I cannot remember exactly when I first starting cooking with miso, but I think it was around the time when my dad was struggling with cancer and my mom had been experimenting with the macrobiotic diet to promote healing. Those two years were pivotal in my learning about the role of food in our overall well being and I became much more conscious of health and wellness. Back then we used miso mostly in soups and Asian cooking, but more recently it has become a favorite way to add that umami taste to a myriad of foods. Miso is rich in nutrients and because it is fermented it also contains probiotics. With its growing familiarity there are several varieties widely available in stores ranging from white miso (the most mild) to red miso (much more assertive). I usually use white miso as I find it adds plenty of flavor without being overwhelming.
Here some roasted squash and eggplant cubes are tossed with a miso sesame sauce, making them good enough to eat on their own, although they become even better when drizzled with a generous slurry of this green tahini yogurt sauce adapted from my friend Sophie over at The Green Life. I love a good flatbread and I made these spelt flatbreads to be thin but sturdy enough to hold up to the roasted squash and eggplant topping. Simple as it may sound, the combination here is just divine. With the extra cold weather here to stay for a while, I do hope that cozying up with some warm roasted veggie flatbreads sounds as good to you as it does to me.
- 1 eggplant, about 1 pound, diced into ¾ inch cubes
- 1 butternut squash, about 1½ pounds, peeled and seeds removed, diced into ¾ inch cubes
- 1 red onion, sliced into rings
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
Miso Sesame Sauce
- 2 tablespoons white miso
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon tahini
- 1 tablespoon water
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon maple syrup
Green Tahini Yogurt Sauce
- ¼ cup tahini
- ¼ cup greek yogurt
- ⅓ cup packed parsley leaves
- ⅓ cup packed cilantro
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- juice of 1 lemon
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- 2 tablespoons water
Spelt Flatbreads (recipe follows)
- Preheat the oven to 375.
- In a large bowl, toss the eggplant, squash, and onions with olive oil. Divide the vegetables onto 2 parchment-lined baking sheets and spread in a single layer. (It may be tempting to crowd the vegetables onto one baking sheet, but vegetables will steam rather than roast if the pan is overcrowded.)
- Roast vegetables until they soften and turn golden around the edges, about 30 minutes. Stir halfway to ensure even roasting.
- While vegetables are roasting, whisk together the ingredients for the miso sesame sauce. Set aside. In a food processor or blender, add the ingredients for the green tahini yogurt sauce and blend until smooth. Set aside.
- Divide miso sauce between the two pans and toss vegetables with the sauce until evenly coated. Return pans to the oven to bake for another minute just to allow the sauce to settle in.
- Arrange roasted vegetables over the two flatbreads, leaving a small border around the edges. Drizzle with green tahini yogurt sauce and serve immediately.
- 1¾ cups whole spelt flour
- 2¼ teaspoons active dry yeast
- ½ cup + 2 tablespoons warm water, about 105 F degrees
- 1½ tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ teaspoon fine grain sea salt
- Stir the yeast into the warm water and let sit for a few minutes, until yeast becomes foamy.
- Add the flour and salt to the bowl of a stand mixer with the dough hook attached. With the stand mixing running, gradually pour in the water and yeast and continue to knead just until the dough comes together and is smooth. Spelt flour should not be overworked so be careful not to knead for too long.
- Transfer dough to a lightly oiled bowl. Cover and let rise at room temperature until dough has doubled in size, about 1½-2 hours.
- Divide the dough into 2 equal portions. Roll dough thinly into a rough oval shape. If dough springs back after rolling, allow the dough to rest for a few minutes, and try shaping again.
- Preheat a griddle over high heat. Melt a few teaspoons of ghee or coconut oil and cook flatbreads on griddle, about 3 minutes per side until brown and golden in spots. Alternatively, flatbreads can be baked in 500 F degree oven for about 5 minutes.
Mary Ann | The Beach House Kitchen says
Emily these flatbreads look really delicious. I am a huge fan of eggplant and squash and those two sauces sound delicious! On my list!
Emily says
Thanks Mary Ann! There’s something about that tahini sauce that really makes this combo a special one. Let me know if you ever give it a try. 🙂
Kathryn @ The Scratch Artist says
I am such a fan of miso. I’m sorry to hear how you came to discover it. I hope all is well now with your fathers health. This dish is perfectly suited to my tastes. The images are so great, as always!
