Elana's Pantry

New York Times Bestselling author Elana Amsterdam founded Elana’s Pantry, the go-to website for easy, healthy, grain-free, Paleo recipes, in 2006

kelp noodles

Kelp Noodles

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Have you ever tasted kelp noodles? They’re delicious! Lately, I’ve been eating my fair share of this tasty low-carb noodle. They’re my new favorite food. We eat these gluten-free noodles several nights a week with dinner. They’re the perfect paleo pasta.

What are kelp noodles? They’re simply noodles made from seaweed. These paleo noodles have changed my life because they’re incredible in Asian dishes, which are a favorite of mine. Here’s how to prepare kelp noodles!

Print Recipe
Kelp Noodles
Serves:
Ingredients
Instructions
  1. Using a strainer, thoroughly rinse noodles
  2. Place noodles in a medium bowl
  3. Fill with warm water, lemon juice, and salt
  4. Let stand for 30 minutes
  5. Rinse and strain
  6. Serve

Kelp noodles have a slightly crunchy texture that is different than that of traditional pasta. The soaking preparation method above will make the noodles far less crunchy. The lemon juice and salt do a wonderful job in softening the noodles so that they have an incredibly palatable texture.

My favorite way to serve this seaweed based noodle is in my low-carb Sesame Noodles recipe, a Chinese take-out style dish just like the kind we used to eat before I was diagnosed with celiac disease in 1998. Those were the days when I lived in New York City, stayed up all hours of the night working, and ate loads of Chinese food!

Here are some of my paleo condiment recipes that are delicious served over kelp noodles:

Comments

  3. Hi E!
    I did enjoy collecting all the ingredients and making the sesame kelp noodles.
    I used sunbutter, no sugar, with monk fruit and stevia sweetness with the oil and vinegar you suggest.
    I over soaked mine but still had the crispness once I was ready to eat my meal.
    Tommorrow, I’ll have to try the organic tomatoe with cilantro….oh so many possibilities !
    Thanks dear one!

    Reply

    • N, thanks for another awesome comment! I love corresponding with you here. I’m so glad you are enjoying kelp noodles! I love them too :-)

      Reply

  4. Great tip with salt and lemon for softening!! Is is okay if I link to your recipe in my YouTube video about kelp noodles? I’m absolutely loving the kelp noodles on Keto plan!! You rock!!

    Reply

  6. Sodium alginate is the slime that comes off of the kelp “leaf” and it is clear. It is also the active part of kelp that binds heavy metals, especially radioactive metals.

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      • Florence, thanks for your comment. I eat kelp noodles 1-2 times per week. I have my heavy metal levels tested quarterly and haven’t had any issues :-)

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      • Because they do just that – bind them. They dont ever release them. So they may have heavy metals, but they dont release them in your body, they actually collect small amounts of metals you may have and bind those too until they leave your body. I found this out through a book called Thyroid Healing.

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        • I cant find any information about where they are from… this company Sea Tangle doesnt say so they could be contaminated… heavy metals are very difficult to get rid of and very detrimental to ones health,.. anyone have any information on where to find a brand that is harvesting in the NW, Hawaii or Canada ??

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  7. Anyone who has ever cooked with Kelp knows it goes really well with noodles. It’s also super healthy as you point out. Thanks Elana!

    Reply

  9. Have been using them for about 2.5 years now. Learned about them from Ani Phyo, raw foods master. She has a yummy raw pad Thai with kelp noodles. Took a while to find them. Ordered online. They are super , and can be also added to salads.

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  10. I have not tried kelp noodles but can’t wait to pick some up and try your recipe. I’m gluten free and I am always looking for alternatives. Thanks!

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  11. I soaked them in water with few drops of sesame oil. I cook some ground meat with ginger and garlic, red pepper and some coconut “soya sauce”. My 6 years old loves this dish. One of my favorites.

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  12. I’ve used them for spaghetti (with our usual meat/tomato sauce) and found them just fine (read: barely noticed the difference). Am going to try cold sesame noodles next! :)

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  13. I have hashimotos autoimmune disease so I don’t eat gluten dairy and because I love animals I don’t eat those either. I do however eat kelp noodles every day. Your method of preparing them is best but sometimes I don’t have time to do it that way so I just rinse them for 5 minutes swirling them in a bowl of water and emptying, refilling etc. I make a dressing for them with miso vegetable broth. It’s so delicious. I also add sautéed Chinese eggplant and broccoli and cauliflower. Sometimes I make a dressing with the aioli mustard from trader joes mixed with broth. I sprinkle cayenne and powered onion fresh or dried or both basil cilantro. And sambal oleck, the one with the green top!!!!

