Honestly, this is the best natto recipe I’ve ever made. The combination of natto and fats like butter or olive oil is incredibly delicious. Even better is the contrast between the sticky texture of natto and the creamy mashed potatoes. Since the natto is mixed with olives, there’s no need to add extra salt.
Of course, this is just my opinion—but it’s definitely worth trying.
The mashed potato recipe is almost the same as the colcannon in my book, “Salads from Around the World (世界のサラダ図鑑).”
Bread
1 to 1½ English muffins (or 2 to 3 slices of bread)
Mashed Potatoes
2 potatoes
2 to 3 tablespoons chopped green onions
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons milk (or to taste)
Salt and pepper (to taste)
Natto
80 to 100 g (3 to 3.5 oz) natto
5 to 8 olives (or to taste), sliced into rounds
2 to 3 teaspoons olive oil
Toppings
Chopped Italian parsley (as needed)
Grated Parmesan cheese (as needed)
Cook the potatoes using your preferred method until tender. Drain well.
While the potatoes are still hot, place them in a bowl with the butter and mash them using a fork. Add the green onions and mix well.
Slice the English muffins in half horizontally. Place them cut-side up on a plate and spread the mashed potatoes on top. Toast in a toaster oven until lightly browned.
Tip: Since you’ll be adding natto later, don’t spread the mashed potatoes too evenly—leave a crater-like indentation in the center of each muffin half.
While the muffins are toasting, mix the natto with the sliced olives.
Remove the muffins from the toaster, place them on serving plates, and spoon the natto mixture into the craters.
Drizzle with olive oil, then sprinkle with chopped parsley and Parmesan cheese.
This dish is also delicious without the English muffins—simply serve the mashed potatoes and natto on a plate.
You can also sauté the green onions in butter before mixing them into the mashed potatoes for extra flavor.
Masahito Sato is a culinary researcher and author of books like The World Sandwich Atlas and The World Soup Atlas. Based near Boston, he shares global recipes, original dishes, and glimpses of daily life through photos and videos. He created a special natto recipe for Aya’s Culture Kitchen.
Instagram: @nandemokandemo4
X (formerly Twitter): MASAHITOSATO1
