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Eggplant Soup with Miso and Chili
4.9 from 141 votes

Eggplant Soup with Miso and Chili

Eggplant Soup with Miso and Chili features peeled eggplant chunks cooked slowly with aromatic onion, garlic, ginger, and red bird's eye chilies, enriched by red miso paste and a touch of mirin. The soup blends into a smooth texture with a balanced savory depth and gentle heat, finished with a drizzle of sesame oil for nuttiness. Its long simmering softens the eggplant and concentrates flavors, making it a comforting, unique savory soup option.

Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
2 hrs 10 mins
Total Time
2 hrs 25 mins
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Soup
Cuisine: Japanese

Ingredients

  • 300 grams onion finely diced, approx. 2 medium onions
  • 1 tablespoon ginger peeled, roughly chopped
  • 2 tablespoons garlic
  • 2 eggplant about 500 grams (1 lb) each, peeled, cut into large chunks, medium
  • 2 bird's eye chili red
  • 125 milliliters vegetable oil
  • 60 milliliters mirin
  • 1 liter chicken stock if using store bought stock, use a low salt variety.
  • 500 milliliters water
  • 1/2 tablespoon brown sugar
  • 2 tablespoons red miso paste
  • sesame oil

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Cut chillies in half and rinse out seeds and membrane under running water. Chop chilly skins finely.
  2. In a large saucepan or stockpot, heat the vegetable oil on high heat.
  3. Sauté the onion until translucent, stirring regularly, (about 4 minutes).
  4. Add the garlic and ginger and cook for a further 1 minute.
  5. Add the eggplant and continue to cook, stirring continuously until the pot is dry and the eggplant starting to colour and soften.
  6. Deglaze the pot with the mirin.
  7. Add the stock and water.
  8. Stir in the brown sugar and miso paste.
  9. Bring to the boil; reduce heat to a low simmer and cook for 2 hours.
  10. Remove from the heat and allow the soup to cool slightly.
  11. Transfer to a food processor or use a hand held stick blender, process the soup until smooth.
  12. Return to heat to warm up.
  13. Taste for seasoning and adjust as required. More miso may be added if desired.
  14. Garnish each serving of soup with a small drizzle of sesame oil, no more than ¼ tsp will be required.

Notes