How to Use Kelp Noodles + the Best Kelp Noodle Salad Recipe

Ever wondered how to use kelp noodles? These unique gluten-free, vegan and paleo ‘noodles’ are a great alternative to pasta and add some great sea minerals into your diet! Let’s get started!

Kelp noodles are a wonderfully fun raw food that can replace regular pasta or be used as a delicious textural addition to your salads, soups and stir-fries. I’ve used them previously in cooking classes, but it was not until my coworker made a huge kale salad with marinated kelp noodles that I really got interested in this sorta-kinda wacky food. And I’m kinda in love with the wackiness!

And why would one want to eat kelp noodles? Well, they are gluten-free and have only a teeny amount of calories and yet contain a host of micronutrients and minerals that are found in the friendly greens of the sea (they are also very high in iodine; check out this helpful health information here about iodine). They can replace gluten-based pastas easily and can add a fun texture to salads and more. The Sea Tangle company is one common brand, Goldmine Natural Foods is another. I’ve tried both, and don’t find any difference in taste or price. Purchase whichever is available in your local natural foods stores– it’s usually found in the tofu section. But how to use them, you might ask…?

Kelp noodle recipes are very simple, because these versitle nooldes can be used with sauces (like homemade marinara sauce, creamy mushroom sauces, or simple homemade broths); kelp noodles can be chopped up and added to your stir-fry veggies (like this Kelp Noodle Pad Thai); or you can just chop up your kelp noodles and toss into a salad. However, to get the most flavor from your noodles, I like to marinate them for a few hours, like in the recipe below. For more awesome recipes with kelp noodles, check out  Choosing Raw’s Kelp Noodle 101.

Kelp Noodle & Kale Salad

1 (12-ounce) package Kelp Noodles
3 Tablespoons miso (any variety)
3 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 Tablespoon toasted sesame oil
1 Tablespoon soy sauce
1 Tablespoon nutritional yeast
1 Tablespoon honey or agave
3 cups thinly sliced kale
2 cups thinly sliced dandelion greens
1 cup shredded carrots
1 cup sliced cucumber
½ cup prepared hijiki seaweed (optional)
¼ cup sesame seeds for garnish

1. Rinse kelp noodles in warm water. Chop a few times with scissors to break apart long noodles. Set aside.
2. In a large bowl whisk together miso, lemon juice, sesame oil, soy sauce, nutritional yeast and honey until smooth. Stir in noodles and toss to coat the noodles well. Let marinate for 10 minutes, up to overnight.
3. Add kale to a large bowl. Massage gently with your hands (for a How-To video, check out our favorite kale salad here!) until kale is bright green and wilted. Stir in all remaining vegetables, then toss in marinating kelp noodles. Toss to combine. Serve immediately! Keep any leftovers in the fridge for about three days.

More helpful post in this series:

What do you do with… eggplant?
What do you do with… eggplant (part two)?
What do you do with… daikon?
What do you do with… amaranth?
What do you do with… black rice?
What do you do with… Chickpea flour?