While many people get turned off by its slimy, slippery texture, seaweed is slowly gaining attention for its many health benefits. This underwater plant is a tremendous source of protein, fiber, and antioxidants, so you definitely want to add it to your diet. As it’s a fairly new trend (in the US, at least), though, home cooks aren’t that familiar yet with how to serve seaweed. Enter, this catalog of recipes. Today, you’ll learn 25 ways to prepare seaweed, and they’re all a must-try. Seaweed comes in many forms, but the two most often used for cooking are raw seaweed and nori. Nori is a crunchy, briny, paper-like sheet used to make sushi. This round-up has recipes for both. Ready? Let’s eat!
1. Seaweed Salad
If you’re a fan of salads and want to explore new flavors, this Japanese seaweed salad is perfect for you. This salad tosses seaweed in a Japanese dressing. Don’t be fooled by its plain appearance, though, as this salad will surely impress. The secret lies in the dressing. A mix of miso, soy sauce, mirin, sesame seeds, sesame oil, rice vinegar, and chili, this dressing is bursting with rich, umami flavors.
2. Nori Wraps With Canned Tuna
While nori is mostly used to make sushi, it serves many other purposes, as well. Let these nori wraps be exhibit A. They’re just like tortilla wraps, but instead of tortillas, you’ll use nori. And instead of Tex-Mex fillings, you use canned tuna, avocado slices, cucumber, and hard-boiled eggs. Every component is delicious as-is, which lets you know these wraps will be a certified hit.
3. Seaweed Rice Balls
If you’re a fan of K-Drama, you’re most likely familiar with this next dish. These seaweed rice balls are exactly what you imagine them to be: balls of rice with strips of nori. Jumeokbap, meaning “fist rice,” is a Korean delicacy made with rice, shredded nori, soy sauce, and sesame oil. The mixture is packed firmly into balls and served as a hearty snack.
4. Japanese Rice Triangles
Onigiri is a Japanese delicacy made from white rice wrapped with nori. The rice is shaped into a triangle, which adds to its allure. It also makes it a fantastic candidate for a grab-and-go meal. What makes it extra special is that it can be filled with a variety of savory fillings, from tuna salad to chicken teriyaki to kimchi. The choice is yours.
5. Korean Seaweed Soup
Not gonna lie, this soup doesn’t look appetizing. But don’t knock it until you try it! Miyeok guk is a Korean soup made with seaweed and a clear soy-based broth. The simple combination of briny seaweed and umami-rich soy sauce packs the soup with flavor. It’s served alongside rice, kimchi, and other side dishes to complete a traditional Korean meal.
6. Seaweed Chicken Roll
This next recipe is a unique take on Japanese sushi. Instead of a rice and fish filling, these nori rolls are filled with a creamy puree of chicken and corn and pan-fried until crispy. The recipe works so well. The salty, savory, and sweet flavors from the chicken and corn complement beautifully with the briny taste of the nori.
7. Chicken Broth Seaweed Egg Drop Soup
This soup won’t just boost your immunity, it’ll delight your tastebuds and soothe your soul, as well. This slurp-tastic soup has seaweed, shiitake mushrooms, baby shrimp, and eggs swimming in a flavorful chicken broth. Its clean and well-balanced flavors will make you want a second bowl.
8. Seaweed Pasta All’Amatriciana
If you’re craving pasta but trying to stay away from carbs, let me introduce you to himanthalia elongata or seaweed pasta. It’s a plant-based pasta made from Spanish underwater algae that looks like tall grass. When cooked, it turns into pasta-like strands with a relatively neutral flavor and a subtle umami taste. Tossed in a hot, tomato-based all’amatriciana sauce, this delectable dish will definitely satisfy those pasta cravings.
9. Soba Salad With Seaweed, Cucumbers, and Asparagus
If you enjoy cold noodles, this recipe will make you happy. Cold soba (buckwheat) noodles are bated in an umami-rich lemon-soy vinaigrette. Adding more flavor and texture to the bowl are seaweed, asparagus, and cucumber. The noodle dish is palatable as it is, but you can make it even more enticing with a garnish of sesame seeds.
10. Spaghetti With Garlic and Seaweed
This pasta recipe looks and tastes just like a “frutti di mare,” but without any seafood meat. It’s a perfect alternative for vegans, but it’s also flavorful enough for any meat lover to enjoy. The addition of vegan shrimp and nori strips provides ample seafood flavors without actually having to use real seafood meat. Tossed in olive oil and lots of garlic, this pasta dish is rich and delectable with a little bit of a kick.
11. Easy Nori Sandwich
It’s just like sushi, but in sandwich form! No need for chopsticks here, just grab the sammie with your hands and enjoy. This sandwich consists of rice, cucumber, avocado and cream cheese puree, and salmon pressed in between two sheets of nori. Just like any sushi, this sandwich will taste even greater when dipped in a mix of soy sauce and wasabi.
12. Homemade Seaweed Rice Crackers
If you think rice crackers require some level of baking expertise, think again! Made from cooked rice, nori sheets, and sea salt, these crackers are crunchy and savory with a hint of brininess. They’re tasty, hearty, and as promised, easy to make. As an added bonus, they’re also gluten-free, dairy-free, and egg-free. It’s a healthy snack for the whole family to enjoy.
