Grilled Zucchini With Miso Glaze
Updated July 18, 2022
- Total Time
- 15 minutes
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
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Ingredients
- 4zucchini (about 2 pounds), washed and halved lengthwise
- 3tablespoons white miso paste
- 2tablespoons mirin
- 2teaspoons granulated sugar
- 1½teaspoons soy sauce
- Neutral oil, such as vegetable or grapeseed (or nonstick spray)
- White or brown rice, for serving (optional)
- 2scallions, white and green parts, trimmed and finely sliced
- Toasted sesame seeds, for serving
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)
145 calories; 6 grams fat; 1 gram saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 3 grams monounsaturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 17 grams carbohydrates; 3 grams dietary fiber; 8 grams sugars; 5 grams protein; 604 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
- Step 1
Using a sharp knife (a small paring knife works best), score the zucchini flesh in a crisscross pattern, taking care not to slice all the way through.
- Step 2
Make the glaze: In a small bowl, combine the miso paste, mirin, granulated sugar and soy sauce. Add 1 tablespoon of water and whisk until combined.
- Step 3
Liberally brush the cut sides of the zucchini with the glaze. Drizzle each piece with a little oil.
- Step 4
Heat a large grill pan (or a well-seasoned cast-iron skillet) over medium-high. When hot, working in batches, place the zucchini, glazed side down, onto the hot surface. Press the zucchini onto the surface to encourage charring. (If you’re using a regular skillet, you may need to add more oil to the pan.) Cook without moving for 2 to 4 minutes until golden and charred.
- Step 5
Flip the zucchini over onto the skin side, reduce heat to medium, cover with a lid and cook for 4 to 5 minutes until tender. To check for doneness, give the sides of the zucchini a squeeze; if it yields easily, it is ready.
- Step 6
Remove the zucchini from the pan and brush more glaze over the cut side. Serve on its own or on top of rice, if desired, and scatter with scallions and sesame seeds.
- To grill the zucchini: Heat a grill to medium-high, and clean and oil the grates. Grill the glazed zucchini over direct heat, flesh side down, for 2 to 3 minutes, until there are char marks and the zucchini has begun to soften and turn golden. Flip and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes until cooked through. If using a gas grill, close the lid between flips.
Private Notes
Comments
Unreal. So good. Simple flavors that add up to more than the sum of their parts! The sweetness of the zucchini, the umami from the miso (I used red miso), and a smoky char from the grill are so good together.
The glaze and technique are very similar to fare we would get as appetizers in Japanese beer gardens. It was more often eggplant, but zucchini also made an appearance. The primary difference is the zucchini was cut into appropriately 1” slices, crosswise rather than lengthwise slices and threaded onto skewers, cut side out. A skewer of zucchini and one of eggplant are the perfect summer appetizer to accompany a mug of beer. It is good as written too.
I used fat zucchini, and it needed a lot more time on the grill pan than indicated. After the first 3 minutes to get the grill marks (which was the right amount of time), it needed more than 10 minutes at medium heat, partially covered (my grill pan doesn't have a lid so I had to improvise) to get the zucchini soft all the way through. Glaze the zucchini tops during this second step, so that it seeps into the flesh. Very tasty, topped with scallions and toasted sesame seeds over brown rice.
Great flavors, but cooking on a grill pan to a char just about ruined the pan with burnt-on glaze.
I used stainless steel pan that i usually cook with without any problem. Due to sugars, i think, the glazed burnet and i ended up with charred pan, as basically nothing stuck to the zucchini. Transferee to non-stick pan where i cooked a steak, while it rested, added some more glaze and finally achieved a nice char. Whenever there’s sugars involved, things burn for me, especially when it calls for high heat. How it usually works better is low and slow with a final short high heat sear. I’ve learned that yet again!
I tried this in a cast-iron pan on an induction burner. I used grapeseed oil. The sugars in the glaze burned within the first two minutes. I quickly turned down the heat from 8 to 6, but it was too late. When I flipped them and attempted to cook them covered, I started getting smoke. I will try this concept again in the oven/under broiler.
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