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Bonito

Bonito is a firm-fleshed marine fish used fresh, dried, smoked, or fermented in seafood dishes and stocks.

Bonito — illustrative ingredient image

About Bonito

Whole bonito is an intact fresh marine fish sold as a seafood ingredient rather than as a dried or flaked product. It can be taken to a fishmonger for cleaning and portioning, or prepared at home for grilling, searing, simmering, soups, and stews. Its exact fish identity can vary because bonito is a common trade name.

The flesh is firm, dark-leaning, and distinctly savoury, with a fuller flavour than many mild white fish. Freshness and handling affect firmness and aroma, while cooking changes the flesh from translucent and supple to opaque and firm. Skin, bones, and darker trimmings may be retained for flavour or removed for a cleaner portion.

It is sold as a whole fish, or after preparation as steaks, fillets, loins, or other cuts. The fish is scaled or cleaned as appropriate, then gutted and portioned; the head, bones, skin, and trimmings may be used for stock. Grilling and searing brown the surface, while simmering and stewing produce a softer cooked exterior.

Ingredient type
whole food

Forms & related ingredients

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Where bonito appears

7 linked foods

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Showing 1–7 of 7

Main dishes

Sides

Soups

Noodle dishes

Ingredient connections awaiting review · Coverage is still growing, including packaged snacks.

Name examples awaiting language review. Confirm the specific food or product.

Local names for bonito

Names and romanised forms to recognise on menus and labels.

English

bonito

English

bonito (packed in oil, canned)

Search alias · Not a confirmed translation

English

bonito tuna (light meat, raw)

Search alias · Not a confirmed translation

English

bonito, atlantic

Search alias · Not a confirmed translation

English

bonito, eastern pacific

Search alias · Not a confirmed translation

Available names only. Languages may be spoken in other countries; a name alone does not identify every ingredient in a dish.

Bonito nutrition & diet

Bonito nutritional value

Representative benchmark: Fish, not further specified

Representative nutrition benchmarkOfficial table values for a comparable food category, not a laboratory measurement of this exact ingredient.

Per 100 g of 100 g edible portion in the named official reference form.

Calories
129kcal
Protein
20.3g
Carbs
0.3g
Fat
5.2g

Representative benchmark from a comparable official food-composition category; it is not a laboratory measurement of this exact ingredient. The displayed reference form must be considered, and species, cultivar, recipe, brand, processing and preparation can change values.

Portions & preparation

The identity of “whole bonito” must be established, including species, fresh or preserved state, and the edible portion intended. References should distinguish raw or cooked flesh from skin, bones, organs, and processing liquids. Preparation with oil, salt, smoke, fermentation, batter, or mixed dishes can materially change the served ingredient.

Compare the right form: Reference should match identified whole bonito species and the specified edible fresh, cooked, dried, smoked, salted, or fermented portion.

Diet considerations

Whole bonito is an animal-derived marine fish once its identity is confirmed. Compatibility changes with preservation, cereal coatings, sauces, stock, or other animal additions. A plain fish portion differs from bonito served with rice, noodles, bread, flour-based batter, or potatoes, where the carbohydrate pattern depends on the accompanying portion.

AI-authored reading notes · Awaiting editorial review. Measured values, where available, have a separate source above.

Dietary compatibility

  • Vegan
    Typically incompatible
  • Vegetarian
    Typically incompatible
  • Pescatarian
    Typically compatible
  • Keto
    May be compatible
  • Paleo
    May be compatible
  • Low-carb
    May be compatible
  • Halal
    Not established
  • Kosher
    Not established
What these diet assessments mean
Vegan · Typically incompatible
The ingredient profile identifies an animal-derived food or derivative.
Vegetarian · Typically incompatible
The profile identifies animal flesh, seafood or a derivative excluded by a vegetarian diet.
Pescatarian · Typically compatible
Seafood fits this pescatarian definition. Added meat-based stock or other ingredients would need checking separately.
Keto · May be compatible
The plain form may fit a carbohydrate-restricted diet. Check the portion, added sugar, coatings and sauces against the nutrition values above.
Paleo · May be compatible
May fit a paleo pattern, depending on the cut or form, processing and added ingredients.
Low-carb · May be compatible
The plain form may fit a carbohydrate-restricted diet. Check the portion, added sugar, coatings and sauces against the nutrition values above.
Halal · Not established
Sourcing, processing and any applicable certification have not been verified. A food name alone does not establish halal status.
Kosher · Not established
Sourcing, processing and any applicable certification have not been verified. A food name alone does not establish kosher status.

For the plain ingredient · Awaiting review. Diet compatibility is not allergy suitability or halal/kosher certification. Keto and low-carb depend on the portion.

Reviewed ingredient entryIngredient reference · Preparations vary

AI-generated illustration for visual context. It does not identify a particular product or establish allergen content.

Sources & review

Nutrition reference: Pacific Nutrient Database 2020 — 01.1.3.1.9_99 ↗. Values are scaled from 100 g of the recorded edible form. Individual portions have no assumed fixed weight.

Expanded overview, name examples and nutrition notes are database drafts awaiting editorial review. Numeric nutrition values, where shown, have their own source and food-form reference.

The ingredient description and dish connections come from the draft catalogue and may change after review.

Last recorded verification: .