How to Eat Natto (Natto Gohan Recipes)

Natto is a traditional Japanese food made from fermented soybeans. They're so unique but healthy and an essential part of our diet! Here's how to eat it:

We love natto and eat almost every day!.

Natto is an interesting food. The slimy and gooey texture might make some people reluctant to try Natto (even if they are hungry enough!).

But with these easy steps on how to eat Natto from start to finish, I can help put those fears at ease.

This recipe is for you if:
• are curious about Japanese natto
• want to learn how to eat natto
• are looking for natto gohan recipes
• are looking for natto recipe ideas

What is natto? What does the taste like? I'm going to answer thease questions. Let's get started!

Jump to:

• About this recipe
• What is natto?
• Type of Natto
• How to store natto
• Is natto healthy?
• How to eat Natto: Natto Gohan
• Natto gohan variations
• Natto Recipe Ideas
• Where to buy natto?
• Thanks For Stopping By
• Watch How To Make It
• 📖 Recipe

About this recipe

• What is natto?
• How to eat it
• 8 Natto Gohan (Natto over rice) recipes
• And more natto recipe ideas

What is natto?

Natto is fermented soybeans and Japanese traditional food. It is a healthy food eaten all over Japan, and popular menu for breakfast.

If you stay in a ryokan (Japanese style hotel), you would most likely see it in the breakfast.

What does it taste like?

Natto is slimy, gooey, and stink, but it's not rotten. It's fermented. I grew up eating natto, so the smell doesn't bother me at all, but if you try for the first time, it might be disgusting (you will see).

If you eat natto without sauce, you might taste it sweet slightly, which is the taste of soybeans and umami (savory) from fermenting.

Natto usually comes with a natto sauce (a mixture of dashi, soy sauce, and sugar) and karashi (Japanese mustard). These condiments make it sweet and savory.

But anyway, it is hard to describe what the taste like, so you have to try and experience it on your own.

You might really like it, or really hate it lol.

How is it made?

Natto is made from soybeans and natto-kin.

Natto-kin is a type of bacteria, and the natto's stringy texture is made by the natto-kin breaking down soybean proteins.

By the way, natto used to be made by wrapping in rice straw since natto-kin lives in it.

Here's how it's made:

1. Rince soybeans
2. Soak soybeans in water
3. Steam soybeans
4. Spray natto-kin (bacteria)
5. Ferment

You can watch the process in this video : How to make natto in factory.

How to make it at home

Can I make it at home? It takes time and requires some cooking utensils, but YES you can!

This video, "How to make natto at home (With English subtitles)", shows how to do it. So if you are curious, check it out.

I haven't tried it yet, but I'm interested in it.

Type of Natto

There are many types of natto you can find in Japan, but in this section, I describe three different types by the size of the beans.

#1 XS and S size

This size is the most popular one eaten at home daily. It is close to the size of rice grains, which makes it easy to eat with rice and easy to mix.

#2 M and L size

Beans are larger than S size, and they are chewier. You can enjoy the texture and flavor of the fluffy beans.

It's good to eat as it is, and also good for soup.

#3 Hikiwari natto (crushed natto)

Hikiwari natto is made by crushing soybeans, removing the skin, and then fermenting.

Fermentation time takes less, so it tastes a bit different from other natto. It has a soft and smooth texture.

Since there is no skin, dietary fiber is less and easier to digest so it's recommended for small children.

It's often used for natto maki (sushi rolls).

How to store natto

Keep it in the fridge.

You can also freeze it and it will last for about 1 month.

When eating frozen natto, leave it in the fridge for a half-day to defrost naturally. Do not use a microwave oven as it ruins the taste.

Does natto go bad?

Natto's fermentation continues even after shipping from the factory.

It can be eaten even after the expiration date (I sometimes do), but the smell will get stronger, and the taste will get bitter. Also, when exposed to 10C (50F) or higher for a long time, it might generate a bad smell.

So it's better to keep it in the fridge and eat within the expiration date.

Is natto healthy?

Natto is a healthy Japanese superfood. It's packed with soybean's rich nutrients, and the nutrients are further increased by fermentation.

It is rich in protein, potassium, magnesium, iron, dietary fiber, vitamin B2, vitamin B6, vitamin E, and vitamin K.

Natto has various health benefits, but I really like the effect of nattokinase and natto-kin.

Nattokinase

Natto contains an enzyme called nattokinase, which helps break up blood clots and blood flow smoothly. Thanks to that, it also prevents vascular diseases, so it is recommended to eat natto every day.

It's hard to know what's going on inside your blood vessels. But if natto keep it healthy? then let's eat it and be healthy.

By the way, nattokinase will be lost when heated above 70C so if you want to get the benefit, it is best to eat as it is (without cooking). So, when you eat natto gohan (rice), it's better to let the rice cool down a little before eating (avoid the rice right after cooking).

Natto-kin

Natto-kin contained in natto is a type of good bacteria and it keeps your gut healthy.

When your gut works actively and healthy, bowel movement is improved, boosts your immune system, and prevents you from getting sick (immune cells are concentrated in your gut).

Another benefit is that if your gut is working properly, it will block harmful substances, making it easier to absorb the necessary nutrients properly.

Fortunately, heating natto doesn't kill this natto-kin so you can cook it and still get the benefit.