13. Sushi Tacos
Time for a cuisine mash-up! This recipe combines Japanese and Tex-Mex flavors to bring you these sensational sushi tacos. The concept is simple: make tacos, but instead of tortillas, use crispy-fried nori. This recipe makes three kinds of sushi tacos: tuna, salmon, and shrimp. It’s impossible to decide which one’s the best, so I suggest you make them all.
14. Spicy Seaweed Tofu Rolls
Called Cá kèo chay (vegan fish), this is a Vietnamese snack made of fried tofu sticks wrapped in nori and cooked in a lemongrass glaze. These rolls are crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. Each bite is filled with a mix of sweet, savory, and spicy flavors with a hint of seafood from the nori. The lemongrass in the sauce also provides the snack with a wonderful layer of citrus and mint flavor.
15. TikTok Salmon and Rice Bowl
This TikTok recipe became viral for good reason. It makes a gorgeous bowl of salmon and rice jazzed up with nori sheets, Japanese mayo, soy sauce, and slices of avocado. From flavor to texture to color, this bowl definitely gets an A+ in all three categories. What makes it extra intriguing, though, is the manner in which leftover rice and salmon are reheated. The leftovers are placed in a bowl, topped with a cube of ice, and microwaved. The ice cube melts and gently steams the rice, making it as soft and fluffy as it once used to be.
16. Salmon and Seaweed Rice Ball
Here’s another rice ball recipe I’m sure you’ll love! Here, the rice is mixed with flaked salmon, spinach, dried seaweed, and sesame seeds, and seasoned with soy sauce, and sesame oil. The mixture is formed into bite-sized balls, resulting in an addictive snack that’s impossible to resist.
17. Deep-Fried Shrimp Onigiri
This onigiri is stuffed with a piece of battered, deep-fried shrimp, and it is heavenly. I mean you really can’t go wrong with tempura and sushi combined, am I right? And while onigiri looks and tastes like such a complex dish, it’s surprisingly a cinch to make. Yes, you have to make the batter and fry shrimp, but it’s as difficult as you think, and it’s worth all the effort.
18. Seaweed Burgers
While these seaweed burgers don’t taste anywhere near actual beef patties, they’re definitely delightful. These vegan patties are made of seaweed, chickpea flour, zucchini, carrots, and red peppers. They’re pan-fried until golden brown, giving them a lovely, crunchy exterior.
19. Korean Egg Roll With Seaweed
Gyeran-Mari is a traditional Korean side dish made of scrambled eggs folded in nori. The mix of umami-rich eggs and briny nori creates a wonderful harmony of flavors. It’s not only delicious but also beautiful to look at with its contrasting hues of yellow and black. Plus, it’s also a very simple recipe. Just 4 simple ingredients and 10 quick minutes are all it takes.
20. Seaweed Muffins
If you’re looking to add something new to your breakfast rotation, consider these seaweed muffins! Flavored with butter, chopped seaweed, sugar, honey, and cinnamon, its taste will definitely intrigue your tastebuds. Besides the uniquely wonderful flavor combinations, you’ll also love its dense yet wonderfully tender crumb. Enjoy these muffins as-is or slather them with butter and drizzle them with honey. Either way, they’re a great way to start your day.
21. Seaweed Cookies
These seaweed cookies are sweet and salty with a hint of seafood flavor. They’re crunchy and crumbly and just downright delicious. The seaweed in the cookies gives them such a unique personality! How can briny cookies taste so good? It doesn’t make sense, but they defy the odds. Besides the outstanding taste and texture, these cookies get extra points for being a cinch to make.
22. Normaki Mochi
Love mochi? How about giving it a salty twist? Called normaki mochi, this Japanese snack is mochi seasoned with a savory soy glaze and wrapped with nori. The tastes and textures of this snack are indescribably delish. It’s slightly crunchy on the outside and chewy and glutinous on the inside. It’s sweet, salty, briny, savory, and is such a delight. Tip: experiment with as many colors and flavors of mochi as you can find!
23. Rolled Seaweed and Egg Omelet
A bright and sunny omelet is rolled in nori sheets to create these gorgeous and delicious pinwheels. In this recipe, the eggs are seasoned with salt and rice wine giving them a deeper, more robust flavor.
24. Sushi Bowl
How can anyone say no to this colorful sushi bowl? This is what I call happiness in a bowl. Loaded with salmon and tuna cubes, avocados, vegetables, and seaweed, this rice bowl has nothing but clean and fresh flavors. Underneath these gorgeous toppings are a bed of white rice and spicy wasabi mayo. Together, they make a tasty and hearty dish you’ll definitely want to add to your weekly meal rotation.
25. Seaweed Tempura
It might not be as popular as the classic shrimp tempura, but seaweed tempura also deserves attention. This crisp and crunchy treat is surprisingly addictive! The seafood flavor from the seaweed definitely makes up for the absence of shrimp. Serve these bite-sized morsels with sweet and savory tempura sauce for a light and healthy snack. Click on a star to rate it!
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