The Umami Secret in Arctic Kelp: Why a Spoonful Tastes Like Slow Cooking
Short answer: it is umami. That savoury, moreish depth a spoon of Seaweed Pesto brings to a bowl of pasta is not salt, and it is not magic. It is glutamate, the natural compound behind the fifth taste, and Arctic kelp is one of its original sources. Here is why a little kelp makes everyday food taste like it simmered all afternoon.
What is umami, and where does it come from?
Umami is the savoury taste that sits alongside sweet, sour, salty and bitter. It was identified in 1908 by the Japanese chemist Kikunae Ikeda, who set out to explain why a simple broth made from kombu, a cold-water kelp, tasted so satisfying. The answer was glutamate. Kelp, in other words, is where the science of umami began.
Arctic winged kelp belongs to the same family of savoury sea vegetables. When we blanch it and blend it into food, it brings that same rounded, broth-like note, the taste your mouth reads as "this is finished".
Umami, the fifth taste, was identified in 1908 from a broth of kombu kelp. The savoury compound responsible is glutamate, which kelp produces naturally, so kelp is quite literally where umami was discovered.
Why does Arctic kelp make food taste finished?
Chefs spend hours building savoury depth: roasting bones, reducing stock, ageing cheese. What they are really doing is concentrating glutamate and the compounds that partner with it. Kelp arrives with that depth already built in, which is why a small amount does the work of a long reduction. A teaspoon stirred through a sauce, a scrape across warm bread, and suddenly the dish tastes considered.
It is also why good kelp does not taste "of the beach". Blanched winged kelp is mild and tender, so what you notice is savouriness, not the sea.
Where you taste it most
Our Seaweed Pesto is built on 32% blanched Arctic kelp, the most of any jar we make, so it is the clearest place to meet the flavour. Stir it through hot pasta, spread it on sourdough, or spoon it over roasted vegetables and eggs.
Savoury, green, a little bit of ocean. Built on 32% blanched Arctic kelp, the most of any jar we make.
The Sea Hummus shows the gentler side of the same idea: chickpeas for body, kelp for the quiet, savoury lift that makes people ask what is in it.
Everything hummus should be, plus blanched Arctic kelp for a quiet, savoury depth.
How to get the most umami from a spoon
Umami loves company. Pair kelp with other savoury foods and the effect multiplies: tomato, mushroom, hard cheese, a good stock. Try the pesto on a tomato pasta, or the hummus under a fried egg. Our ten-minute seaweed pesto pasta is the simplest way to taste it.
Frequently asked questions
Is umami just a fancy word for salty?
No. Salt is its own taste. Umami is the separate savoury taste that comes from glutamate, the depth you get from broth, aged cheese and kelp. The two work well together, which is part of why a little umami lets you enjoy less salt.
Does the kelp make it taste fishy?
No. We use blanched winged kelp, which is mild and tender. You taste savouriness and roundness, not the sea.
Which product has the most kelp?
The Seaweed Pesto, at 32% blanched Arctic kelp, the most of any jar we make.
Taste the umami for yourself
All four flavours in one box, the easiest way to find your favourite.
Try the Taster Pack, 249 NOK →Free shipping in Norway on orders over 349 kr.