kelp

In this quick pasta dinner, umami-rich seaweed stars twice: first, in the form of dasima (dried kelp), which seasons the pasta water and sauce with seaside savor; second, as gim (roasted seaweed), which lends deep nuttiness and some salty crunch, too. The pasta finishes cooking in a blush of heavy cream and a splash of the dasima broth, transforming into a dreamy emulsion balanced by rice vinegar. In this recipe’s final moments, a rich glug of sesame oil glosses the chewy rigatoni and echoes the toasted flavor of the gim, which sings.

Creamy Asparagus Pasta

gim, often labeled as roasted seaweed

(4-inch) squares dasima or kombu (dried kelp)

salt

rigatoni

heavy cream

onion,

garlic cloves, finely grated

black pepper,

rice vinegar

asparagus, thinly sliced at an angle

sesame oil

Flaky sea salt,

Fold the gim in half and, with very sharp kitchen shears or a chef’s knife, slice into thin strips. Set aside for serving.

In a large pot, combine 1 dasima square with 8 cups cold tap water. Bring the water to a boil and season with the kosher salt. Tumble in the pasta and cook for half the time the package tells you is al dente. Reserve 1 cup of the pasta water. Drain the pasta, then add it back to the pot. (Discard the dasima.)

Add the remaining dasima square, cream, red onion, garlic, black pepper and reserved pasta water to the pasta. Bring to a boil over high heat, then immediately reduce the heat to a gentle simmer. Stirring occasionally, cook the pasta until the onion-infused cream has thickened significantly, thinly coating the noodles, 4 to 5 minutes.

Turn off the heat. Add the vinegar and asparagus, and stir to combine for 1 minute. The residual heat from the pasta will gently cook the asparagus to tender-crisp. Stir in the sesame oil and season with more black pepper, if desired. Divide the pasta among serving dishes, discarding the dasima, and shower with the reserved gim and sprinkle with flaky sea salt. Serve immediately, before the gim wilts and turns soggy.

Kelp, a hardy seaweed sold fresh, frozen or dried, gives this lemony pasta dish a salty depth that’s also extremely nutrient-dense. A little like pesto, the garlicky sauce coats the rigatoni in a bright green purée, flecked with darker bits of chopped parsley. Don’t skimp on the anchovies; they underscore the ocean flavor of the kelp, adding an appealing umami richness.

Lemony Pasta With Kelp, Chile and Anchovies

Kosher salt, as needed

rigatoni or other pasta

anchovy fillets, chopped

garlic

lemon

red-pepper flakes,

extra-virgin olive oil,

kelp purée

parsley,

unsalted butter

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook until just shy of al dente, usually 1 to 2 minutes earlier than the cooking time suggested on the packaging. Reserve 1 cup pasta water, then drain pasta.

Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, stir together anchovies, garlic, lemon zest and red-pepper flakes to make a paste.

In a 12-inch skillet, heat 1/4 cup oil over medium. Add anchovy paste and cook, stirring, until the anchovies begin to dissolve, about 2 minutes. Add kelp and cook, stirring, until slightly thickened, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in 1/2 cup parsley and the butter. Add the pasta and toss to coat. If the mixture seems dry, add some of the reserved pasta water, tossing to coat the pasta with sauce. Season with salt and lemon juice, to taste.

Garnish with more parsley, drizzle with oil, if desired, and serve immediately.

This Korean stew features velvety silken tofu in a clear, savory broth that allows the nutty flavor of the tofu to shine. Dried kelp, radishes and shiitake mushrooms build the base of the soothing soup: Radishes impart sweetness, while the kelp and mushrooms add earthy notes. Sesame seeds give each spoonful an extra toasty flavor and crunch. Traditionally, the stew is finished with eggs that have been gently poached, with runny yolks that enrich the broth. If desired, crack four eggs into the stew once the tofu is warmed through and let them simmer gently for three minutes.

White Soondubu Jjigae (Mild Tofu Stew)

(6-inch) square dried kelp (also labeled as dashima

Korean radish

shiitake mushrooms

neutral oil,

scallions, thinly sliced

Salt and black pepper

sesame seeds

ginger

zucchini

soy sauce

tofu,

rice,

In a large Dutch oven, combine kelp, radish, dried shiitakes and 5 cups of water, and bring to a simmer over high heat. Cover, reduce heat to medium and simmer for 5 minutes. Transfer kelp and mushrooms to a cutting board, and transfer broth with radish pieces to a bowl and reserve. Chop kelp into 1-inch pieces, very thinly slice the mushrooms and add both to reserved broth.

In the empty Dutch oven, heat oil over medium-high. Add all but ¼ cup of the scallions, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 2 minutes. Add garlic, sesame seeds and ginger, and stir until well combined and fragrant, about 30 seconds. Then add the reserved broth and vegetables, the zucchini and soy sauce, and bring to a boil over high. Reduce heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally, until zucchini and radish are tender, about 15 minutes.

Stir in tofu and sesame oil, and cook until tofu is warmed through, 2 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Divide jjigae in 4 bowls and garnish each with some of the reserved scallions. Serve hot with rice on the side.

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Creamy Asparagus Pasta

Lemony Pasta With Kelp, Chile and A...

White Soondubu Jjigae (Mild Tofu St...

Top 3 kelp recipes from across the web

The most viewed kelp recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 20,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engineic_arrow_forward_48px

Top Tags

Creamy Asparagus Pasta

Lemony Pasta With Kelp, Chile and A...

White Soondubu Jjigae (Mild Tofu St...

The most viewed kelp recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 20,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine