Easy Japanese Eggplant Recipe (Teriyaki Nasu)

Get ready to enjoy this delicious glazed teriyaki Japanese Eggplant Recipe that can be prepared in just 10 minutes! Coat the eggplant with potato starch pan-fry, and toss it with a sweet teriyaki sauce for a tasty side dish.

The season of eggplant is from June to September. This simple dish holds a special place among our favorite Japanese eggplant recipes during the hot summer months.

The homemade teriyaki sauce is sweet and salty, resulting in a great flavor that pairs perfectly with eggplant!

This recipe is for you if:
• You love teriyaki and Japanese cuisine
• You are looking for an easy Japanese eggplant recipe
• You are looking for an easy side dish recipe

All right, let me show you how to make this fantastic recipe. Let's get started!

Jump to:

• About This Recipe
• 📋 Ingredients
• Japanese Eggplants
• Where to Buy Japanese Ingredients
• 🔪Instructions
• Serve
• Helpful Tips
• What to Serve With
• Teriyaki Nasu Flavor Variations
• Other Ways to Cook Japanese Eggplants
• Thanks For Stopping By!
• More Vegetable Recipes You Might Like
• 📖 Recipe
• 💬 Comments

About This Recipe

• Easy Japanese Eggplant Recipe
• Teriyaki Nasu (Eggplant)
• Vegan Recipe
• 6 Ingredients and ready in under 10 minutes

📋 Ingredients

Here are the ingredients (amounts are in the recipe card below).

• Japanese Eggplants: See below
• Potato starch: Coat eggplants with potato starch and achieve a crispy texture. If potato starch is unavailable, you can use corn starch or other types of starch as a substitute.
• 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, green onions for garnishing
• Oil for cooking: Olive oil, vegetable oil, or any other oil of your choice

Japanese Eggplants

Japanese eggplants, called Nasu in Japanese, are slim and long, unlike regular globe eggplants. They are shorter than Chinese eggplants but have a dark purple color, almost black.

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.

You can usually find Japanese eggplants at Asian grocery stores. However, if they are unavailable, Chinese eggplant is the best substitute.

Where to Buy Japanese Ingredients

If you live in the US, you can find Japanese ingredients in the list below.

• Japanese market: Mitsuwa Marketplace, Marukai
• Asian market
• Whole Foods Market
• Health food stores
• Online stores: Instacart, Walmart, Amazon

🔪Instructions

Let's go over how to make this simple recipe. Click here to watch the recipe video!

1. Cut eggplants with a sharp knife into bite-size pieces and chop scallions.
2. Put eggplant pieces and potato starch into a large bowl and toss them using your hands.
3. Heat a large skillet on medium-high heat, add enough oil to cover the bottom, and place the eggplant in the skillet.
4. Pan fry for 2 minutes on each side until golden brown. If you run out of oil, add a little bit more. Turn off the heat and transfer the eggplant to a plate.
5. Gently clean the frying pan, add mirin, sugar, and soy sauce, and bring it to a boil.
6. Turn the heat back on to low heat, let the sugar melt, put the eggplant back, and toss well.

Serve

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

Helpful Tips

• It gets oily, so 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.
• Another helpful tip is to opt for healthier oils such as olive oil or sesame oil.
• Eggplant is a delicious vegetable and a fantastic source of vitamin A and C, significantly contributing to your daily values of these essential nutrients!

What to Serve With

The texture of the eggplant is smooth and tender when cooked to perfection. Thanks to its creamy texture and savory flavor, this eggplant dish pairs excellently with Japanese sticky rice. A great way to enjoy it is to put it on rice and serve it as a rice bowl!

• Teriyaki Nasu
• Japanese White Rice
• Tofu Miso Soup
• Sunomono Salad (Japanese Cucumber Salad)

Teriyaki Nasu Flavor Variations

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

Other Ways to Cook Japanese Eggplants

As mentioned earlier, Japanese eggplant is well-suited for quick cooking methods such as stir-frying, deep-frying, and sautéing. Here are some of my favorite eggplant recipes:

• Eggplant Tempura (Deep Fried Eggplant)
• Teriyaki Nasu
• Pickled Japanese Eggplants
• Miso Glazed Eggplant
• Panko-crusted Fried Eggplants

Thanks For Stopping By!

This side dish is incredibly easy to prepare, using simple ingredients. I hope you will love this recipe as much as I do!

Thank you for taking the time to read my blog♡. If you’ve tried this recipe (or any other recipe on the blog), please give it a star rating below!

Also, feel free to leave comments if you have any questions. I love hearing from you!

Chef JA Cooks is a Japanese food blog that shares simple and healthy Japanese home cooking recipes, including vegan and vegetarian. From traditional Japanese recipes to modern recipes with step-by-step instructions.

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📖 Recipe