Air Fryer Recipe
Honey Miso Glazed Aubergine
A delicious and easy-to-make honey miso glazed aubergine recipe, perfect for air frying.
Ingredients
- 2 medium aubergines
- 3 tablespoons miso paste
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 teaspoon grated ginger
- Sesame seeds and chopped spring onions for garnish
Method
- Preheat air fryer to 180°C (350°F).
- Cut aubergines into halves or quarters and score the flesh in a crisscross pattern.
- Mix miso paste, honey, soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, minced garlic, and grated ginger in a bowl until smooth.
- Brush the miso glaze over the scored side of the aubergine halves.
- Place glazed aubergine halves in the air fryer basket, skin-side down.
- Fry in the air fryer for 15-18 minutes until tender and glaze is caramelised.
- Remove from air fryer, let cool, and garnish with sesame seeds and chopped spring onions.
Why this works in an air fryer
Scoring exposes more aubergine flesh, so the miso-honey glaze can penetrate while hot air drives off surface moisture. Sesame oil helps heat transfer and browning; honey caramelises, while salty miso and soy season the sponge-like flesh. Skin-side down protects the glaze from direct basket contact and scorching.
Equipment notes
Assumes a 4–5 litre basket holding the aubergine pieces in one layer with gaps. In a single-drawer air fryer, cook in batches if crowded and rotate pieces halfway; in a dual-zone model, split evenly between drawers and check the smaller load 2–3 minutes early as it may brown faster.
Common pitfalls
- Glaze blackening before the flesh is soft? The sugars are catching; drop to 170°C, cover the cut face loosely with a small piece of foil for 5 minutes, then uncover to finish.
- Aubergine still springy or pale at 18 minutes? The pieces are too thick or under-scored; extend in 3-minute bursts and score deeper next time, stopping just short of the skin.
- Wet glaze pooling in the basket? The aubergine cut face was too damp or over-brushed; pat the flesh dry before glazing and apply two thinner coats rather than one heavy layer.
- Edges drying into leathery strips? The pieces are too small or sitting too close to the heating element; use halves for softer flesh, move them to the cooler side of the basket, and reduce by 10°C.
Variations & substitutions
- Use maple syrup instead of honey for a vegan version; it browns a little faster, so start checking from 14 minutes.
- Swap white miso for red miso for a deeper, saltier glaze; use slightly less soy sauce to prevent the aubergine tasting over-seasoned.
- Add chilli crisp or gochujang to the glaze for heat; the extra oil improves browning but the paste can darken quickly, so watch the final 3 minutes.
- Use courgette halves instead of aubergine for a lighter version; they cook faster and release more water, so air fry cut-side up for the first 8 minutes before glazing.
Storage & reheating
Keep leftovers chilled for up to 3 days and reheat in the air fryer at 160°C for 5–7 minutes, cut-side up, until hot and glossy again.
Nutrition
Calories: 250
