What Does Natto Taste Like? Tips for Enhancing its Taste

What does natto taste like? While it may take a bit of getting used to, this unique Japanese food offers a one-of-a-kind experience! Learn the taste and how to enjoy them in various ways!

Natto has a unique flavor profile accompanied by a strong aroma and texture. While it may be an acquired taste for some, there are tips and tricks to make it more enjoyable.

In this post, I will delve into the taste of natto and provide tips and tricks to make it more appealing, encouraging you to give it a try.

This post is for you if:
• You are curious about what natto tastes like.
• You are searching for how to make natto taste good.
• You want to learn how to eat natto.

Let's get started!

Jump to:

• A Brief Overview of Natto
• What Does it Taste Like?
• How to Make Natto Taste Good
• Health Benefits of Natto
• Where to Find Natto
• How to Prepare Natto Gohan
• Tasty Natto Recipes
• FAQ
• Thanks For Stopping By!
• 💬 Comments

A Brief Overview of Natto

Before we dive into the flavor of natto, let's briefly talk about it.

Natto is a traditional Japanese food made by fermenting whole soybeans with natto-kin (a type of bacteria). It is a popular breakfast food in Japan that we eat almost every morning, often included on the breakfast menu of Japanese-style hotels.

Natto is considered a Japanese superfood due to its great nutritional benefits. However, the unique smell and weird texture may be hard to get used to for some people, as it can be quite strong.

Learn more in What is Natto? A Quick Guide to Japanese Superfood.

What Does it Taste Like?

Natto has a unique flavor that is difficult to describe. Its taste is a combination of savory and slightly sweet with a nutty flavor (some say it tastes like aged cheese). The texture is slimy, sticky, and gooey, which can be off-putting to some people.

Natto also has a pungent smell, and this distinct odor makes this traditional Japanese food special. Its aroma comes from the ammonia that forms during fermentation.

Natto taste in a nutshell:

• Texture: Slimy, sticky, and gooey
• Smell: Strong ammonia odor
• Flavor: Savory and slightly sweet

I grew up eating Natto, so the strong smell and slimy texture don't bother me, but if you try it for the first time, it would be quite challenging.

Why is it Slimy?

During fermentation, natto-kin bacteria break down the protein in soybeans, producing various substances, including glutamic acid and the carbohydrate fructan. These two components contribute to natto's stringy texture and help create a stable consistency.

Why is it Stinky?

The smell of natto is created by the natto-kin bacteria during fermentation. The main components of the smell are ammonia and other organic acids. Since fermentation continues slowly even after the natto is made, the smell gradually becomes stronger over time.

How to Make Natto Taste Good

Now that you know what natto tastes like and its unique texture, you might think it is not for you. However, with some easy tricks, you can quickly turn the taste of natto into a delightful experience.

In the following sections, I will suggest some tips to help you make natto more enjoyable. Let's dive in!

Try These Ideas to Make Natto Smell Better

1. Try adding condiments such as sesame oil, vinegar, and mayonnaise to reduce the smell.
2. Mix in strong flavor ingredients such as kimchi or garlic.
3. Add green onions or yellow onions, which contain compounds that can help mask the odor of natto.
4. Choose black soybean natto, which has a milder smell and smoother texture than standard yellow soybeans.
5. Consider trying low-odor natto if you are sensitive to its smell. You might be able to find it at a Japanese grocery store like Mitsuwa Marketplace or Marukai.

Try These Tips to Make the Texture and Taste Better

1. Natto is often eaten as is, but cooking it with egg or putting it in a miso soup can help to reduce the smell, texture, and sliminess. Check these easy natto recipes.
2. Add about one tablespoon of water and mix it. The more water you add, the less slimy it becomes.
3. The digestive enzymes in grated radish (daikon oroshi) help reduce the sliminess of natto. Even if the stickiness disappears, the nutritional content remains. It also has the effect of reducing the smell of pungent components.
4. Whisking raw egg and combining it with natto creates a fluffy texture.
5. To enhance the umami flavor of natto, try stirring about 400 times. This adds more air, resulting in a fluffy and softer texture. Additionally, this method reduces the stringiness, making it easier to eat.

Health Benefits of Natto

Natto may have an acquired taste, but it's a remarkable superfood with abundant health benefits!

Through fermenting, its nutrient content is elevated; packed with protein, fiber, and vitamins, natto provides a valuable addition to any diet, supporting digestion, immune system, and overall well-being.

• Great source of protein
• Vitamin B2 to maintain your body
• Vitamin K for bone health
• Nattokinase keeps your blood healthy
• Natto-kin helps your gut health

Learn more about the health benefits here.

Where to Find Natto

In Japan, you can easily find packs of natto at grocery stores or convenience stores, similar to the picture above. They are typically sold in packs of three, costing approximately 100 yen (less than $1). Each pack is meant for one serving, which amounts to about 50g.

The most popular brand of natto is Okame Natto, recognizable by the woman's face on the packaging in the above picture.

If you reside outside of Japan, you can still locate natto at Asian grocery stores or Japanese supermarkets listed below. Look for it in the tofu section or frozen section of these stores.

• Japanese market: Mitsuwa Marketplace, Marukai
• Asian market
• Whole Foods Market
• Health food stores
• Online stores: Instacart, Walmart, Amazon

How to Prepare Natto Gohan

Let me show you how to prepare Natto Gohan, the most simple and popular way to eat natto. (Watch How to Make Natto Gohan)

Store-bought natto is typically in styrofoam containers and comes with natto sauce and karashi (Japanese mustard).

1. Open: Open the natto pack. The natto sauce and karashi mustard are on the top.
2. Add the sauce: Take the transparent film and pour the sauce and karashi over the Natto. Add soy sauce if your natto doesn't come with the sauce.
3. Stir: Stir with chopsticks until smooth, about 10 to 20 times.
4. Over the rice: Prepare a bowl of steamed rice and place the natto over it.

I hope you try this traditional and healthy breakfast menu in Japan. If you're not fond of the smell and texture, you can enhance the taste by adding kimchi, green onions, sesame oil, etc., as mentioned earlier.

Tasty Natto Recipes

Natto goes well with carbs such as rice and bread or noodles. You can eat it straight from the package (I often do), but cooking with other ingredients makes for an even better experience.

Let me share my favorite natto recipes! Click here to find out "How To Eat Natto and 10 Easy Japanese Recipes".

FAQ

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

More Natto Recipes You Might Like

• Natto Omlette
• Natto Egg Toast
• Natto Cheese Toast
• Natto Udon Noodle Bowl
• Natto Sushi Roll
• Natto Miso Soup
• Natto Chahan
• Natto Gohan
• Natto Mochi