier. If flipping with chopsticks or tongs is tricky, try holding a spoon in one hand and a fork in the other. Using both hands to turn the pieces can give you better control.
  
  Hope this helps!
  
Inez says:

Dec 31, 2023 at 11:24 AM

It’s very tasty but I am concerned of the amount of oil needed. The eggplants soaked up all the oil right away. Is there a way to cook it with less oil? I used half the sugar and added a teaspoon of rice vinegar.

1. Juri Austin says:
  
  Jan 1, 2024 at 7:35 AM
  
  Thank you for your comment, Inez! I totally get your concern about eggplants absorbing too much oil. Here’s a tip: try soaking the eggplants in salted water before cooking. Just mix 3 cups of water with 1 teaspoon of salt in a bowl, place the cut eggplant in it, let it soak for about 3 minutes, and then drain. I hope this helps!
  
2. Mary T says:
  
  Jun 21, 2025 at 7:41 AM
  
  Inez, I wonder if the type of eggplant makes a difference. I have only cooked with the large dark purple eggplant to make eggplant Parmesan, and that eggplant soaks up so much oil. This time I used the thin, light purple eggplant (Japanese or Chinese?) and I didn’t need to add any oil while cooking
  
  1. Juri Austin says:
    
    Jun 21, 2025 at 9:11 AM
    
    Thank you for a great suggestion!
Tonny says:

Feb 12, 2023 at 8:51 PM

It was a joy to eat.

1. JURI says:
  
  Feb 13, 2023 at 5:03 AM
  
  Thank you, Tonny! I’m glad you liked it!