The key to making natto taste better is working with (or around) its two biggest challenges: the strong ammonia smell and the sticky, slimy texture. Both can be dramatically reduced with the right toppings, preparation methods, and product choices. Most people who learn to enjoy natto don’t power through the flavor raw. They build it into combinations where the fermented funk becomes a savory background note instead of the main event.
Why Natto Tastes So Intense
Natto’s pungent smell comes primarily from ammonia compounds produced during fermentation. When the bacteria break down soybean proteins, they generate amines that create that characteristic sharp, almost cheesy odor. The longer natto ferments or sits in your fridge, the stronger these compounds become. Fresh natto that’s closer to its production date will always taste milder than a pack that’s been sitting for weeks.
The stickiness is a separate issue. The bacteria produce long, stringy chains of glutamic acid (the same compound that gives foods umami flavor), which is why natto tastes deeply savory despite smelling off-putting. Understanding this helps: the sliminess is literally concentrated umami. Your job is to either embrace it with complementary flavors or neutralize it with texture and acid.
The Classic Japanese Approach
There’s a reason natto has been eaten in Japan for centuries without complaint. The traditional toppings aren’t random; they each solve a specific flavor problem.
Soy sauce adds salt and rounds out the fermented flavor, making the whole package taste more like “savory food” and less like “science experiment.” A small splash is all you need. Karashi mustard, the hot yellow Japanese mustard that often comes in a tiny packet with natto, cuts through the sliminess with sharp heat. It works far better than Western yellow mustard for this purpose because it has more bite and less sweetness. Ponzu, a citrus-based soy sauce, adds acid that tames the ammonia notes significantly.
Chopped green onions are probably the single most effective simple addition. They add a fresh, sharp crunch that contrasts with the soft, sticky beans and introduces a clean aroma that competes with the fermented smell. Shiso (perilla leaf), if you can find it, does something similar with a minty, herbal brightness. Even regular scallions from any grocery store make a noticeable difference.
Stir It More Than You Think
This is counterintuitive, but stirring natto vigorously, around 50 times or more, actually improves the flavor. Whipping air into the sticky strands changes the texture from gloopy to frothy and lightens the overall mouthfeel. It also distributes the glutamic acid more evenly, which makes each bite taste more consistently savory rather than hitting you with concentrated funk. Add your soy sauce or mustard after stirring, not before, so the seasoning sits on top of the aerated texture.
Creamy and Fatty Pairings
Fat is natto’s best friend. Creamy, rich ingredients coat the beans and mute the sharp edges of the flavor in a way that sauces alone can’t.
Avocado is the most popular modern pairing for good reason. Mashed or sliced avocado mixed into natto creates something that tastes closer to a rich, savory spread than plain fermented beans. One popular preparation layers natto mixed with its sauce packet onto toast, tops it with sliced avocado and a little shredded cheese, then toasts everything until the cheese melts. The melted cheese and avocado fat essentially bury the strong smell while keeping the umami intact.
A raw egg yolk stirred into natto is a traditional Japanese method that accomplishes the same thing. The yolk adds richness and binds the sticky strands into a smoother, creamier consistency. Mayonnaise works similarly, and even a single teaspoon mixed in makes a real difference. Kimchi with a drizzle of sesame oil is another combination where the strong, spicy, garlicky flavors of the kimchi overpower natto’s funk, and the oil smooths out the texture.
Heat Changes Everything
Cooking natto reduces its stickiness and mellows the smell considerably. The ammonia compounds are volatile, meaning they evaporate quickly when heated. A few approaches work well:
- Natto fried rice: Toss natto into a hot wok or pan with rice, soy sauce, and an egg. The high heat breaks down the sticky strands and toasts the beans slightly, giving them a nuttier flavor.
- Natto toast: Spread seasoned natto on bread with cheese and bake or broil until bubbly. The oven drives off much of the smell.
- Natto in miso soup: Drop a spoonful into hot soup just before eating. The broth dilutes the texture and the miso provides a familiar fermented flavor that makes the natto taste like it belongs.
- Natto omelet or scrambled eggs: Fold natto into eggs while cooking. The egg protein wraps around the beans and the heat neutralizes much of the sliminess.
One trade-off: heating natto does reduce some of its probiotic benefits, since the beneficial bacteria don’t survive high temperatures. If you’re eating natto specifically for gut health, keeping it at warm (not hot) temperatures preserves more of the live cultures.
Pick a Milder Product
Not all natto tastes the same. Bean size, fermentation time, and processing method all affect how intense the experience is.
Smaller beans tend to have a milder, more consistent flavor and a texture that many people find easier to eat. Extra-small natto varieties are considered premium in the Japanese market partly because of their smoother mouthfeel. Larger beans or “grits” (quartered soybeans) have more of a standard bean texture, which some beginners prefer because it feels less unfamiliar, but the flavor can be stronger per bite.
If you’re truly struggling with fresh natto, freeze-dried natto is a legitimate entry point. It has no slimy texture and very little smell, and can be eaten straight as a crunchy snack. Natto furikake, a rice seasoning that contains dried natto mixed with seaweed, delivers the umami and some of the probiotic benefits without the sensory challenges. These products won’t give you the full natto experience, but they can help your palate adjust before you graduate to the fresh version.
Acid Is Underrated
Acid directly counteracts the ammonia compounds that make natto smell strong. This is actual chemistry: acids lower the pH of the natto, which suppresses the enzymatic activity that produces amines. A squeeze of lemon juice, a splash of rice vinegar, or ponzu sauce all accomplish this. The effect is immediate and noticeable.
This is also why natto pairs so well with pickled vegetables, kimchi, and vinegared rice. If you eat natto on sushi rice (which is seasoned with rice vinegar), the acidity of the rice does half the work for you. A simple bowl of warm vinegared rice topped with stirred natto, a drizzle of soy sauce, and chopped scallions is one of the most beginner-friendly ways to eat it.
Building a Tolerance
Most people who enjoy natto didn’t love it on the first try. Start with small amounts mixed into strongly flavored dishes rather than eating a full pack on its own. A tablespoon of natto stirred into a rice bowl with plenty of toppings lets you get used to the taste without being overwhelmed. As your palate adjusts, you can increase the ratio and simplify the accompaniments. Many regular natto eaters eventually prefer it with nothing more than soy sauce, mustard, and green onions, flavors that seemed insufficient the first time they tried.