wasabi paste

food

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Last updated

July 22, 2026

Quick Summary

Wasabi is a plant from the mustard family, native to Japan, South Korea, and Russia. A pungent paste is made from its ground rhizomes, which are the plant's fleshy stems. This paste is known for its spicy flavor and is commonly served with sushi and sashimi. The unique taste and smell come from volatile compounds released when the rhizome is cut or grated.

Due to the difficulty in cultivating true wasabi and its high cost, the wasabi paste found in many Western restaurants is often made from horseradish, with green colorants added. True wasabi is naturally green and loses its pungency quickly when exposed to air, so it's traditionally grated just before serving.123

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wasabi
Wasabi paste
Wasabi paste is spicy and pungent in flavor and is most commonly served with sushi and sashimi. The vapors tend to stimulate the nose more than the taste buds, and its unique taste and smell are due to the formation of volatile compounds known as…
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Wasabi paste is spicy and pungent in flavor and is most commonly served with sushi and sashimi. The vapors tend to stimulate the nose more than the taste buds, and its unique taste and smell are due to the formation of volatile compounds known as…
Read More

sashimi
is accompanied by wasabi (green paste made of true wasabi or horseradish) and soy sauce and often with a garnish of shredded or grated daikon radish. Sashimi is always part of a formal Japanese meal, served early while the palate is still clear in order for its nuances to be…
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is accompanied by wasabi (green paste made of true wasabi or horseradish) and soy sauce and often with a garnish of shredded or grated daikon radish. Sashimi is always part of a formal Japanese meal, served early while the palate is still clear in order for its nuances to be…
Read More

sushi
…dab of wasabi (a green paste made of true wasabi or horseradish); the ingredients of oshi-zushi are pressed to shape in a mold. For maki-zushi, a sheet of nori (laver, a seaweed) is spread with rice, then with seafood or vegetables and garnishes. The whole is rolled into a cylinder…
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…dab of wasabi (a green paste made of true wasabi or horseradish); the ingredients of oshi-zushi are pressed to shape in a mold. For maki-zushi, a sheet of nori (laver, a seaweed) is spread with rice, then with seafood or vegetables and garnishes. The whole is rolled into a cylinder…
Read More