Miso Eggplant Salad With Chickpeas

Miso Eggplant Salad With Chickpeas

The flawless flavor pairing found in the popular Japanese dish miso-glazed eggplant serves as inspiration for this bold and textural salad. For high-temperature roasting, cutting the eggplant into chunky pieces optimizes golden, crisp edges with a buttery and silky interior. The vinaigrette is a standout, punchy from the ginger, intensely savory from the miso, with a sweet hum from the mirin. The simplicity of a salad founded on just eggplant and chickpeas makes this an excellent weeknight option, but there are also many ways to add more heft: Incorporate a few handfuls of spinach, add some pan-fried or baked tofu, or toss with some cold soba noodles. 

Yield: 4 servings

For the Eggplant Salad

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil

2 pounds eggplant (about 3 small or 2 medium), trimmed and cut into 1-inch chunks

Salt and pepper

2 (15-ounce) cans chickpeas, rinsed

2 scallions, sliced

Toasted white sesame seeds 

For the Miso Dressing

2 tablespoons white (shiro) miso paste

2 tablespoons mirin 

2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil

1 tablespoon rice vinegar 

1 garlic clove, finely grated 

1 (1-inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled and grated 

1 teaspoon sugar 

Heat the oven to 425 degrees.

Prepare the eggplant salad: In a small bowl, mix together the vegetable oil and sesame oil. Place the eggplant on a rimmed sheet pan and drizzle with the oil mixture. Season with salt and pepper and toss well to coat. Place in the oven and roast until the eggplant is tender, with golden edges, 20 to 25 minutes. 

Meanwhile, make the dressing: Place the miso, mirin, sesame oil, vinegar, garlic, ginger and sugar in a large bowl and whisk to combine. 

Add the eggplant to the bowl with the dressing, along with the chickpeas and scallions; toss to combine. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Top with sesame seeds and serve.

TIP: I made this as written and thought it was very good. I wanted more acid & heat so I added some lime juice and red pepper flakes. It needs quite a bit of salt and black pepper. I understand the recipe suggestion for soba noodles, but I decided to use short pasta (pipe) to conform to the size of the other ingredients. I also think adding the roasted eggplant at time of serving will keep its crisp roasted nature intact. I used both black and white sesame seeds for contrast. Mint or dill also.

Didn’t have enough eggplant so subbed in some oyster mushroom as it has a similar volume and texture. We liked the mushrooms much better than the eggplant…as per protocol. Dressing is a keeper! Drizzled some on the salmon filets too!