What is Natto?
Have you ever had natto? Wait, what IS natto you may ask? Natto are cooked soybeans that have been fermented with a bacterial strain called bacillus subtilis. It is a traditional Japanese dish and is characterized by its unique appearance – sticky, slimy and stringy. And how does it taste? I would say it has an “earthy”, salty, beany taste to it. Some people (especially those who are sensitive to a food’s texture) can be grossed out by it.
Many people LOVE natto though – and I’ve grown to love it too. I first read about this food when I turned to eating a primarily plant-based diet a couple of years ago. At the time, I was discovering so many “new” foods for me. Amongst others, I came to know protein-rich products like tempeh, seitan or natto. While the former two are easily obtainable at vegan or vegetarian places, I never saw dishes with natto.
Why Should You Eat Natto?
Natto is rich in protein, minerals and vitamins; most importantly it is an excellent source of vitamin K2. This vitamin is said to be important for bone and heart health (source). Most sources of vitamin K2 are animal-based. The only significant plant-based source of vitamin K2 is natto. Thus, plant-based eaters who are not supplementing K2 are likely to not get enough K2 in their diet.
My First Time Eating Natto
The first time I came across natto on a shelf in some random grocery store, I, of course, had to buy it. I remember it was on a trip we took a few years ago within the US but I can’t remember where it was. It came in a little box and I ate it straight out of the box. It tasted a little weird and it was slimy and I was a little put off by it. I had no desire to ever try it again.
Eating Natto in Japan
Fast forward to last year where we went to Japan. While doing research for the trip and restaurants I wanted to check out, I stumbled upon Kip’s blog and her tip for “Vegans Cafe and Restaurant” where she had their natto kale salad. So I thought, ok, I’m going to Japan and I’m going to have to give natto another shot.
We went to this particular place and I had the salad and I kind of liked the natto in it. I realized, you have to mix it with something else, like put it in a salad or rice, and it tastes much better than on its own.
I ended up eating natto several more times during our time in Japan (in salads, maki rolls or just mixed into some rice seasoned with soy sauce). It really grew on me and I liked it more the more I ate it.
Buying Natto in Stores And Online
Back home, I did some more research on where to buy natto and I realized I could get it at pretty much any Asian supermarket. So off I went and got me some. However, in the supermarkets they sell them in little stacked Styrofoam boxes and it typically comes with a little sauce and a mustard packet. I did some more research and found out about NYrture who produce natto in NYC and sell it online. So I did that, bought two glasses from them.
I also found Weee! – America’s largest online Asian grocery store that sells a variety of natto, amongst other things. So if you don’t live nearby an Asian grocery store, Weee! carries a great selection that delivers US-wide.
And then I thought, maybe I can try and make my own natto…
Making Natto at Home
And that’s what I did. After researching on Youtube how to do it, I cooked soybeans, mixed the batch with a little of the store-bought natto as a fermentation starter (you can also buy natto starter spores online) and let it ferment in our closet with the heat radiator on for about 24 hours. I had to check the temperature every hour or so. Don’t ask. It was a laborious, tricky and kinda smelly process, but it worked!
Since then, I bought an Instant Pot and made natto again with the yogurt function (if you want the step-by-step process, send me a DM on Instagram). It worked like a gem! Let me know if you want me to write more about how to make your own natto in an Instant Pot. I won’t ever look back!
Are you familiar with natto? If yes, have you ever tried it and do you like it?
