At most sushi restaurants in the U.S., “wasabi” — that lump of pungent, nose-searing green paste — may pack a punch, but it’s also probably fake.

“Not wasabi at all,” according to grower Markus Mead. “It’s horseradish with green food dye.”

Real wasabi is common in Japan but has long been a luxury in the U.S. It has to be served soon after preparation and doesn’t grow easily outside its native ecosystems. But a farm on the Oregon Coast may be changing that.

Mead and his wife, Jennifer Bloeser, own and operate Oregon Coast Wasabi in Tillamook, Oregon — the largest wasabi farm in the United States. They’ve found the perfect environment to grow valuable, real wasabi.

“Most people don’t know that wasabi is actually a plant. One of our goals in this business is to introduce more people to the wonders of fresh wasabi.”

Wasabi, when fully grown, stands 2-4 feet tall, and all parts of the plant are edible and spicy. Heart-shaped leaves grow out of a thick central stock, usually referred to as the “rhizome,” and that’s the part chefs grind into the familiar wasabi paste.

Wasabi is native to Japan, where it’s been cultivated since at least the seventh century. It was first used as a traditional medicine, and later as a preservative for raw fish because of its antimicrobial properties. Eventually its flavor became an indispensable part of sushi and sashimi.

Wasabi only thrives in a cool, wet, shady environment, which makes the Oregon Coast the perfect spot. “Fifty-five degrees and cloudy is perfect wasabi weather, and that’s what we have 75% of the time here,” said Mead.

With all the work required to grow it, very specific conditions, and only a handful of North American farms, fresh wasabi commands a premium price — around $130 per pound. Still, a growing number of chefs say using fresh wasabi is worth it.

Kate Koo owns Zilla Sake in Portland’s Alberta Arts district — consistently rated one of Portland’s top sushi spots, and she was recently featured as a judge on The Food Network’s “Chopped.” Back in 2009, she got her first taste of Oregon-grown wasabi and was immediately hooked.

“I was absolutely blown away by the quality. I was like, wait, this is from Oregon? This is fantastic!”

Koo says using real wasabi adds a unique flavor and elevates her dishes like nothing else. “What I’ve seen recently in sushi is that more and more chefs are opting for fresh rhizome.”

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News Source : https://www.opb.org/article/2026/10/09/oregon-wasabi-sushi-tillamook-superabundant/