Easy and delicious Korean style kelp noodle salad.
Try this savory and slightly sweet and tangy Korean kelp noodle salad. This seaweed noodle salad is made with gluten free and low calorie kelp noodles. It is pleasantly crunchy, light and delicious. It goes well with Korean BBQ and other Korean dishes.
What are Kelp Noodles
Kelp noodles, Korean name – cheonsachae (천사채), are semi-transparent noodles made from edible kelp (sea tangle). Cheonsachae is also known as angel noodles as cheonsa (천사) means angel in Korean. It was named like this by the Korean manufacturer as he hoped ‘Once you eat these noodles, you will feel so light that you may be able to fly like an angel’.
Kelp noodles are made without the addition of grain flour or starch, so it is used as a gluten free noodle alternative. They are also low in calories, so they are popular amongst the low carb diet community. If you want to learn more about the health benefits of kelp noodles, read this article.
The noodles have a nice crunchy texture and they can be eaten raw or cooked. It has a neutral taste so it will absorb any seasonings or sauces you mix in well.
In Korea, kelp noodles are commonly used as decorative ingredients under raw fish at a raw fish (hoe, 회) restaurant. Apparently, it helps keep the fish moist longer.
Some people also use the kelp noodles as a glass noodle alternative when making japchae, but most commonly it is used in raw salad such as today’s recipe.
What is Kelp Noodle Salad
Kelp noodle salad is sometimes served at a Korean restaurant as a complimentary side dish. The noodles are simply mixed with mayonnaise based sauce. Sometimes they add thinly sliced carrots and cucumbers to add visual interest and more texture.
My recipe today also includes mustard sauce and surimi (imitation crab meat), a popular ingredient in Korean cooking. They do add a nice taste to the kelp noodle salad.
Where to Buy Kelp Noodles
You can buy kelp noodles from a Korean grocer, at some asian grocers, or at a health food store. Online stores such as Amazon also sell it too.
Other Korean Salad Recipes
These are some other Korean salad recipes you could try.
Ingredients for Kelp Noodle Salad, Serves 4 to 6
Main
- 300g / 10.6 ounces kelp noodles, equivalent to 1 pack kelp noodles excluding packaging water
- 80g / 2.8 ounces cucumber, julienned
- 60g / 2.1 ounces carrots, julienned
- 60g / 2.1 ounces crab sticks, thinly sliced or shredded
- 1 Tbsp white vinegar
- 1 Tbsp raw sugar
- 1/4 tsp fine sea salt
Dressing
- 5 Tbsp mayonnaise (whole egg)
- 1 Tbsp yellow mustard (mild American mustard)
- 1 Tbsp raw sugar
*1 Tbsp = 15 ml
How to Make Kelp Noodle Salad
1. Wash kelp noodles with cold running water and drain the water for 10 minutes.
2. Cut kelp noodles with a pair of kitchen scissors a couple of times and squeeze the noodles to remove any excess water.
3. Place the kelp noodles in a mixing bowl, add the white vinegar, raw sugar and fine sea salt and marinate for 10 minutes.
4. When ready, add the cucumber, carrots, crab sticks, and salad dressing into the bowl and mix them well and evenly. (If time permits, cover the bowl with cling wrap and chill in the fridge for about 1 hour to further develop the flavor.) Serve. Any unused portion can be refrigerated in an air tight container for two days.
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Kelp Noodle Salad
Ingredients
MAIN
- 300 g kelp noodles (10.6 ounces), equivalent to 1 pack kelp noodles excluding packaging water
- 80 g cucumber (2.8 ounces), julienned
- 60 g carrots (2.1 ounces), julienned
- 60 g crab sticks (2.1 ounces), thinly sliced or shredded
- 1 Tbsp white vinegar
- 1 Tbsp raw sugar
- 1/4 tsp fine sea salt
DRESSING
- 5 Tbsp mayonnaise (whole egg)
- 1 Tbsp yellow mustard (mild American mustard)
- 1 Tbsp raw sugar
Instructions
- Wash kelp noodles with cold running water and drain the water for 10 minutes.
- Cut kelp noodles with a pair of kitchen scissors a couple of times and squeeze the noodles to remove any excess water.
- Place the kelp noodles in a mixing bowl, add the white vinegar, raw sugar and fine sea salt and marinate for 10 minutes.
- When ready, add the cucumber, carrots, crab sticks, and salad dressing into the bowl and mix them well and evenly. (If time permits, cover the bowl with cling wrap and chill in the fridge for about 1 hour to further develop the flavor.) Serve. Any unused portion can be refrigerated in an air tight container for two days.
Notes
- 1 Tbsp = 15 ml
Nutrition Info (per serving)
The nutrition information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
