Mediterranean Style Natto Rice Bowl

Here is my recipe for a bright and colorful Mediterranean style natto bowl! This is a great way to introduce these famous Japanese fermented beans to first time eaters, as the combination of fresh vegetables, creamy feta cheese, and sour and fruity rice vinegar help to mellow the taste and smell.

Eating natto can be tricky if you are not familiar with the taste or the texture. The first time I had natto I didn’t really know what to make of it. The texture was extremely slimy and sticky, and the taste was so unique, I had no words to describe it. It had a strong umami and earthy element that’s very familiar to cheese and mushrooms, and a slight bitterness similar to coffee. It also has a strong and sharp smell that isn’t particularly pleasant.

It’s one of those “you either love it or hate it” type of foods. I personally love it and find that it pairs extremely well with many different flavors. Traditionally, natto is served with white rice and seasoned with a little tare sauce and yellow mustard. Oftentimes it is topped with a raw egg yolk and a drizzle of soy sauce (like tamago kake gohan). I ate it that way for many years because it’s the only way I knew how to. That’s until I discovered that it paired well with so many flavor combinations! Since then I’ve been eating natto with kimchi and sesame oil, avocado and cucumber, pickled plum and gochujang, and with Mediterranean flavors like feta cheese and high quality drizzling olive oil.

Ingredients

• Soy sauce: Soy sauce and natto go hand in hand together! Both are packed with umami and earthy flavors and balance each other out. Make sure to use regular Japanese soy sauce as it has the perfect balance of sweet and savory.
• Rice vinegar: Rice vinegar is acidic, a little fruity, and a little sweet. Mixing a little with soy sauce tones down the pungent taste of natto, mellowing it and making it easier to eat.
• High quality olive oil: I recommend using a high quality olive oil that can be used for drizzling over salads as it has a lovely floral, fruity, and slightly spicy flavor and aroma.
• Natto: Any type of natto will do. I personally like smaller beans because they are easier to eat and slightly less pungent. But feel free to use larger beans (o-tsubu natto) or crushed ones (hikiwari natto).
• Rice: I always use white or brown Japanese short grain rice, but feel free to use whatever type of rice you like to eat the most.
• Vegetables: A mix of cherry tomatoes, cucumber, shallot, avocado, and leafy greens, to add freshness and some crunch.
• Feta cheese: Crumbled feta cheese adds a creamy and salty element to the natto bowl.

How To Make It

Scroll down to the recipe card for the full recipe.

1. Chop the vegetables.
2. Make the dressing.
3. Fill two bowls with rice and place the natto in the center.
4. Add the chopped vegetables around the natto and top with the dressing. Enjoy!

How To Eat This Natto Bowl

This natto bowl can be served for lunch or dinners, and is filling enough to be a main. If you are looking to complete the meal with some sides, here are some that will marry well with the Mediterranean flavors of this bowl:

• Miso soup
• Spicy edamame with garlic sauce
• Blistered shishito peppers
• Classic egg drop soup
• Kani salad

Other uniquely flavored recipes you might like: Nasu dengaku, homemade vegan kimchi, tteokbokki, hijiki salad, dan dan noodles, curry udon, smacked cucumber with chili oil, and Szechuan potato with vinegar and chili.

Frequently Asked Questions

Did you try my natto bowl recipe? Are there changes you made that you would like to share? Share your tips and recommendations in the comments section below!

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