Spicy Miso Stir-Fry with Basil

Summer Vegetables Always Bring Back Childhood Memories

Every summer, my grandmother’s garden would overflow with summer vegetables. Eggplants and peppers seemed to appear faster than we could eat them, so one of the meals we enjoyed over and over was a simple miso stir fry. It was an everyday home-cooked dish that never got old.

Now that my own basil plants are growing like crazy, I love giving that childhood favorite a little twist. I add plenty of fresh basil, ground meat, and a spicy miso sauce that makes the whole kitchen smell amazing. The basil takes this stir fry with basil to a whole new level while still reminding me of the meals I grew up eating.

The Best Way to Use Summer Vegetables

One of the reasons I love making stir fried vegetables is that there’s almost no waiting involved. Just chop everything, toss it into a hot pan, and keep stirring. It’s one of the fastest ways to turn fresh summer vegetables into a satisfying dinner after work.

The savory spicy miso sauce coats every bite, while the basil adds a fresh, fragrant finish that pairs surprisingly well with miso. If you’ve never tried vegetables with basil in a Japanese-style stir fry, this is a great place to start.

Serve It with Rice

This basil stir fry is best served over a bowl of steamed rice so none of the flavorful sauce goes to waste. Feel free to swap the ground pork for chicken, beef, turkey, or whatever ground meat you have on hand.

Ingredients (2-3 Servings)

Ground meat of choice: 7 oz (200 g)
Onion, sliced: 1/2 cup
Garlic, minced: 2 tsp
Ginger, minced: 2 tsp
Eggplant, sliced: 5 oz (about 140 g)
Green bell pepper, sliced: 3 oz (about 85 g)
Fresh basil leaves: 1 generous handful
Dried red chili, crushed or thinly sliced: To taste
Sesame oil: 2 tsp
Miso: 2 tsp
Doubanjiang: 1½ tsp
Soy sauce: 2 tsp
Oyster sauce: 1½ tsp
Sugar: 2 tsp
Steamed rice: For serving

Instructions

1. Heat the sesame oil in a large frying pan over medium-low heat. Add the garlic, ginger, and onion, and cook until fragrant.
2. Increase the heat to medium. Add the ground meat and cook until it is no longer pink.
3. Add the eggplant and bell pepper, then stir-fry until the vegetables have softened.
4. Meanwhile, mix together the miso, doubanjiang, soy sauce, oyster sauce, and sugar in a small bowl.
5. Pour the sauce into the pan and stir until everything is evenly coated.
6. Add the fresh basil and crushed dried red chili. Continue stir-frying until the basil has just wilted and become fragrant.
7. Serve immediately with steamed rice.

Spicy Miso Stir Fry with Basil

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 15 minutes mins

Total Time 25 minutes mins

Servings: 3

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Chinese, Japanese

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

  

• Ground meat of choice: 7 oz 200 g
• Onion sliced: 1/2 cup
• Garlic minced: 2 tsp
• Ginger minced: 2 tsp
• Eggplant sliced: 5 oz (about 140 g)
• Green bell pepper sliced: 3 oz (about 85 g)
• Fresh basil leaves: 1 generous handful
• Dried red chili crushed or thinly sliced: To taste
• Sesame oil: 2 tsp
• Miso: 2 tsp
• Doubanjiang: 1½ tsp
• Soy sauce: 2 tsp
• Oyster sauce: 1½ tsp
• Sugar: 2 tsp
• Steamed rice: For serving

Method

 

1. Heat the sesame oil in a large frying pan over medium-low heat. Add the garlic, ginger, and onion, and cook until fragrant.
2. Increase the heat to medium. Add the ground meat and cook until it is no longer pink.
3. Add the eggplant and bell pepper, then stir-fry until the vegetables have softened.
4. Meanwhile, mix together the miso, doubanjiang, soy sauce, oyster sauce, and sugar in a small bowl.
5. Pour the sauce into the pan and stir until everything is evenly coated.
6. Add the fresh basil and crushed dried red chili. Continue stir-frying until the basil has just wilted and become fragrant.
7. Serve immediately with steamed rice.