Skip to the recipe picker
Natto recipes
한국어

How to make natto taste good

Pick your comfort level and your fridge: one dish for today

How do you feel about natto?
What's in your fridge · Pick nothing and we assume you have it all
Dishes kids find easy come first

Today's natto

First time? Natto tofu patties · 15 min

Beginner scaleBeginner scale 1 of 5

Needs: tofu · eggs

Nice to have: scallions

Also: potato starch or cornstarch · mentsuyu (or soy sauce) · chili oil (optional)

  1. Mix natto, its sauces, silken tofu, egg, starch, tsuyu and salt.
  2. Spoon into an oiled pan.
  3. Fry both sides until golden and set.
  4. Finish with a dash of soy and scallion.

Source: YouTube: Ryuji's Buzz Recipes · 5.9M views (opens in a new tab)

Open the full recipe

1 of 33

Before you eat

If you take warfarin or another anticoagulant, talk to your doctor or pharmacist before eating natto. Natto is high in vitamin K (600 µg per 100 g, Standard Tables of Food Composition in Japan 2023). Vitamin K intake can change how warfarin works (MFDS label · MedlinePlus). Standard Tables of Food Composition in Japan 2023 (opens in a new tab) MFDS (opens in a new tab) MedlinePlus (opens in a new tab)

Natto is made from soybeans. If you have a soy allergy, don't eat it. Standard Tables of Food Composition in Japan 2023 (opens in a new tab) U.S. FDA (opens in a new tab)

Stir it the way Rosanjin wrote in 1932

The gourmand Kitaōji Rosanjin wrote down how to stir natto in his essay “Natto chazuke”. Follow it step by step.

  1. Add nothing. Stir until there are plenty of strings.
  2. Once stiff, drop in a few drops of soy sauce and stir again. Repeat.
  3. When the strings are gone and it turns どろどろ (gooey),
  4. add mustard and mix well.

Kitaōji Rosanjin, “Natto chazuke” (opens in a new tab)

Tap the bowl or draw circles on it to stir

Stirring with nothing added

Stirs 0

All recipes

Recipes published by brands, TV chefs and YouTube cooks, rewritten in our own words, each with its source. On the beginner scale 1 is the mildest.

Natto tips

Stirring order, how many stirs, storage, the strings

The stirring order

In his 1932 essay Rosanjin stirs the natto with nothing added until it's very stringy. Once it's stiff he adds soy sauce a few drops at a time, stirring between each, until the strings vanish and it turns どろどろ. Then mustard. Kitaōji Rosanjin, “Natto chazuke” (opens in a new tab)

He called adding soy sauce from the start “the clumsy way”. That's one man's method, not a rule. Kitaōji Rosanjin, “Natto chazuke” (opens in a new tab)

How many times should I stir?

Rosanjin's essay gives no number. The “424 times” you see online is the figure chosen by a 2014 natto-stirring gadget from Takara Tomy Arts. Kitaōji Rosanjin, “Natto chazuke” (opens in a new tab) GIGAZINE, 22 Jan 2014 (opens in a new tab)

Takano Foods' FAQ says nutrition and umami don't depend on how much you stir. Stirring gathers the sticky part and folds in air, so it feels smoother in the mouth. Stir as you like. Takano Foods (opens in a new tab)

Storage and dates

Keep natto in the fridge (10 °C / 50 °F or below) and eat it by the date. Warmer than that, fermentation goes on: it can darken and the smell and bitterness get stronger (Mizkan FAQ). Mizkan natto FAQ (opens in a new tab)

You can freeze it; the texture and flavour change slightly. Freeze it in a sealed bag, move it to the fridge the day before and let it thaw there. Don't thaw it in the microwave: the tray can melt or the sauce packet can burst (Mizkan FAQ). Mizkan natto FAQ (opens in a new tab)

Long freezing isn't recommended, as quality drops. Once opened, eat it soon, even before the date (Takano Foods FAQ). Takano Foods FAQ (opens in a new tab)

Past the date it's not recommended: it won't taste good (Mizkan FAQ). Mizkan natto FAQ (opens in a new tab)

White grains that appear over time are tyrosine, an amino acid that has crystallised. They feel gritty but are harmless (Takano Foods FAQ). Takano Foods FAQ (opens in a new tab)

Why does it string?

The stickiness is a long chain of nearly 50,000 glutamic acid units (gamma-polyglutamic acid) plus a sugar called fructan (Mizkan). Mizkan natto notes (opens in a new tab)

Questions

I'm new to natto. What should I make first?

If the smell and strings put you off, start with a dish where natto mixes into other flavours, like kimchi fried rice or a rolled omelette. Tap “First time” above and pick what's in your fridge: you get one dish with its time and steps.

How many times should I stir natto?

There's no set number. Rosanjin's 1932 essay gives none, and the 424 you see online comes from a 2014 stirring gadget. Takano Foods' FAQ says nutrition and umami don't depend on stir count; only the texture gets smoother. Kitaōji Rosanjin, “Natto chazuke” (opens in a new tab) GIGAZINE, 22 Jan 2014 (opens in a new tab) Takano Foods (opens in a new tab)

When do I add the sauce?

Rosanjin stirred first with nothing added, then added soy sauce a few drops at a time while stirring. He called adding it from the start the clumsy way, but that's his method, not a rule. Kitaōji Rosanjin, “Natto chazuke” (opens in a new tab)

Can you freeze natto? How do you thaw it?

Yes, with a slight change in texture and flavour. Freeze it in a sealed bag, move it to the fridge the day before and let it thaw there. Don't use the microwave (Mizkan FAQ). Mizkan natto FAQ (opens in a new tab)

Can I eat natto past its date?

It's not recommended. Mizkan's FAQ says it won't taste good; it can get stickier, smell stronger and darken. Mizkan natto FAQ (opens in a new tab)

What are the white grains?

Tyrosine, an amino acid that has crystallised. Gritty, but harmless (Takano Foods FAQ). Takano Foods FAQ (opens in a new tab)

I take warfarin. Can I eat natto?

Talk to your doctor or pharmacist first. Natto is high in vitamin K (600 µg per 100 g), and vitamin K intake can change how warfarin works (MFDS label · MedlinePlus). Standard Tables of Food Composition in Japan 2023 (opens in a new tab) MFDS (opens in a new tab) MedlinePlus (opens in a new tab)

What if I have a soy allergy?

Don't eat it. Natto is made from soybeans, which the U.S. FDA lists as a major food allergen. Standard Tables of Food Composition in Japan 2023 (opens in a new tab) U.S. FDA (opens in a new tab)

Sources

Sources: Aozora Bunko (Rosanjin) · Mizkan · Takano Foods · MEXT Japan · MFDS Korea · MedlinePlus · U.S. FDA

Sources: Aozora Bunko (Rosanjin) · Mizkan · Takano Foods · MEXT Japan · MFDS Korea · MedlinePlus · U.S. FDA · checked

Illustrations: AI-generated (Gemini) and edited, plusbeauxjours