What Is Uni: A Complete Guide to Sea Urchin (2024)

“…what’s uni?”

If I had a dollar for every time someone’s ever asked me that, it’d be enough for a nice little splurge at Sushi Nakazawa (top of my NYC bucket list right now!). So…even though I think it’s best understood through love at first bite, here’s a crash course on the basics of the wonder that is uni.

What is uni?

Pronounced oo-nee (aka not you-nee), uni is the Japanese word for sea urchin. Covered in sharp spines, the real gem of course is what’s inside the shell – edible pieces that range in color from a light yellow to a rich orange hue depending on variety, and almost resembling a tongue in shape and outer texture.

What Is Uni: A Complete Guide to Sea Urchin (1)

But what are you actually eating? A lot of people, including sushi aficionados themselves, commonly mistake it as being the roe – or eggs – of the shellfish. In reality, that’s not far off but they’re actually its gonads (aka sexual reproductive organs, of which each sea urchin has 5 total). Yum, right?

What Is Uni: A Complete Guide to Sea Urchin (2)

How many varieties of sea urchin are there?

According to Chef Masa (formerly of 15 East) when I asked him several months back before he left, there are hundreds of different varieties found in every ocean around the world, but only 18 (!) are edible. Here in the U.S., the most prevalent varieties that you see available hail from Santa Barbara (California), Hokkaido (Japan), and Maine.

What does sea urchin taste like?

Second to what uni is, this is the most common question that I get. Those of us who know and love uni know its mind-blowing taste isn’t the easiest to describe because of its one-of-a-kind flavor profile. Umami at its best, I like to think of it as the foie gras – or even ice cream – of the sea. Depending on the variety, diet, and gender, good uni is firm but melts in your mouth with its rich and creamy sweetness, and is just a little bit slimy (a good slimy, I swear!). It’s almost a bit custard-like – but lighter. And important to note, good uni is never fishy but instead, has delicate traces of the ocean.

What Is Uni: A Complete Guide to Sea Urchin (3)

By and far, it seems to be a love or hate kind of thing when it comes to uni as people tend to fall on either side of the extreme, but I’m convinced at least half of those who claim to “hate” uni and find it gross first tried it at a subpar restaurant that was serving out-of-date, low-quality uni. Ew.

How can you tell good uni from bad uni?

Great question. Sea urchin is differentiated by grade and as per above, low quality leads to not-so-good experiences. And when it comes to quality, according to the California Sea Urchin Commission (yes there really is such a thing, believe it or not), a few different factors come into play: taste, color, freshness, and texture.

What Is Uni: A Complete Guide to Sea Urchin (4)

California Gold” is the highest grade – always fresh, bright and vibrant in color (very autumnal if you ask me), and firm in texture but again, still manages to be melt-in-your-mouth sweet and delicious. It’s as good as it gets. “Premium California” is up next – still great, but slightly milder in color and a tad softer in texture. And finally, there’s “Select California” – the last tier before things start to go a bit downhill. These are darker in color, less firm and more liquid-y in consistency, thus veering closer to that fishiness you 100% want to avoid.

What are the differences between different varieties of uni?

Again, uni taste and texture really depend on a bunch of different factors: region, gender, diet, etc. I’ve been lucky enough to have had uni from quite a few regions before: Santa Barbara, Catalina, Maine, Hokkaido, Aka, North Korea, Dalian, Chile, Canada, Italy, the Philippines, and more. Each region features uni with a very distinct taste, and there’s nothing more fun than taste testing and comparing/contrasting.

What Is Uni: A Complete Guide to Sea Urchin (5)

Personally, I find Santa Barbara to be the sweetest; Hokkaido, the smoothest; Italy, the saltiest; Maine, the most custard-like; the Philippines, the silkiest; Chile, the least distinct. But despite the minute differences from region to region, fresh uni always have a few things in common: sweet taste, creamy texture, and ecstasy-inducing ocean essence. Drool.

Why is sea urchin always one of the most expensive items on a menu?

What Is Uni: A Complete Guide to Sea Urchin (6)

As you can probably imagine, uni isn’t exactly easy to raise or harvest, and each sea urchin itself only contains 5 edible pieces – and super fragile pieces at that. Plus, if not eaten as fresh as possible, the quality takes a serious nose dive. And of course, depending on where you are, the uni may be imported from a number of different corners of the world which, of course, comes at an additional cost. Just believe me when I say it is SO worth it.

How is uni prepared? What are different ways to eat it?

…the possibilities are ENDLESS. In the last couple decades especially (and last few years, on over-drive), sea urchin has gone from being a popular delicacy in Japan only to a common ingredient seen on menus in all corners of the world. From Mexican to Chinese, Italian to French, chefs know the demand is there and have been responding accordingly.

What Is Uni: A Complete Guide to Sea Urchin (7)

Of course, nowhere is more common to see uni than in Japanese/sushi restaurants where it’s typically served in its most delectable form – rare and au naturel. Other ways I’ve had it: as a pasta sauce and topper, grilled or torched in a tray, charred on toast, together with an oyster, marinated, pan-seared with bibimbap, atop an uni-flavored chip with an uni glaze, in a shot, as part of flan, mixed with raw squid, in a panini, as mousse paired with lobster…and the list goes on and on and on.

Uni must be unhealthy though, right?

Nope! I like to call this Uni Mythbusting 101. If you’re counting calories, uni only has about half as many calories as unagi (eel), ankimo (monkfish liver), iwashi (sardine), and saba (mackerel)…and fewer calories than hamachi (yellowtail), hokkigai (surf clam), maguro (bluefin tuna), sake (salmon), shiro maguro (white tuna), and tako (octopus)! Seriously.