Emily says
Thank you, Kathryn. My dad passed away seven years ago, but I am so thankful for him and the time we had together. Grieving is hard, but it’s also forces us to grow and learn. He beat his prognosis by over a year and I attribute that to his diet. Back to the miso though, I still want to try that miso oatmeal of yours!
Liora says
This flatbread looks so delicious! My parents experimented with macrobiotic cooking when they were newlyweds and they have a cookbook with a recipe for buckwheat rissoles, which I still love making. I share you love of miso- lately, I have been making miso soup by just putting a tablespoon of miso in warm water… its such a quick soup and is so warming.
Emily says
So fun to hear that your parents tried macrobiotics as well. You should do a post on those buckwheat rissoles- I would be interested! And yes, I still love a simple miso soup too!
Christine | Vermilion Roots says
This recipe really speaks to me. I always keep miso paste handy and whenever I feel like I need a digestive pick-me-up, I incorporate it into my meal. I find miso to be versatile and accommodating. Spelt is something I use a lot in baking, because my stomach seems to be able to handle it better. I would love to try this recipe soon.
Emily says
Thanks for stopping by, Christine! I love using spelt too since it’s easier on the digestive system and it has such a pleasant almost nutty flavor. 🙂 Miso is such a handy thing to always keep around, right?
Christine | Vermilion Roots says
Yes nutty. I’m so glad you taste that too. It’s often hard to explain how wonderful the taste of spelt is. It’s different is what I usually say. Deep. Nutty. It has more character. 🙂
Jessie Snyder | Faring Well says
I’m so sorry to hear about the cancer your daddy battled, what a tough time that must have been. But so interesting to hear now about its impact on your view of food and its healing powers. Miso is so wonderful isnt it? The umami it brings is so welcomed, especially in the cooler months, and you are reminding me to bring it out from the back of my fridge and introduce it into my meals again. And these flatbreads?! Amazing. I need to make that dough stat, and then fold one of these babies up in half and eat it all 😉 hehe.
Emily says
Cancer is so horrible, but I cling on to hope and I’m learning to trust even when I don’t understand. I often think about my dad as my approach to food has evolved over the years and my heart is grateful. I took a break from miso too for a while, but lately it’s made such a huge comeback in my kitchen. It’s my latest obsession. 🙂 Thanks, Jessie, for always encouraging and supporting!
Sophie | The Green Life says
I’m so sorry to hear about your dad’s cancer, Emily. I can’t imagine what you must have been going through. But I do strongly believe in the power of food – not only for prevention, but also as part of the healing process. Miso is wonderful, in so many ways – one of my favorite ingredients. And I’m so flattered to be mentioned on your gorgeous blog, sweet friend! You’re just the sweetest. This flatbread looks absolutely amazing!! I adore the combination of flavours you’ve created here. I can’t wait to make this! Beautiful. <3 xx
Emily says
Completely agree, food is so important for prevention and healing. Just adore your herbed tahini sauce, Sophie! It’s become a favorite dressing around here!
Lu | Super Nummy Yo! says
At first I thought the drizzle was green miso! I was so intrigued haha. But in any case green tahini yogurt sauce plus miso sesame sauce sounds really yummy too! I love how thin your flatbread is. Looking extra crispy 😛
Emily says
Yes, thin crust is my favorite since I don’t like feeling full from just bread! (although I do love bread!) Green miso sauce sounds yum. Maybe one of us should try that next!
Traci | Vanilla And Bean says
Cozying up to flatbread and the flavor rich ingredients you’ve topped it with sounds so comforting. The smoky of the eggplant balanced with the sweet of the squash sounds like a soothing combination. No doubt the umami Miso imparts is quite memorable. I’d be hoarding the sauce, then licking the bowl! I want to cook with it more… but forget about it, hanging out in the back of the fridge. Cancer.. oh Emily. It touches way too many lives. I’m so sorry your family has/is dealt with it. Looking to food to heel is smart. Thank you for this my dear. xo
Emily says
Cancer is just so terrible, isn’t it? I know a lot is genetics, but I love that we can also do our part by eating the right foods. Thanks always for your thoughtful and sweet comments, Traci!
Aysegul says
I am a beginner when it comes to using miso. I have experimented it with a little bit in the past, but it is one of those ingredients that I need a recipe to play around.
This flatbread and the sauce is a great place to start because it looks A-H-M-A-Z-I-N-G! 🙂
Emily says
You are so sweet, Aysegul! That’s how I am with new ingredients too- it’s so nice to have recipes to follow and fall back on!