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Grilled Zucchini with Miso Glaze

Grilled zucchini halves with a deeply umami miso glaze lacquered until shiny and dark amber. Cut-side down grilling caramelizes the glaze while the surface chars slightly for a sweet-salty finish.
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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: 180
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Zucchini
  • 4 medium zucchini
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 clove garlic
  • 1 tsp fresh ginger
Garnish
  • 1 sesame seeds
  • 1 green onions

Equipment

  • 1 grill

Method
 

Make the miso glaze
  1. Whisk together all miso glaze ingredients until smooth. The mixture should look uniform without any miso lumps.
Prepare and marinate
  1. Score the cut surface of each zucchini half in a crosshatch pattern without cutting through the skin. This gives the glaze more contact for caramelizing.
  2. Brush miso glaze generously over the cut surface, coating the scored lines. Make sure the glaze forms a visible layer.
  3. Let the glazed zucchini sit for 20 minutes at room temperature. The surface will look slightly tacky as it absorbs some of the glaze.
Grill and finish
  1. Preheat the grill to medium-high and oil the grates. The heat should be ready for immediate caramelization when zucchini hits.
  2. Grill cut-side down for 4–5 minutes without moving. Watch for deep amber caramelization with slight char on the glaze.
  3. Flip skin-side down, brush more glaze over the top, and grill for 3–4 minutes. The glaze should continue to darken and look lacquered and shiny.
  4. Top immediately with sesame seeds and sliced green onions. The garnish should sit on a hot, glistening surface so it lightly toasts.

Notes

For best char and shine, don’t move the zucchini during the first 4–5 minutes—let the glaze caramelize undisturbed. Refrigerate leftovers in a covered container up to 3 days; reheat on a hot grill pan or in a skillet over medium heat until warmed through, adding a thin brush of leftover glaze if you have it. Freezing is not recommended due to zucchini texture. For a lower-sodium option, choose reduced-sodium miso and soy sauce so the glaze still browns but tastes lighter.