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Seaweed Recipes

I developed these recipe cards as a Seaweed Sommelier for Cooking with United States Farmed Seaweeds, a collaboration between the UConn Seaweed Hub, California Sea Grant, and NOAA Fisheries. Below are the two species I worked on most closely — bull kelp and sea lettuce — with profile notes and recipes I contributed.

Bull Kelp banner illustration
Illustration of Bull Kelp

Profile

Bull Kelp

Nereocystis luetkeana

A Pacific Northwest icon that forms cathedral-like forests from Alaska to central California. The holdfast, stipe, hollow bladder, and long blades each cook differently — treat them like distinct ingredients.

Flavor
Clean, vegetal, umami
Texture
Tender al dente blades; crunchy stipe like raw carrot
Harvest season
Summer & early fall
Where it's farmed
Ocean-based farms in California and Alaska

My recipes

  • Bull Kelp Dolma

    Tender blades wrapped around rice, currants, pine nuts, and warm spices — steamed until vibrant green.

  • Bull Kelp Pickles

    Peeled stipe rings brined with pickling spice, garlic, and bay — a crisp, briny snack after 48 hours in the fridge.

View full profile & recipes →Download fact sheet (PDF)
Sea Lettuce banner illustration
Illustration of Sea Lettuce

Profile

Sea Lettuce

Ulva spp.

Just two cells thick, vivid green, and translucent — a cosmopolitan species found in every ocean. Quick to cook, beautiful raw, and a workhorse for chips, broths, and salads.

Flavor
Mild, slightly bitter, clean and refreshing
Texture
Soft and delicate fresh; crispy and flakey when dried
Harvest season
Year round
Where it's farmed
Land-based tanks on the West Coast and Florida

My recipes

  • Sea Lettuce Zesty Bliss Chips

    Fresh sea lettuce tossed in coconut aminos, ginger, lime, and chili garlic, then baked or air-fried into crisp green chips.

  • California Sea Green Salad

    Blanched sea lettuce with romaine, apple, avocado, goat cheese, and a tahini-pistachio dressing.

View full profile & recipes →Download fact sheet (PDF)

Credit

Recipes and profile content originally published by the UConn Seaweed Hub in collaboration with California Sea Grant and NOAA Fisheries. Illustrations by Madison Churchill.