Spicy Kimchi Natto (Fermented Soy Beans) Side Dish Recipe

By Judy Ung

Updated 09/18/17

Kimchi Natto Ae (Fermented Soy Beans with Spicy Kimchi Pickles)
Kimchi (Spicy Cabbage Pickles) with Natto (Fermented Soy Beans) and Green Perilla Leaf. © Judy Ung
  • Total: 5 mins
  • Prep: 5 mins
  • Cook: 0 mins
  • Yield: 2 servings
Nutritional Guidelines (per serving)
272 Calories
16g Fat
27g Carbs
9g Protein
See Full Nutritional Guidelines Hide Full Nutritional Guidelines
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 2 servings
Amount per serving
Calories 272
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 16g 21%
Saturated Fat 13g 67%
Cholesterol 13mg 4%
Sodium 181mg 8%
Total Carbohydrate 27g 10%
Dietary Fiber 9g 33%
Protein 9g
Calcium 143mg 11%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Spicy kimchi natto (fermented soy beans) is a quick and easy Japanese fusion side dish or appetizer, that can be added to your weeknight meal, or enjoyed as a snack with rice.

Kimchi is a Korean dish of spicy pickled nappa cabbage, and is available for sale at many Asian grocery stores, and also in some American supermarkets as well. It can also be made at home.

Although kimchi is a uniquely Korean dish, it is also enjoyed in Japan in a number of fusion or modern dishes, for example, ramen, fried rice, okonomiyaki (savory pancakes) or eggs. With the rise in popularity of kimchi, it is not uncommon to see kimchi and dishes that incorporate kimchi on the menus of Japanese bars or tapas-style restaurants. 

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup kimchi (spicy Korean nappa cabbage pickles)
  • 2 40-gram packages of natto (fermented soy beans, with seasoning sauce included with package)
  • Optional: soy sauce (or seasoned "dashi" soy sauce)
  • 4 green perilla leaves (shiso)

Steps to Make It

  1. Chop kimchi pickles into small bite sized pieces.

  2. In a small bowl, combine packaged natto with the seasoning packets, or "tare" that it came with. If no sauce is included with the packaged natto, drizzle a touch of soy sauce, or seasoned "dashi" soy sauce over the natto.

  3. Mix in chopped kimchi pickles with the natto. Stir well.

  4. Wash and pat dry shiso (green perilla leaves). Stack the leaves and roll them together, then slice into thin strips (chiffonade).

  5. Add 3/4 of the shiso chiffonade to the natto and kimchi mixture. Gently stir.

  6. Serve kimchi natto mixture in small bowls, then garnish with remaining pieces of shiso.

Additional Information:

An easy way to incorporate kimchi into an everyday Japanese meal is to mix kimchi with natto (fermented soy beans). Natto is often enjoyed simply with rice, but adding chopped kimchi to natto, takes natto to a whole new level, bursting with flavor and spices.

The recipe for this kimchi and natto side dish is extremely simple. Simply add the two ingredients together, and season with soy sauce or the sauce "tare" that comes with the natto. For a hint of freshness, add chopped green shiso perilla leaf to the mixture. Enjoy as is, or on top of steamed rice.