I pay attention to provide a gut-healthy meal for my family because I think it is most important to stay healthy.

Eat natto and be energetic!

How to eat Natto: Natto Gohan

There are so many ways to enjoy natto but I will show you the most popular way to eat: Natto gohan (natto over rice).

Natto gohan is the best!

We love it so much, and we eat it almost every morning. It's a quick, easy, healthy, and nutrients rich breakfast.

Natto is sold in an individual pack, so all you have to do is open the pack, mix and put it over rice.

How to prepare natto

Natto comes with natto sauce and karashi(Japanese mustard). 1 pack is for one serving which is about 50g.

This is how I prepare natto. You can watch it in this video as well.

1. Open: Open the pack, and you see the sauce and karashi on the top.
2. Take the film: Put the sauce and karashi aside and take the film on top of the natto.
3. Sauce and karashi: Pour the sauce and karashi over natto.
4. Mix: Mix with chopsticks until smooth.

I mix it 10 to 20 times until the sauce is evenly mixed. It takes no time.

Mix more to increase Umami

However, to bring natto's umami more, it's recommended to mix it very well.

There is an article that scientifically proves that if you mix well, the umami score will increase, and also, if you add the sauce in several times separately, the taste will be better.

The method from the article:

• Mix 400 times
• Add the sauce after mixing
• Add the sauce in multiple times(not at once)

I've tried it and see the photo below. The left photo is mixed 20 times, right photo is mixed 400 times.

You can see white gooey stuff around natto in the right photo. It definitely tastes better, more fluffy, and soft as it contains more air.

Also, it's less stringy so easier to eat.

If you are curious, please try and compare the taste.

Natto gohan variations

Simple natto gohan (only natto and rice) is delicious but adding some toppings is even more enjoyable!

It's fun to add various textures and tastes such as "sour, spicy, thick, creamy" to natto. Are you interested? Let's dive in!

Topping Ingredients

Here are the ingredients.

• Nagaimo (Mountain yam): Nagaimo is a root vegetable and eaten raw. When grated, it's slimy and gooey.
• Umeboshi (Pickled Plum): Japanese traditional pickles. It's sour and salty.
• Scallions
• Daikon
• Kimchi
• Okra
• Boiled egg
• Avocado

Instructions

Let me show you how to prepare each ingredients.

Mix with natto sauce and karashi beforehand.

• Grated Nagaimo: Peel and grate it. Place it on natto and pour a bit of soy sauce.
• Umeboshi: Remove the seed, chop it to make a paste, and place it on natto.
• Scallions: Chop it and place it on natto.
• Grated Daikon: Peel and grate it, and place it on natto.
• Kimchi: Place it on natto.
• Okra: Boil okra lightly and cut into slices. Place it on natto and top it with katsuobushi (bonito flakes).
• Boiled egg: Mash it and mix it with mayonnaise. Place it on natto and top it with aonori (seaweed).
• Avocado: Cut it into bite-sized pieces. Place it on natto and add a pinch of salt.

Prepare a bowl of steamed rice (see how to cook Japanese rice) and enjoy the natto over rice!

My most favorite is with kimchi (which is also fermented food)! The spice adds more flavor to natto.

Helpful tips to deal with gooey natto

When you eat natto, your mouth will get sticky and uncomfortable.

Once you put a bite into your mouth, swirl chopsticks (or spoon) to cut the natto's sticky stuff.

It will prevent from them floating and scattering in the air.

More Natto Gohan Variations

I couldn't make it into a recipe, but here are more ideas you could try.

Add just a little condiment, dried food, pickles, and so on to make the natto gohan gorgeous!

If you like it, please try it!

• Condiment: miso paste, mentsuyu(noodle soup), ponzu(citrus sauce), mayonnaise, wasabi(Japanese horseradish), shichimi(spice mixture)
• Oil: olive oil, sesame oil
• Seaweed: shio kombu, shredded nori, seasoned nori, furikake, Mekabu, mozuku
• Vegetables: sliced onion, tomatoes, shiso(green leaves)
• Japanese pickles: takuan, takana, nozawana, fukushinzuke
• Others: Cheese, raw egg, shirasu(baby sardine)

Natto Recipe Ideas

How to eat natto is not only for natto gohan! Here's other natto recipe ideas:

• Natto omlette
• Natto egg toast
• Natto cheese toast
• Natto udon noodle bowl
• Natto sushi roll
• Natto miso soup

Where to buy natto?

In Japan, you can find it easy at a grocery store or convenience store. Like the picture above, it's 3 packs together, and the price is about 100yen ($1).

The most popular brand is okame natto (the one with a woman's face).

If you live outside of Japan, you can find it in the Asian grocery store. You would find it around the tofu section or frozen food section.

Thanks For Stopping By

Natto is an amazing food. It's so unique but good for your health! If you haven't tried it yet, I can't guarantee you'll love it, but it's worth a try!

I hope you will like the recipe.

If you have any questions, please feel free to comment in the section below!

Thank you for taking the time to read my blog♡ If you’ve tried this recipe(or any other recipe on the blog), please give it a star rating below!

Also, feel free to leave comments if you have any questions. I love hearing from you!

Chef JA Cooks is a Japanese food blog that shares simple and healthy Japanese home cooking recipes include vegan and vegetarian. From traditional Japanese recipes to modern recipes with step by step instructions.

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