Now, I do know that a lot of people will talk about uni having a high amount of cholesterol. Technically, this is true – but once you dive a bit deeper, it turns out that while sea urchins do contain fat (though less fat than most of the other fishes listed above), nearly all of it is healthy fat that actually helps to lower your cholesterol and blood pressure.

Plus, it has zero carbs, is super rich in vitamins A, C, and E, and is a healthy source of protein, zinc AND calcium. Um…#winning.

What is your favorite type of uni?

Hardest question EVER…ugh. They all taste like pure ocean gold to me, but if forced to choose, I’d say I’m partial towards California uni. Santa Barbara uni especially tends to be larger, meatier, and jam-packed with SO much sweetness…yes please.

What Is Uni: A Complete Guide to Sea Urchin (8)
What Is Uni: A Complete Guide to Sea Urchin (2024)

FAQs

What Is Uni: A Complete Guide to Sea Urchin? ›

Uni, pronounced oo-nee, are actually sea urchin roe. These bright yellow to bright orange lobes are considered a delicacy to some. They are often used in sushi, over pasta, and in butter. Uni is wild caught, predominantly done by diver hand harvesting, or Draggers.

What is the uni in a sea urchin? ›

Although uni is often called sea urchin roe (that is, eggs, like caviar), the creamy orange lobes of briny-umami delight that is uni are actually the urchin's version of ovaries or testicles.

Is uni bad for cholesterol? ›

A 100g portion of sea urchins contains 172 calories and very little fat. The fat is also almost all unsaturated fat. For every 100g of sea urchin, there are only 1.75 grams of polyunsaturated fat. And, we all know that eating polyunsaturated fats in place of saturated fats can help lower your cholesterol levels.

How to tell if uni is bad? ›

Freshness is the key to uni. It should be firm and bright colored without any signs of seepage and, ideally, still tiled or crisscrossed in its original packaging. Once harvested, it begins to melt, and its flavor can turn unforgettably bitter and off.

What does uni actually taste like? ›

Uni has a uniquely savory, briny and umami flavor, with a buttery, melt in the mouth texture. Depending on which uni you're tasting, you might also pick up sweet or metallic notes.

Is uni safe to eat? ›

Sea urchins are considered a delicacy in many parts of the world, including Japan, where they are commonly known as uni. However, not all sea urchins are safe to eat. Some species contain toxins that can cause serious illness or even death.

Is uni male or female? ›

Both male and female Sea Urchins are harvested for their gonads, which are commonly referred to as uni (pronounced Oooo-Knee).

How to eat uni at home? ›

As sushi, it is commonly served as nigiri with a touch of wasabi between the uni and the rice. You can also place one or two pieces of raw uni atop a variety of dishes. From poke and chirashi bowls, to egg dishes like scrambled eggs and chawanmushi (steamed egg custard), uni is a surefire way to create a wow factor.

How long can uni last? ›

Precisely, you can keep uni for up to 2 days in your fridge after receiving it for consumption as sashimi (and up to 5-7 days if cooked for example, in pasta). Also, make sure not to freeze it for sashimi because you will end up in losing its texture if that is important to you.

What is the best tasting sea urchin? ›

The highest grade of sea urchin is typically referred to as "uni." This grade of sea urchin should have a sweet, rich flavor and a creamy texture. It is the most expensive and is considered the best for sushi.

Why is uni so popular? ›

The Red Sea Urchin from the coast of southern California is widely known for its "sweet" after taste due to the kelp (large brown algae seaweeds) it consumes for its nutrition. The climate advantage in which the California coast provides is a natural haven of a breeding ground for the Red Sea Urchin.

Does uni taste like oyster? ›

For example, uni harvested in Japan feeds on kombu, giving an aftertaste of kombu. Likewise, some uni varieties provide a hint of seaweed or kelp. Some people compare the taste of uni with oyster, caviar, salmon roe, egg yolk, foie grass, and lobster.

What is the thing inside a sea urchin? ›

The edible part of the sea urchin, the gonads, are a five-section organ that swells and shrinks in size depending on the phase of the breading season. Prior to spawning season, in the cold waters of winter, the gonads store food as energy and are at their fullest.

Do you have to cook uni? ›

In order to experience the flavor of the sea in its purest form, uni is typically served raw. As sashimi, uni is often accented with a spritz of lemon or lime juice; a sprinkle of salt; a drizzle of soy sauce or ponzu; or even a dash of hot sauce.

What is the red thing in sea urchin? ›

The red spot on the long spine sea urchin may look like an eye; but, it's not! (Can you guess what it is?) This species uses photoreceptors throughout their body to detect visual information, making their entire body one big eye. #DYK Sea urchins are critical to ecosystems as they eat harmful algae.

Why is uni so good? ›

Raw uni has a texture that's wholly unique: silky and rich, like a custard, firmer when fresh, but melting away with the slightest touch regardless. I'd describe the flavor as sweet, briny, with a touch of saline bitterness at the end.

References

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Recommended Articles
Article information

Author: Jerrold Considine

Last Updated:

Views: 5301

Rating: 4.8 / 5 (78 voted)

Reviews: 85% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Jerrold Considine

Birthday: 1993-11-03

Address: Suite 447 3463 Marybelle Circles, New Marlin, AL 20765

Phone: +5816749283868

Job: Sales Executive

Hobby: Air sports, Sand art, Electronics, LARPing, Baseball, Book restoration, Puzzles

Introduction: My name is Jerrold Considine, I am a combative, cheerful, encouraging, happy, enthusiastic, funny, kind person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.