Introduction: How to Make Seaweed Salt

Photo by Marla Aufmuth

Seaweed is a beautiful vegetable. Underwater it sways in the current and tossed onto beaches, it wraps into fractal patterns, telling the story of a storm. It’s also delicious and adds umami depth to your salt. Umami is that sixth taste sensation that triggers your pleasure endorphins. Seaweed is high in many vitamins and anti-oxidants and rich in magnesium, calcium and iron. It also naturally contains iodine, so if you make seaweed salt, you are set.

It’s easy to grab a handful of seaweed, and especially kelp when you are out on the water, or wade out during a very low tide and get it from the water or newly exposed rocks. If strands are on a bare beach, avoid these because insects are already decomposing it. When picking wild foods, never take more than a third of the leaves from each plant, seaweed included. Virtually all seaweed is edible, though some is more delicious than others. Or you can purchase seaweed at your local store.

Photos by Marla Aufmuth

Step 1: Harvest Ocean Water and Seaweed

Photo by Marla Aufmuth

For seaweed salt, you’ll need about two small to four medium size strands of kelp, or the equivalent of other types for each gallon of water. Let the harvested sea water sit until sediment has settled to the bottom, then scoop out the water and run it through a cheesecloth to remove any debris.

Step 2: Bring to a Boil

Photo by Marla Aufmuth

Pour your salt water into a pan, the flatter your pan is, the more quickly it will cook down. Boil on high for 2-3 hours.


Dice your seaweed strands into the smallest pieces you can, and add to the water.

You can multi-task while cooking it, as it takes a little while. It doesn’t look like much salt is in there, but be patient! Every 20 minutes or so, scrape the bottom of the pan with a spatula to free salt that may be settling down there. And scrape around the water line as that’s where it’s currently forming.

When you have a few inches of water left in the pan, become more vigilant. Scrape the sides and bottom of the pan often and turn the heat down. You don’t want to burn it. In the final few moments, when almost all of the water is gone, you’ll see salt left in the bottom of the pan.

For larger flakes, scrape it less. For small flakes, scrape the sides constantly.

Step 3: Use Your Seaweed Salt

Photo by Marla Aufmuth

Your salt is ready. Put it into a glass jar, and use it on everything-eggs, sauteed vegetables, seafood, dark chocolate, popcorn and even rim glasses with it for cocktails.