How to Enjoy Natto

Natto can be difficult if you haven't grown up with it - an acquired taste... and texture. Like blue cheese for some people only this is quite challenging not just for the taste ..... but  as you can see in the the picture - it's slimy as well.  When I first moved to Japan - my first stop - first job - was at a remote ski resort where I lived in a dormitory setting.

The breakfast offering was the only place to get breakfast on the mountain - in my dorm every morning down in the kitchen... eggs, uncooked all piled up in a bowl, rice, varieties of miso soup depending on the day, natto, pickles sometimes curry.  It took me about 2 months of living there to branch out to the natto. At first I put soy sauce and kewpie mayo on top. And then I started to crave it and look forward to it... come to think of it - the kind of amonia aspect reminds me of how you might crave for vegemite.  You can make natto out of other beans - but I think the best flavour and texture comes from Soy Beans. Adzuki and black bean or chick pea works OK as well.. but certainly soy is the traditional protein and for good reason. You can really whip up some silky web like string with soy. x

Understanding Your Natto

Fresh natto is alive with beneficial bacteria, enzymes, and nutrients. How you store and serve it affects which benefits you'll receive, so let's break down what happens at different temperatures.

What's in Natto:

• Vitamin K2 (MK-7): Essential for bone and cardiovascular health
• Nattokinase: A fibrinolytic enzyme that supports healthy blood flow
• Bacillus subtilis: Probiotic bacteria in both active and spore forms
• Complete protein: All essential amino acids
• Isoflavones, polyamines, and other bioactive compounds

Storage

Keep natto refrigerated at 4°C or below. It will continue to ferment slowly in the fridge, developing stronger flavours over time. For longer storage, freeze it – frozen natto keeps for several months and thaws beautifully. When I make my own natto I put it into silicone molds and just pop them out onto a plate a bit before I want to eat it to thaw it out. 

Light is your enemy: Vitamin K2 is extremely sensitive to UV light. Always store natto in its container or covered in the fridge, away from light. 

Temperature Matters

Different serving temperatures preserve different benefits. As with other ferments, keeping it raw and not heating it will give you the most.  Here's what you need to know:

Room Temperature or Lightly Warmed (below 40°C)

Best for: Maximum health benefits

• All vitamin K2 preserved ✓
• Full nattokinase enzyme activity ✓
• Both active bacteria and spores ✓

How to serve:

• Straight from the fridge, stirred vigorously until sticky threads form
• Left at room temperature for 10-15 minutes before eating
• Sitting atop warm rice

Gently Warmed (40-55°C)

Best for: Most benefits with slight warmth

• All vitamin K2 preserved ✓
• Most nattokinase activity ✓
• Spores intact, some active bacteria ✓

How to serve:

• Stirred into warm (not hot) rice
  
• Mixed into warm grain bowls

Hot but Not Boiling (55-70°C)

Best for: When you want comfort food

• All vitamin K2 preserved ✓
• Reduced nattokinase activity
• Heat-resistant spores intact ✓

How to serve:

• Stirred into hot soup (let it cool slightly first)
• In warm stir-fries at the very end of cooking
• On toast with melted cheese

Cooked/Boiling (above 70°C)

Best for: Cooked dishes where texture is important

• All vitamin K2 preserved ✓
• Minimal nattokinase activity
• Heat-resistant spores still viable ✓

How to serve:

• In okonomiyaki
• Mixed into pasta sauces
• Baked into savoury muffins or fritters

The takeaway: Even cooked natto provides exceptional vitamin K2 and probiotic benefits from heat-resistant spores. If you want the full enzyme activity, keep it cool. But there's no wrong way to eat natto.

Your First Time

Natto's texture and aroma are distinctive - and yes - web like and a bit slimy.  Here's how to ease in: Enjoy whipping it over and over to get a very creamy texture. And add soy and mustard to it. 

Stir it well: The sticky, stringy texture develops with stirring. This is a feature, not a bug – those threads contain polyglutamic acid, one of natto's beneficial compounds. Stir 50-100 times if you want maximum stickiness, or just a few times if you prefer less.

Start small: Begin with a tablespoon mixed into something familiar –scrambled eggs. fried rice, mac and cheese, cauliflower cheese...

Add familiar flavours:

• Soy sauce or tamari
• Spring onions or chives
• Sesame oil
• A raw egg yolk is traditional 
• Mustard (traditional Japanese accompaniment)
• Kimchi
• Avocado

Think of it as an ingredient: Don't approach natto as something you need to eat plain. It's a powerfully nutritious ingredient that brings umami depth to dishes.

Traditional Ways to Enjoy

Japanese Style:

• Mixed with soy sauce, mustard, and spring onions over hot rice
  
• Mixed with raw egg and eaten with rice
• In Okonomiyaki

Korean Style:

• In cheonggukjang-jjigae (rich, robust stew)
• Mixed with gochugaru and sesame oil
• Added to bibimbap

Modern Australian Ways:

• On sourdough with smashed avocado and a seeds and nut seasoning
• Mixed into grain bowls with roasted vegetables
• Stirred through scrambled eggs just before serving
• Blended into salad dressings for umami depth
  

A Note for Medication Users

If you're taking blood-thinning medication like warfarin, talk to your healthcare provider before adding natto to your diet. The high vitamin K2 content can affect anticoagulation therapy.

The Bottom Line

Eat it at room temperature for maximum enzyme activity, warm it gently for comfort, or cook it fully and you'll still receive remarkable nutritional benefits. The "right" way is the way that gets you eating it regularly.