natto

noun

nat·​to ˈnä-(ˌ)tō How to pronounce natto (audio)
: a dish of fermented soybeans with a pungent flavor and gluey texture that is eaten chiefly in Japan and usually served over rice

Note: Natto is prepared by fermenting steamed or boiled soybeans with a bacteria (especially Bacillus subtilis natto).

Natto is traditionally made by storing soybeans in straw bags; the beans ferment and develop a sticky coating with an intense flavor.Saveur

Examples of natto in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
My kitchen is not complete without edamame, kinako (soy powder), unsweetened soy milk and, of course, homemade natto and miso. Michiko Tomioka, Contributor, CNBC, 21 July 2024 Sides and small plates also diverge from Kim’s famous restaurant; the bean paste soup at K-Team, for instance, uses stronger natto for bolder flavor. Stephanie Breijo, Los Angeles Times, 26 Mar. 2024 Instructions Step 1 To a small bowl, add the natto and season with karashi and soy sauce to taste. Megan Zhang, Saveur, 13 Sep. 2023 Seasonings for natto aren’t limited to karashi and soy sauce. Megan Zhang, Saveur, 13 Sep. 2023 Divide the rice between two serving bowls, then top evenly with the natto mixture, egg yolks (if using), and scallions. Megan Zhang, Saveur, 13 Sep. 2023 Bacillus natto appeared to change the gut microbiome, increasing levels of gut bacteria Verrucomicrobias to 42.51 percent of total intestinal microbes, and the number of Actinobacteria rising to 2.45 percent. Russell Thomas, Discover Magazine, 3 Aug. 2021 During this process of forming natto, the soybeans are soaked and cooked, then mixed with the strain B. subtilis to allow fermentation for up to 24 hours at a set temperature. Valerie Agyeman, Good Housekeeping, 22 Nov. 2022 The Japanese diet, rich in foods such as seafood, steamed rice, tofu, natto, seaweed, and pickled fruits and vegetables, has been promoted for its longevity-promoting aspects as well. SELF, 18 June 2022

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Japanese nattō, from nat-, of uncertain meaning and origin + -tō "beans"

First Known Use

1899, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of natto was in 1899

Dictionary Entries Near natto

Cite this Entry

“Natto.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/natto. Accessed 28 Nov. 2024.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!