    Reply

  14. YES! We eat these pretty often. I actually “cook” them to soften them. I usually make up my own version of coconut curry with red, green, or a masamam and mix in left over veggies, chicken, etc. I make up the sauce and then simmer on a low heat the noodles in it before adding all the other stuff. Comes out AMAZING! A lot like the Thai clear noodles.

    Reply

  16. I have had these for YEARS and haven’t known what to do with them. Maybe at this point throw them out and get some new ones. Ha ha.

    Do you have any recipes, especially traditional Asian seaweed salad that’s gluten free?

    You are amazing!

    Reply

  17. I get the same kelp noodles you do! We love them in my house too. I use them as a replacement when I make meatballs and they go wonderfully well in this Paleo Chicken Alfredo recipe I make! You reminded me I need to stock up on some more of them! I love that they are so healthy too and you’re getting a nice dosage of iodine. :)

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  18. Elana:

    Thanks so much for sharing this incredible treasure with us! Kelp noodles have totally changed my life. I substitute them for pasta in every kind of pasta dish, and they are incredible. My 1.5-year-old daughter is also a huge fan. Important to note though, they are definitely not filling unless loaded with some extra calories! When I first ate them at dinner, I couldn’t figure out why I was so hungry at 11pm ;)

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  19. WOW! Made this recipe last night using red wine vinegar subbed for the plum and a couple shakes of soy sauce. How wonderful it was! Added some diced fresh cucumbers. So so good. Just made it again now and ate all of it :) This time I added some cukes and also some diced red pepper. Used the plum vinegar, equally delicious. I added some siracha hot sauce and 2 t of fish sauce.
    The noodles get softer after the sauce is added. Tomorrow going to roast fresh tomatoes, add some olive oil, garlic, fresh basil and make a tomato sauce. Will see how that tastes. Must order more noodles. Amazon has 6 16 oz packages for $23, I think.

    Reply

  20. I ordered a couple packages of kelp noodles for the first time and have found that I really like them! They have no flavor but take on the flavor of what you put on them. Now wish I had ordered a few more!

    My main use is in a big dinner salad in the evening. I prepare my salad with romaine, raw sauerkraut, raw sunflower seeds, and now the raw kelp noodles. They take on the flavor of the dressing, and it is such a pleasure to enjoy a noodle again. Plus the iodine in the noodle is very healthy for me.

    As I’m the only one in the house that eats them, I store the rest of the unused noodles in a jar of pure water in the fridge and they keep quite a long time.

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  21. My family and I LOVE these. We have been enjoying them since about November of 2011 and wow they have made a huge difference! Once thing to keep in mind is you can cook them to make them soft and if you put them in soup then never get mushy so in the winter I made tons of chicken noodle soup for those cold evenings after working outside all day. We use them in “egg rolls” where I basicly make an asian style filling and steam for a bit (no actual wrap or I wrap in kale). We also make turkish meat balls and laddle them over these… alright we make way more than that but this is just a comment not a full blown add for these beyond amazing noodles.

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  22. I just made an oriental pasta salad with these and they were amazingly delicious. Thanks for recommending them!

    Reply

  23. Thanks for this Kelp Noodle recipes. My son who has allergies to most foods cannot eat many things. This however is one of his favorites and to find a new recipes!! thanks so much!

    Jon @ AllergEase

    Reply

  24. I eat them with Thai curry. The thick hot curry softens them and they lose their crunch. They also take in the curry flavors beautifully! Delicious!

    Reply

  25. I love kelp noodles! They are crunchy at first but as leftovers they are more akin to glass noodles. It all depends on the sauce you use, so the variations are endless. I think they lend best to Asian dressings, though. ;)

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  26. I was going to mention that if one is hypER and/or has Graves’ Disease these noodles could make you very, very sick if not send you straight to the ER.

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  27. I tried them once but wasn’t a fan – it really could have been the rest of the recipe I made, though, I couldn’t really tell. I would love to see your favorite sauce or toppings for these!

    Reply

  28. Thanks for sharing this info. Any recipe to make something yummy using them? Would love to hear on the same and am sure many would get help from it.

    Reply

  29. I love kelp noodles! I actually found the same ones you did a few months ago myself. They are great in olive oil and with ahi tuna steaks, but I would love if you could post some creative recipes to enhance their flavor! :)

    Reply

  30. Hi –

    For those who have tried these – do they taste or smell like seafood, even a tiny bit?

    Thanks!

    Reply

      • So these are NOT like shirataki (soba) noodles? I tried those and I couldn’t stop thinking that I was eating worms!! Their texture is not for me. Where can I find the kelp noodles? Also, how does one make zucchini or squash noodles? Are there any other noodles on the market that a grain free diet would enjoy?

