Umami 101
One of the most popular questions our team gets asked about seaweed is, “What does seaweed taste like?” Great question! One of the best ways we can describe the indescribable taste of seaweed is one word - umami, but what exactly is umami, and what makes umami flavor so deliciously addictive? Here is everything you need to know about seaweed and its delicious umami flavor.
The Importance of Eating Kelp
We all know it’s important to eat our vegetables, including sea vegetables. Whether you enjoy Alaskan Kombu Kelp, Alaskan Wakame Kelp, or Sea Lettuce from Baja, seaweed is one of the most nutritionally dense plants on Earth.
Naturally low in calories and a nutritional powerhouse, seaweed is rich in iodine, iron, magnesium, and Vitamins A and B. Seaweed can also help support heart health as it contains antioxidants, key nutrients, and various health-promoting compounds like dietary fiber, lipids, minerals and peptides, which can all support cardiovascular health.
Seaweed can also include natural sources of Omega-3 Fatty Acids, making it an easy, and delicious), way to get more of this all-too-important nutrient in your diet. (Talk about small, but mighty!)
It is clear including varieties of kelp in our daily meals and snacks is a good idea, but the question remains. What does seaweed taste like?
The Taste of Seaweed
Naturally briny and salty, seaweed is a solid source of iodine, which lends a deliciously addictive umami flavor to any dish.
Quick background: We all have five basic tastes: bitter, salty, sour, sweet, and umami. Pronounced oo-maa-mee, umami is not as easily understood as the first four flavors, but it is incredibly important when developing a deep flavor in cooking.
Have you ever been whipping up a recipe that called for dried shiitake mushrooms, nutritional yeast, or a few small splashes of soy sauce or Worcestershire? That is the recipe’s attempt to recreate that deliciously addictive flavor of, you guessed it, umami.
Although umami is the key to creating a deep, rich and savory flavor, the taste can be pretty difficult to describe. Its peculiar characteristic is that it is filling, lingering, and leads to both appetite and satiety all at the same time. Umami can be found in a variety of foods including:
Cured meats like ham
Fermented foods
Fish sauce
Marine products including certain fish, shellfish, and seaweeds
Mature cheeses
Miso sauce
Oyster sauce
Soy sauce
Tomato paste
Worcestershire sauce
Although the most common way to describe umami flavor is savory, some people also report that it tastes broth-like or meaty, but without the meat. It is flavorful, satisfying, and lingers long after you have finished that final bite. Basically, it leaves you wanting more. Seconds, anyone?
Adding Umami to Cooking
If thinking about the taste of umami is making your mouth water, incorporate these super simple ways to add the flavor of umami to your favorite homemade dishes.
Add dried mushrooms, miso sauce, or seaweed to salad dressings, soups, or stews
Include fish sauce, oyster sauce, soy sauce, or Worcestershire sauce to stir-fries
Toss in some tomato paste to meat dishes like hamburgers or meatloaf
Use a small amount of cured cheeses and meats in certain recipes
Umami may be the least familiar and most difficult of the five flavors to explain, but one thing is for sure, it is probably one of the most delicious. Deep, rich, and savory, umami elevates dishes making them deliciously addictive, satisfying, and satiating. Umami can be found in a variety of whole food ingredients, including sea vegetables. The next time you are cooking up a homemade recipe, give that original dish a little something extra with the taste of umami.