How Does Perilla Taste Like? A Deep Dive into the Asian Herb's Flavor

January 13, 2026 •

4 min read

As a member of the mint family, the perilla plant offers a complex and aromatic flavor profile that varies significantly by variety and preparation. If you've ever wondered how does perilla taste like, you'll find its unique taste is celebrated across East Asian cuisine, from bold Korean barbecue wraps to delicate Japanese sashimi garnishes.

Quick Summary

Perilla, a mint-family herb, offers a distinct, complex flavor profile that varies between varieties like Korean kkaennip and Japanese shiso, ranging from nutty and earthy to minty and citrusy. Its versatile taste makes it a staple in East Asian cooking.

Key Points

Mint Family Herb: Perilla belongs to the mint family, which explains its initial aromatic and herbaceous notes.
Korean Kkaennip: Offers a robust, pungent, earthy, and peppery flavor with an anise finish, often used as a wrap for grilled meats.
Japanese Shiso: Features a more delicate, bright, minty, and citrusy taste, commonly used as a garnish for raw fish.
Red vs. Green Shiso: Green shiso is milder and fresher, while red shiso is more pungent and primarily used for coloring and flavoring pickled foods.
Nutty Seeds and Oil: Perilla seeds and oil have a distinct nutty, earthy, and anise-like flavor, which is a key component in many Korean dishes.
Flavor Varies with Preparation: The taste of perilla can change significantly depending on whether it is used fresh, cooked in a stew, or pickled.

Understanding the Core Flavor Profile of Perilla

At its most basic, perilla is an aromatic herb with notes that are often compared to a hybrid of mint and basil, though the full spectrum of its flavor is far more complex. Belonging to the Lamiaceae (mint) family, perilla can present an array of characteristics, including grassy, nutty, earthy, and even subtly licorice-like undertones. This makes it a highly versatile and dynamic ingredient in many dishes. Its taste profile is not a one-size-fits-all, but rather an experience influenced by the specific variety of the plant used and the method of cooking or preparation.

Korean Perilla (Kkaennip) Flavor Profile

Korean perilla, known as kkaennip (깻잎), is perhaps the most widely recognized variety. Its leaves are broad, flat, and robust, with a slightly fuzzy texture that contributes to its hearty character. The flavor of Korean perilla is distinctly more pungent, peppery, and earthy than its Japanese counterpart. When fresh, its herbaceous quality shines, often with a hint of anise. This bold flavor is what makes it an ideal wrap for Korean barbecue (ssam), where it cuts through the richness of grilled meat and fatty sauces. When pickled or fermented into kimchi, the leaves take on a spicier, more garlicky, and savory depth, creating an addictive side dish (banchan).

Korean Perilla's Culinary Role

Ssam (Wraps): Used as a fresh wrap for grilled meat, rice, and kimchi.
Kimchi (Pickled Leaves): Fermented with seasonings to create a spicy and savory side dish.
Stews: Added to stews for a deep, aromatic, and warming flavor.
Pan-fried (Jeon): Coated in a light batter and pan-fried for a crispy appetizer.

Japanese Shiso Flavor Profile

Japanese shiso is a different variety of the same species, Perilla frutescens var. crispa. It comes in both green (aojiso) and red (akajiso) varieties, each with a slightly different flavor profile. Japanese shiso leaves are generally smaller, have more jagged or ruffled edges, and a more delicate texture.

Green Shiso (Aojiso): Known for its bright, minty, and citrusy flavor with notes reminiscent of cumin. It is a much more delicate and refreshing taste compared to the bolder Korean variety, making it perfect for raw applications. Green shiso is famously served with sashimi and sushi, where its light, sharp flavor enhances the fish and cleanses the palate.
Red Shiso (Akajiso): Has a more pungent, almost bitter finish, though it is still within the same citrusy, minty spectrum. Its primary use is not for fresh eating but for its vibrant color, which is used to dye and flavor pickled plums (umeboshi) and other pickled vegetables.

Common Uses of Shiso

Sashimi and Sushi: Garnishes raw fish, providing a fresh, palate-cleansing note.
Tempura: Battered and deep-fried for a crunchy, aromatic treat.
Drinks and Syrups: Used to infuse beverages with its unique flavor and red varieties to add color.

Perilla Seeds and Oil

Beyond the leaves, perilla seeds and the oil pressed from them also have distinct flavors. Roasted and ground perilla seeds (deulkkae garu 들깨가루 in Korea) are used to add a rich, nutty, and slightly minty flavor to dishes like soups and vegetable side dishes (namuls). Perilla oil, particularly the toasted variety common in Korea, has a strong, earthy, and nutty aroma with a distinctive anise-like finish. It is typically used as a finishing oil rather than for high-heat cooking.

Comparison Table: Korean Perilla vs. Japanese Shiso


Feature	Korean Kkaennip (Perilla)	Japanese Shiso (Perilla)
Appearance	Broad, rounder, thicker leaves with a flat, sometimes fuzzy texture.	Smaller leaves with jagged or ruffled edges and a more delicate texture.
Flavor Profile	Pungent, peppery, earthy, robust, with notes of anise.	Brighter, fresher, more minty and citrusy. Green shiso is milder, red shiso is more pungent.
Primary Uses	Ssam (wraps), kimchi, stews, and pickled side dishes.	Sashimi garnish, tempura, salads, and pickled foods (red shiso).
Best Served	Raw with savory, strong-flavored foods or cooked in stews.	Raw as a garnish or quickly cooked, for its delicate, aromatic flavor.

Conclusion: A Herb of Nuance and Variety

While the answer to "how does perilla taste like?" is multi-faceted, it's clear that this herb offers a fascinating range of flavors. From the bold, earthy, and nutty tones of Korean kkaennip to the bright, minty, and citrusy notes of Japanese shiso, perilla is anything but one-dimensional. The flavor is also further expanded by the rich, nutty quality of its toasted seeds and oil. Whether enjoyed fresh as a wrap or garnish, or cooked into a hearty stew, perilla's unique character adds depth and complexity to a variety of East Asian dishes, making it a valuable and versatile culinary ingredient.

To discover more about the culinary uses of perilla in Korean cooking, you can explore recipes on Maangchi’s website, a well-known resource for authentic Korean cuisine.

Frequently Asked Questions

While both are varieties of the Perilla plant, Korean perilla (kkaennip) has broader, thicker leaves and a more pungent, earthy flavor, while Japanese shiso has smaller, frilly leaves and a more delicate, minty, citrusy taste.

No, perilla itself is not spicy, but its pungent, aromatic flavor can be quite strong. When pickled or used in kimchi, it often incorporates spicy ingredients like chili powder, which gives the final dish its heat.

Toasted perilla oil has a rich, nutty, and earthy flavor with a distinct anise or licorice finish. It is often used as a flavorful finishing oil rather than for high-heat cooking.

This is a common but misleading translation, especially in Korean cuisine where kkaennip (perilla leaf) sounds similar to kkae (sesame). The plants are not related, though their seeds and oil are both used in cooking.

It is not recommended to substitute them directly, as their flavor profiles and textures are quite different. While both are members of the Perilla genus, their distinct characteristics are better suited for specific culinary uses.

For some, the potent and unique flavor of perilla can be an acquired taste, similar to cilantro. However, many find its complexity grows more appealing with repeat exposure.

The best use depends on the variety. Fresh Korean perilla is excellent for wrapping grilled meats (ssam), while Japanese shiso is a perfect garnish for sashimi. Both can be pickled or added to soups and stews.