What Are Kelp Noodles? Plus, Tasty Vegan Recipe Concepts

When most individuals consider seafood, the primary photographs that spring to thoughts are doubtless of animals, like lobsters, fish, or shrimp, for instance. However truly, seafood doesn’t should contain sea creatures in any respect. Our oceans are additionally residence to nutritious greens, considered one of which is kelp, a sort of lengthy, brown seaweed. 

Kelp is extremely versatile; it may be eaten uncooked, roasted, pickled, or steamed in varied dishes, however one of the common methods to eat it’s in noodle type. Right here’s what you’ll want to learn about kelp noodles, from what they’re to how they style to find out how to prepare dinner with them—plus, a couple of scrumptious vegan recipe concepts.

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What are kelp noodles?

Kelp noodles had been first developed in Korea, the place they’re known as cheon sa chae. Whereas they form of appear to be glass noodles (also referred to as cellophane noodles) as a result of they’re usually semi-transparent in look, they’re processed utterly in a different way. 

Glass noodles are made with starch and water, however kelp noodles are made with dried, peeled, and floor strips of kelp. These are then combined with water and sodium alginate—a sort of salt naturally current within the cell partitions of kelp. The result’s a flexible, gluten-free, and easy noodle that can be utilized in stir-fries, salads, curries, and extra. 

Do kelp noodles style fishy?

Kelp naturally grows on the world’s coastlines, and in its least processed type, it does style somewhat “fishy” (and that is smart as a result of it has lived and grown in the identical atmosphere as fish). However, in the event you’re not a fan of fishy flavors, don’t be delay by kelp noodles. It’s because, when it’s processed into noodle type, kelp isn’t actually fishy in any respect. Actually, kelp noodles even have an extremely delicate, impartial style, and they’re extra about including texture to a dish quite than boosting its taste profile. Though that stated, they’re excellent at absorbing flavors from the opposite substances you prepare dinner them with. 

Are kelp noodles good for you?

Whereas kelp noodles are excessive in sodium alginate (which has little or no dietary worth), they’re nonetheless a supply of vitamins, like calcium, iron, iodine, and vitamin Ok. Plus, they include antioxidants, they’re low in energy, they usually’re additionally a great supply of dietary fiber. 

The right way to prepare dinner with kelp noodles

There are various methods to arrange kelp noodles. Actually, if you need a really low-effort dish, you don’t even should prepare dinner them in any respect, as they are often safely consumed uncooked. However in the event you favor your meals scorching, then the most effective methods to prepare dinner kelp noodles is by stir-frying them, however you may also add them to broths. 

Need to give kelp noodles a attempt, however unsure the place to begin? You’ve come to the appropriate place. We’ve compiled a few of our favourite vegan kelp noodle recipes beneath.

Vegan recipes with kelp noodles

Sepsenahki Aahkhu

1 Vegan Pesto Kelp Noodles

Pasta and pesto is a tried, examined, and much-loved mixture. However in the event you fancy giving this trustworthy dish an improve, swap Italian pasta for easy, silky kelp noodles, which can soak up the flavors of do-it-yourself pesto superbly. For further tangy, salty taste, combine in a beneficiant serving to of capers. 
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The Plant Collective

2 Kelp Noodle Lo Mein

Developed in China, lo mein is normally made with tossed egg noodles. However if you wish to swap in a vegan, gluten-free possibility, kelp noodles make an awesome different. This dish, which you’ll be able to pack with all of your favourite stir-fried greens, is fast to make, simply as tasty as takeout, and nutritious.
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The Spruce Eats

3 Spicy Tahini Kelp Noodles

Due to their delicate, impartial style, kelp noodles are arguably at their finest after they’re paired with a daring, flavorful sauce. This recipe requires a mixture of creamy, thick tahini, which is combined along with peanut butter, ginger, and chili garlic for an ultra-satisfying midweek meal with simply the correct quantity of kick.
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Glue & Glitter

4 Sesame-Shiitake Kelp Noodles

For those who’ve run out of distinctive and attractive lunch concepts, this recipe for sesame-shiitake kelp noodles, topped with a creamy peanut sauce, is nicely price a attempt. The tasty dish, which additionally options succulent sauteed mushrooms, comes collectively in round 20 minutes.
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Easy Vegan Weblog

5 Kelp Noodle Salad

Arguably, salad has an unfair popularity for being boring. However this recipe proves it’s something however. Not solely is it bursting with taste, nevertheless it’s tremendous fast to throw collectively (significantly, you simply want a spare 10 minutes) and simple, too. You don’t even have to fry the noodles, simply rinse and soak in scorching water with baking soda and lemon juice. Or in the event you favor, you may add them in completely uncooked.
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Liv Kaplan

6 Kelp Noodle Pad Thai

Pad Thai is considered one of Thai delicacies’s most-loved dishes. Whereas it’s normally made with rice noodles, you may simply swap these out for kelp in the event you favor. It’s additionally usually topped with peanuts, however in the event you fancy a change, this dish suggests swapping these out for pili nuts (that are one other kind of nutrient-packed tree nut).
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The All Pure Vegan

7 Purple Curry Peanut Kelp Noodle Salad

Aromatic, flavorful Thai pink curry additionally pairs superbly with kelp noodles. On this recipe, the noodles and greens (like broccoli and bell pepper) are left uncooked, earlier than they’re dressed with pink curry paste, miso, spices, and peanut butter, and topped with an additional serving of chopped peanuts. 
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