        Reply

  31. thankyou
    i wish to thankyou for all your fabulous recipes you put so much time and effort into, you make cooking fun again instead of a chore thinking of healthy ways to feed the family. i look forward to your email each week with something tantalising for the family. i have your cook books which i enjoy also and use.
    thank you for inspiring me : )

    Reply

  32. We love kelp noodles on top of a salad! I haven’t tried to make them work any other way. I use them with lettuce, cucumbers, red peppers, a little onion, avocado, and something we call Dragon Sauce (not sure why it is called that), but there is tahini in it and ginger, oil, NYF, maple syrup and such.

    Reply

  33. Hi Elana,

    I love kelp noodles and so do my kids! Thanks for sharing this! I toss them in a homemade marinara with veggies, or make a raw Pad Thai sauce. They are yummy and very kid friendly. They do taste best when they are softened in some warm water.

    Blessings,
    Ester

    Reply

  34. I have just gotten into “veggie” noodles this past week. I reluctantly bought a spiralizer (not a lot of kitchen space for yet another gadget), and I love it. So far I’ve only made zucchini and summer squash “pasta” but it is such a great substitute! Must try the kelp noodles now.

    Reply

  35. This was my first concern when I read about them. I would love to eat these but if they are not tested for heavy metals, forget it!

    Reply

  36. Kelp noodles, no one above has mentioned, are unusually low in calories. Great for those who have a target number of daily calories. For the evenings when I want to feel full, but am near my caloric limit, these kelp noodles are a godsend.

    I prepare them with a little bit of thin nut butter sauce and shaved carrot and chopped scallion.

    I started eating these 7 years ago. I worked with a personal trainer and I wound up loosing 33 lbs (off a 5 foot frame) and permanently changing my body and eating habits. So I still count calories 7 years later, and kelp is low low low in calories for the volume of food on the plate, which makes dieters feel full.

    Thanks for the reminder about this stuff. I live in San Diego, CA and about 10 years ago there was an exhibit at the San Diego Airport about the local kelp industry. So I like to think I’m “eating local”, or at least eating a food of local significance.

    Reply

  37. Due to my illness, I am GF, DF and legume-free…avoid nightshades as well. (per research from Dr. Cordain of the Paleo Diet).

    So, I LOVE kelp noodles!! I make a cashew “cream” alfredo sauce and I am in heaven. I live in New Zealand now, and can’t get kelp noodles, but every time I get back to California or Colorado, I indulge in my kelp noodle passion. Like pasta noodles, except there’s a nice crunch…and they don’t leave you with that heavy feeling. Great discovery about 2 years ago from one of the raw websites. :-)

    Reply

  38. Hmm, you know, I couldn’t get in to the kelp noodles. They just had a crunchy texture that my mind refuses to convince me is actually “pasta.” I actually like the Ezekiel pasta when I’m craving it. Ever tried that one? Lots-o-benefits! :)

    Reply

  39. Elana, I would never have thought about giving these a try if you hadn’t written about them! I can’t wait to try them since I’ve gone grain free. Thanks for keeping your eyes open. Always ready to try something new.

    Reply

  40. When I finished Chemotherapy, I needed the minerals found in seaweed, so I tried these. I have bought them several times. I like to add a little sesame oil and a dash of coconut aminos or Bragg’s liquid aminos to mine along with some shredded carrots and sliced green onion. It is simple and nourishing.

    Reply

  41. I make a sauce similar to your almond butter “peanut” sauce and marinate the noodles in that, sautee shrimp and serve this asian style dish ALL the time. My sauce is lime, almond butter, fish sauce, liquid aminos or tamari, tiny bit of honey and cilantro. The acid of the lime softens the noodles and it’s all so so good

    Reply

  42. Thanks so much for this post, Elana! I saw these at a local store about a month ago. Picked them up and looked at them, almost bought them, and then thought they looked a little weird and put them back. I’ll definitely try them now. I was just telling someone earlier how much I loooove noodles (and how sad it is I can’t eat many of them anymore).

    Reply

  43. I am concerned with radiation in the kelp, particularly from Japan and even our US West Coast……. has anyone searched into this?

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  44. I’m assuming that it’s because of kelp’s high iodine content. I’ve actually found kelp very helpful for when my thyroid needs some extra nourishment, but I realize that it’s not necessarily right for everyone.

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  46. I am addicted to kelp noodles!!!!! Best recipe boil them for 10 minutes then sauté with your favorite dish. Mine is scallops shrimp garlic lemon ghee sometimes I throw coconut milk and vinegar for a twist. After sautéing for 10 minutes it’s better then linguine!! I swear my husband doesn’t know the difference. There is also the same brand in green tea.

    Reply

  48. Crunchy noodles would not be a suitable pasta alternative for my family. Maybe that’s because I’ve tried to make a spaghetti alternative using zuchhini noodles made on a spiral slicer. Warming them up doesn’t take out all the crunch and I’ve been afraid to cook them further and turn them into mush. Pasta is the one thing I really miss since I’ve gone wheat free. These kelp noodles might be nice in an asian dish but not anything italian IMO.

