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Grilled Zucchini with Miso Glaze

Grilled zucchini halves are lacquered with a deeply umami miso glaze and cooked until the cut surface caramelizes to dark amber. Crosshatch scoring helps the glaze seep in for a shiny, lightly charred finish with sesame and green onion.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
marinating 20 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Japanese-American
Calories: 150
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

zucchini
  • 4 zucchini medium; halved lengthwise
miso glaze
  • 3 tbsp white or yellow miso paste
  • 2 tbsp mirin
  • 1 tbsp soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp sake or dry sherry
  • 1 tbsp sesame oil
  • 1 tbsp honey or brown sugar
  • 1 garlic 1 clove, grated
  • 1 tsp fresh ginger 1 teaspoon, grated
garnish
  • 1 sesame seeds
  • 1 green onions sliced

Equipment

  • 1 grill

Method
 

Make the miso glaze
  1. Whisk together miso paste, mirin, soy sauce, sake or dry sherry, sesame oil, honey or brown sugar, grated garlic, and grated ginger until smooth.
Prep and marinate zucchini
  1. Score the cut surface of each zucchini half with a crosshatch pattern, taking care not to cut through the skin.
  2. Brush the cut surfaces generously with miso glaze and let sit for 20 minutes so the glaze clings and begins to soak in.
Grill
  1. Preheat the grill to medium-high and oil the grates.
  2. Place zucchini cut-side down and grill for 4–5 minutes without moving, until the glaze caramelizes and chars slightly.
  3. Flip zucchini skin-side down, brush the top with additional miso glaze, and grill for 3–4 minutes until glossy and lacquered.
  4. Finish with sesame seeds and sliced green onions, then serve immediately.

Notes

Pro tip: keep the first grill pass undisturbed (cut-side down) so the miso glaze can caramelize into a dark amber lacquer. Refrigerate leftovers in a sealed container for up to 3 days; reheat briefly on a hot grill pan or skillet. Freezing isn’t recommended because zucchini texture softens. If you need it dairy-free and vegan, swap honey or brown sugar for maple syrup while keeping the rest the same.