Most people who order eel sushi have never heard of the eel they are not eating
By Clare FarnellUpdated 17 Aug 20268 min read
On this page
Quick answer: Almost all eel sushi in the US is unagi-style freshwater eel, grilled and glazed with a sweet soy sauce called kabayaki. Anago, marine conger eel, is leaner and usually simmered or steamed, and is far less common outside Japan. Both are served cooked, not raw.
Most eel sushi guides jump straight to how to cook and glaze it without mentioning there are two genuinely different eels involved. Unagi and anago aren't interchangeable names for the same thing, and knowing which one you're actually eating changes both the flavor to expect and a real conservation question behind it.
What's the actual difference between unagi and anago?
Unagi is freshwater eel, richer and fattier, grilled with a sweet soy glaze. Anago is marine conger eel, leaner and milder, usually simmered or steamed before serving.
Unagi's higher fat content is what makes the grilled, glazed kabayaki style work so well, the fat renders slightly under heat and carries the sauce's flavor. Anago's leaner flesh suits gentler cooking, and it's typically served with little more than a light glaze or none at all, letting its milder flavor come through.
Outside Japan, unagi is by far the more common of the two on a sushi menu. Anago shows up mostly at more traditional or specialty Japanese restaurants, which is part of why so many people have never knowingly tried it.
Why is eel always cooked instead of raw?
Both unagi and anago are cooked before serving, never raw, largely because of how their blood behaves and how their texture responds to heat.
Eel blood contains a protein that's toxic if consumed raw in sufficient quantity, though it breaks down completely with cooking. FDA's own guidance on natural seafood toxins confirms ichthyohemotoxin is found in the blood of several eel species.
The same guidance states plainly that cooking denatures the toxic properties, which is one practical reason raw eel was never part of the tradition here.
Texture is the other reason. Raw eel is genuinely tougher than cooked, and grilling or steaming is what makes it tender enough to enjoy as nigiri or in a roll.
This makes eel one of the more approachable sushi ingredients for anyone avoiding raw fish specifically, alongside cooked shrimp and imitation crab.
Is unagi a sustainable choice?
It depends on the species and source. Unagi is a culinary term for prepared freshwater eel, not a guarantee that the package contains only Japanese eel.
Japanese eel is listed as Endangered, and Japan's Ministry of the Environment classified it as Endangered in 2013. Commercial eel farming also still relies heavily on wild-caught juvenile glass eels. Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch currently rates American eel farmed in Japan as Avoid, citing wild-stock dependence and weak traceability.
Anago comes from a different marine eel group, but that alone does not make every anago product sustainable. Species, fishing area, and harvest method still matter. Ask the seller what species and origin are on the package, then check that specific source in a current seafood guide rather than relying on the menu word alone.
Japan's Ministry of the Environment identifies common Japanese ma-anago as Conger myriaster. The Marine Conservation Society's Fish to Avoid rating for conger eel covers Conger conger, a different species. That rating therefore cannot be transferred directly to Japanese anago.
How do you actually prepare eel for sushi at home?
Buy it pre-cooked and pre-glazed, since that's realistically how almost everyone, including most restaurants, actually sources it.
Vacuum-sealed, fully cooked kabayaki eel is sold frozen or refrigerated at most Japanese and well-stocked Asian grocery stores. It's what most home cooks and even many restaurants use, rather than grilling raw eel from scratch.
Warm it briefly, brush on extra sauce if you want it glossier, and slice for nigiri or rolls.
Cooking eel from raw at home is possible but genuinely difficult to get right, since the skin and blood require careful handling most home kitchens aren't set up for. Starting from pre-cooked eel isn't a shortcut so much as the standard approach.
Verdict: is eel worth trying if you've only had unagi, or never had either?
Yes to both. Anago is worth seeking out for contrast if you've only had unagi. Unagi is the easier starting point if you've had neither.
The two aren't competing versions of the same ingredient, they're different enough that trying both tells you something real about your own preference between rich and glazed versus lean and delicate. For either one, buy from a seller that can identify the species and source rather than assuming the menu name answers the sustainability question.
For other cooked, raw-fish-free toppings, see our sushi ingredients guide. For where eel typically shows up on a menu, our types of sushi guide covers the format it's served in most often.
What is the difference between unagi and anago?
Unagi is freshwater eel, richer and fattier, traditionally grilled with a sweet soy glaze called kabayaki. Anago is saltwater conger eel, leaner and milder, typically steamed rather than grilled. Both are cooked before serving, but they come from different species with genuinely different textures and flavors.
Is eel sushi always cooked, or can it be raw?
Always cooked, never raw. Eel blood contains a protein that's toxic in sufficient raw quantity but breaks down completely with cooking, and raw eel's texture is also genuinely tougher than cooked. This makes eel one of the more approachable options for anyone avoiding raw fish specifically.
Is unagi eel endangered?
Unagi is a culinary term, so the answer depends on the species sold. Japanese eel is listed as Endangered, and commercial farming still relies heavily on wild-caught juvenile glass eels. Ask the seller for the species and origin, then check that specific source in a current seafood guide.
Can you buy pre-cooked eel for sushi at home?
Yes, and it's genuinely the standard approach rather than a shortcut. Vacuum-sealed, fully cooked and glazed kabayaki eel is widely available frozen or refrigerated at Japanese and well-stocked Asian grocery stores, used by home cooks and many restaurants alike rather than grilling raw eel from scratch.
Is anago a more sustainable choice than unagi?
Not automatically. Japanese ma-anago is Conger myriaster, while sustainability ratings for other conger species such as Conger conger do not directly rate it. Species, fishing area, and harvest method still matter. Ask for the product's species and origin and check that exact source in a current seafood guide.
Clare Farnell has been making sushi at home since 2021 and writes about Japanese home cooking, sushi tools, and kitchen equipment at sushi-planet.com.
Last updated: 17 Aug 2026.