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  49. The husband isn’t too keen on them, but I love these noodles. I also buy their other seaweed product.

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  51. I LOVE kelp noodles. I make a salad with veges and an almond butter coconut oil tamari kind of dressing…let them marinate and super yummy. I roll them up in nori wraps for a great raw meal! There is also a recipe online for raw vegan cheezy kelp noodles from Planet Raw…Easy and delicious, made with a sprinkle nut cheeze with nutrtional yeast. When I do “pasta” I prefer to make zucchini spaghetti by shredding them long way on my mandoline and putting whatever sauce on them…marinara or hemp seed pesto. Sprinkle with nut cheese and I don’t miss a thing!

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  52. I will have to locate these. I love the asian-style bean/starch noodles, but have stepped away from them for the last year or so. All my kids LOVE noodles and would love to have them in the diet again.

    and since we highly sauce everything, and add spices galore, i think these could be fun.

    Thanks!

    Reply

    • MamaCassi, if you click the green text that says “kelp noodles” in the ingredients portion of the recipe you will be taken to a place where you can buy them :-)

      Reply

  54. Elana,

    Mung Bean Fettuccine from the same company that makes the Black Bean fettuccine is also really good! thanks for posting about the kelp noodles. I tried them once and now I have other ideas as to make them softer:)
    -Stacey

    Reply

  55. I bought several cases of them from the raw food world when they had a crazy sale on them. Yes, I think they are THAT good! I make my own pesto or creamy hemp sauce (any sauce really) and slather them in one or both. Elana’s pad thai and sesame noodles too. I put them in collard wraps or my own veggie/flax wraps I make with my vitamix and dehydrator. Salads, green smoothies, etc…. They are fabulous!!! Trying to turn the kids on to them. Sometimes Rey like them, sometimes they don’t. I thought I’d have to fight over them but for now, I don’t have to share! And if they randomly want some, I make sure they eat as much as their little hearts desire. They are a staple for me!

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  56. I LOVE kelp noodles, too! I love having them in salads, with hot dishes but not cooked in the dish. I cook or warm the other food and then put it over my kelp noodles. I first learned of them from Ani Phyo’s blog. A great addition to the pantry. Ani is a raw chef….but I do a combination of paleo, raw, and just Sherry :-).

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  57. I first learned of kelp noodles when we tried a raw food restaurant in Santa Monica CA called “Planet Raw”. It was knock-your-socks-off amazing and the noodles were not crunchy at all so I’m not sure how they prepared them but the pasta dish was really truly delicious (frankly, everything we had there was delicious). Thanks for reminding me of these, I have never bought and prepared them but I’ll try now!

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  58. I LOVE these noodles. They’re great for using up leftovers too…. throw some leftover chicken or fish, veggies & some kind of sauce together with the noodles and you’ve got a great meal. I especially love using peanut or almond butter sauces in this.

    Btw, you can eliminate the crunchiness from the noodles by putting a squirt of lemon into the water you soak the noodles it. Softens them up in about a half hour.

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  59. I started eating these kelp noodles about a year ago. I usually prepare a soup with kale, fresh herbs, mushrooms and chicken stock (home made), and chicken and pour it over the noodles in a bowl, let sit for a moment and then eat it. i also have had them with any pasta sauce.

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  60. I found these kelp noodles at Whole Foods and fell in love with them. Still don’t think they really work as a spaghetti but for noodle soups, salads, and all asian-inspired dishes, they are perfect! If you want a less-crunchy noodle, they can be boiled in water or stock like dry pasta and they will soften and get floppy and slurpy.

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  61. Oh yum…..I love these kelp noodles…my mom bought them when she was eating a lot of raw food, and they were perfect for dinner.

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  62. Elana, I am so glad you posted about these! I have had a bag sitting in my fridge for a couple of months now (good thing they have a decent shelf life). Just have been nervous to try them and wasn’t sure what to enjoy them with. Can’t wait to hear what your readers are piling on them or drowning them in. I am dreaming of dashi and ume and …. xo

    Reply

  63. I’ve seen them but always brushed them off as some low calorie/ diet food. I didn’t really consider they might actually be nutritious and tasty… I’m gonna keep a look out for them now!

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  64. I live in Japan, so I eat kelp all the time. They cut it into different shapes, including a noodle-like one that I use to make pad thai and larb gai, paleo-style. It is so delicious, I’ll be sad to give it up when I eventually move back to the US! But knowing there is an option like this will make it easier. Thanks for posting as always!

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  65. I’ve never even heard of kelp noodles! Are these similar to shirataki noodles? I’ll have to seek some out, since I definitely don’t get enough kelp in my diet :-)

    Reply

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