What Is Kombu and How Can I Use It?

If kombu has turned up in a recipe or caught your eye at the store, here's what you need to use it with confidence and how to choose it, cook it, store it, what to substitute, and 15 recipes to try it in.

Recipes using kombu

There are 15 recipes that contain this ingredient.

Spicy Tripe & Beans

Completely different recipe than Jamaican or Spanish ones. I used few known methods to make beans easier to digest. They all work very well not to make music.

B-B-Q Seitan

This recipe has been developed as part of work toward being a participant and finalist in the Culinary Olympics held in Frankfurt, Germany.

Seitan

Homemade seitan from scratch using bread flour, kneaded and washed to extract pure wheat gluten, then simmered in a savory tamari, ginger, and kombu broth. The ultimate plant-based protein.

Vegan London Broil

Thick seitan steaks baked until firm, then simmered in a savory tamari broth with kombu and fresh ginger for deep umami flavor. Brushed with sauce and broiled until lightly charred, these vegan steaks have real chew and satisfying meatiness.

Dashi Stock

DASHI STOCK is Japanese clear soup stock. There are four types made from kelp, dried bonito, shitake mushroom, or dried fish. Dashi stock is the secret of Japanese cooking. To keep this strictly vegetarian, I omit the dried bonito flakes and substitute with soy bean sprouts and or mushrooms.

Soysage (Vegan)

Homemade vegan sausage (soysage) made from soybeans, kombu, oats, gluten flour, and classic sausage spices like sage, fennel, and cayenne. Steamed until firm and sliceable.

Seitan - Method I

Traditional homemade seitan from whole wheat flour, washed to develop pure gluten and simmered in tamari, ginger and kombu stock. Classic plant-based meat substitute from scratch.

Moroccan Style Quinoa

Moroccan style quinoa with chickpeas, turnips, carrots, Brussels sprouts, and cumin served couscous-style with vegetables mounded over toasted quinoa and hot broth ladled over the top.

Sweet Azuki Bean Puree

Traditional Japanese sweet azuki bean paste (anko) made with adzuki beans, kombu, raisins, and barley malt. Naturally sweetened, vegan, and endlessly versatile for Japanese desserts.

Traditional Miso Soup

Authentic miso soup made from scratch with homemade dashi, kombu, bonito flakes, wakame, tofu, and barley miso. A nourishing Japanese staple ready in 40 minutes with real umami depth.

Kasha Soup

Vegetarian kasha soup with kombu broth, miso, sauerkraut, lima beans, mushrooms, cabbage, and potatoes. A hearty, umami-rich bowl ready in 30 minutes.

Barley Soup

Soothing chicken barley soup with parsnips, celery, onion, and a strip of kombu for added minerals. High in protein and fiber, gentle enough for anyone feeling under the weather.

Anasazi Bean Stew with Cornmeal Dumplings

A savory bean stew that's made with delicious cornmeal dumplings which will satisfy your family's hunger.

Shabu Shabu Dinner

Japanese shabu shabu hot pot dinner with paper-thin rib eye, scallops, shrimp, tofu, and fresh vegetables cooked tableside in kombu broth. An interactive meal that turns dinner into an event.

Squash & Adzuki Beans

This recipe reminds me a Japanese style soup because of kombu (kelp or seaweed). It's a nice change from my normal chicken broth and cream based squash soup. This one has a much cleaner taste, and really highlights the flavor of each ingredient.

All 15 recipes