An easy vegan Japanese cuisine-inspired dinner, our Teriyaki Aubergine Donburi is a crowd pleaser! A simple vegan aubergine rice bowl tastes anything but humble: teriyaki aubergine chunks, crispy sesame kale, carrot slaw and fresh cucumber pull together into a tantalising meal all in one bowl that is ready in 30 minutes!
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The Beauty of Japanese Cuisine
We have been obsessed with Japanese flavours recently. Over the last couple of months, we enjoyed Katsu Chicken Curry, Itame, Sushi, Miso Glazed Cod and Souffle Pancakes! It’s safe to say we love Japanese cuisine! Today’s recipe is yet another popular dish – Donburi.
What is Donburi?
Essentially a rice bowl topped with vegetables (or meat), Donburi means a bowl of food in Japanese. Typically served in a large deep bowl and eaten with chopsticks, this Japanese dish has many versions: topped with a range of different vegetables, tofu, and/or grilled or boiled meat!
Our Teriyaki Aubergine Donburi version makes sure you have all the flavours but also the textures to keep the meal interesting! We added crispy sesame kale crisps (inspired by Martha Stewart’s recipe) to our bowl as well as garlicky carrot slaw for various degrees of crunch! This vegan donburi recipe will make you fall in love with the all-plant diet!
How to Make Vegan Teriyaki Sauce?
To make your own vegan teriyaki sauce/ marinade, simply mix all the below ingredients in a small bowl:
- 30g agave nectar or maple syrup (or runny honey for the non-vegan version)
- 1 tablespoon mirin (you can substitute it with vermouth, sake or sherry, or even rice vinegar if you don’t have anything else)
- 40ml soy sauce: use gluten-free tamari if cooking for celiacs.
You can use this mixture in this aubergine rice recipe as is. If you want to use it for other recipes, or as a sauce, heat the Vegan Teriyaki sauce mixture on low heat for a few minutes until it thickens slightly, then cool down and store in a sealed jar for up to a week in the fridge.
Teriyaki Aubergine Donburi Recipe
Preheat the oven to 160°C Fan. Add the shredded kale to a large baking tray, drizzle with vegetable oil, and sprinkle with a teaspoon of caster sugar, salt and sesame seeds. Mix everything with your hands to make sure kale is coated in oil and seasoning. Bake for 12-15 minutes in the centre of the other until kale is crispy.
In the meantime, cook brown rice following the instructions on the packet.
Heat a large, non-stick frying pan with a generous drizzle of oil over medium-high heat. Add the aubergine chunks, season with salt and cook for 4-5 minutes until the aubergine is slightly browned. Tip in the vegan teriyaki sauce (we used Blue Dragon Teriyaki Sauce) and stir to coat. Then take off the heat.
Mix the julienned carrots with crushed garlic and mayo in a small bowl. Toss the cucumber with rice vinegar and some salt and pepper.
Spoon the rice into two bowls. Top with teriyaki aubergine chunks, carrot slaw, cucumber and crispy kale. Garnish your Aubergine Donburi with spring onion!
Other Japanese Recipes
Have a look at our other Japanese cuisine-inspired meals below:
Other Aubergine Recipes
If you love cooking with aubergine, you are in the right place. We absolutely love making this humble vegetable a star of the show. Here are some of our favourite recipes:
- Aubergine, Halloumi and Lentil Salad With Tahini Dressing
- Warm Moroccan Aubergine Salad With Feta
- Vegetable Lasagne with Courgette & Aubergine
Recipe Card
Vegan Teriyaki Aubergine Donburi
Ingredients
- 50 g kale shredded
- 1 teaspoon sesame seeds
- ½ teaspoon caster sugar
- 140 g brown rice
- 1 aubergine cut into bite-size chunks
- 50 g teriyaki sauce if you want to make your own, see notes below
- 1 carrot julienned
- 20 g mayonnaise vegan
- 1 garlic clove minced/ grated
- ¼ cucumber tinly sliced
- 1 teaspoon rice vinegar
- 3 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 spring onion thinly sliced
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 160°C Fan. Add the shredded kale to a large baking tray, drizzle with vegetable oil, sprinkle with a teaspoon of caster sugar, salt and sesame seeds. MIx everything with your hands to make sure kale is coated in oil and seasoning. Bake for 12-15 minutes in the centre of the other until kale is crispy.
- In the meantime, cook brown rice following instructions on the packet.
- Heat a large, non-stick frying pan with a generous drizzle of oil over medium-high heat. Add the aubergine chunks, season with salt and cook for 4-5 minutes until the aubergine is slightly browned. Tip in the teriyaki sauce and stir to coat. Then take off the heat.
- Mix the julienned carrots with crushed garlic and mayo in a small bowl. Toss the cucumber with rice vinegar and some salt and pepper.
- Spoon the rice into two bowls. Top with teriyaki aubergine chunks, carrot slaw, cucumber and crispy kale. Garnish your Aubergine Donburi with spring onion!
Notes
Nutrition
Amanda Wren-Grimwood
I’ve never tried aubergine in an Asian dish like this but it looks so delicious! Perfect balance of crunch and flavours in this bowl.
Ieva
We think Donburi is one of the best ways to use Aubergine! You can add so much flavour 🙂
Katherine
I love all the big flavors in this vegan bowl!
Ieva
Thanks, Katherine! 🙂
Natalie
Delicious Japanese-inspired meal. This will be on my menu more often during the summer, thanks!
Ieva
Thanks, Natalie! It’s a great meal for any season 🙂
Dannii
I am always looking for new ways to use aubergine and this was delicious. So much flavour!
Ieva
Us too! Aubergine is a brilliant vegetable to experiment with, so we love trying new recipes and flavour combinations! Thanks for the feedback. So glad you liked it!