Wasabi and Ginger with Sushi: What They Are and Why They're Served
Almost every sushi order comes with a dab of green wasabi and a pile of pink pickled ginger (gari). Here is what they actually are, why they are served with sushi, what the health evidence says, and how to use them.
Real wasabi vs. the green paste you usually get
True wasabi is the grated stem (rhizome) of Eutrema japonicum (also known as Wasabia japonica), a plant that grows slowly in cool running water and is hard to farm. Fresh wasabi is expensive and loses much of its aroma within roughly 15–20 minutes of grating.
Because of that, most restaurants outside Japan — and many inside it — serve a paste made mostly from horseradish and mustard with green colouring, sometimes with a small percentage of real wasabi. Check the ingredient list on a tube or packet: if horseradish comes first, that is what you are eating.
- Real wasabi: paler green, slightly grainy, fresh and herbal with a clean heat that fades quickly.
- Horseradish paste: bright green, smooth, sharper and longer-lasting heat.
- Price: restaurants that grate real wasabi usually say so on the menu, often as an extra.
What is the pink ginger called?
The thinly sliced pickled ginger served with sushi is gari (ガリ). It is made from young ginger pickled in sweetened rice vinegar. Young ginger can turn naturally pale pink in vinegar; bright pink gari is usually coloured. Red, shredded beni shoga is a different, saltier ginger pickle used on dishes like yakisoba and gyudon.
Why are wasabi and ginger served with sushi?
- Wasabi adds heat and aroma and balances rich fish. Sushi chefs often put a little between the fish and the rice already.
- Gari is a palate cleanser: eat a slice between different kinds of fish, not on top of the sushi.
- Both are often said to have been paired with raw fish for their antimicrobial properties. Lab studies do show compounds in wasabi and ginger can inhibit some bacteria, but the amounts on your plate do not make unsafe fish safe.
Health evidence: what’s known
Wasabi, horseradish and mustard all get their heat from allyl isothiocyanate and related isothiocyanates. These compounds have shown antibacterial, anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer activity in laboratory and animal studies, and ginger’s gingerols have been studied for nausea relief. However, the evidence in people is limited, and the small portions eaten with sushi are unlikely to have a measurable health effect. Enjoy them for flavour, not as medicine. Gari also contains sugar and some salt.
How to use them
- Taste first: many nigiri already have wasabi inside.
- For extra heat, put a tiny amount of wasabi directly on the fish rather than stirring it into soy sauce (mixing is common in casual restaurants, but traditionalists frown on it).
- Eat a slice of gari between different fish, especially after rich pieces like salmon or eel.
- Don’t dip gari in soy sauce or pile it onto rolls.
Wasabi vs. ginger at a glance
| Wasabi | Gari (pickled ginger) | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | Grated wasabi rhizome, or horseradish-based paste | Young ginger pickled in sweet vinegar |
| Flavour | Pungent heat that hits the nose | Sweet, sour, gently spicy |
| How it’s used | On the fish, sparingly | Between bites, as a palate cleanser |
Storing leftover wasabi and ginger
- Wasabi paste (tube): refrigerate after opening and use by the date on the pack.
- Fresh wasabi root: wrap in a damp paper towel, refrigerate and grate only what you need.
- Gari: keep refrigerated in its liquid; it keeps for weeks.
- The small packets that come with delivery orders can usually be kept in the fridge for future meals.
More sushi basics: sushi etiquette, nigiri guide and how to order sushi.