Kelp noodles are made from kelp (a brown seaweed), sodium alginate (a salt derived from seaweed) and water. Kelp itself is high in iodine which helps with metabolism and thyroid function. When the noodles are made, the skin is taken off the seaweed which makes these noodles clear. There’s no proof of how much iodine is actually left in the kelp noodles but they definitely have some benefits. They contain no fat, sugar or proteins and are very low in calories and carbohydrates. They are quite bland, making them versatile in incorporating any flavors. Most of the brands come in raw form and no cooking is needed.
They really don’t have much benefits nutrient-wise but I think it’s a great subsitite for those eating a gluten-free diet. They can also help with weight loss. I hope you like this recipe as much as my sister and I do!


- 6 Tbsp avocado oil, divided
- 16 Argentina prawns, peeled and deveined
- 1/4 cup brunoise shallots
- 2 Tbsp ginger, peeled and minced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup shiitake mushrooms, sliced
- 1 package (16oz) kelp noodles
- (rinsed and cut in half)
- 1/4 cup chicken stock
- 2 cups spinach, packed
- TT sea salt
- 1 Tbsp organic miso paste
- 3 Tbsp almond-cashew butter
- 1/4 cup coconut aminos
- 1 Tbsp organic honey
- 1 Tbsp fresh lime juice
- 1 tsp chili flakes
- 2 Tbsp green onions, cut on a bias
- 3/4 cup raw cashews, coarse chopped and roasted
- Roast the cashews in a 375°F oven for 3-5 minutes or until golden brown. Set aside.
- Prepare the sauce by whisking all the ingredients together in a bowl. Set aside.
- In a large frying pan, heat 3 tablespoons of avocado oil on medium high heat. Once the pan is hot, sauté the prawns. Place the cooked prawns on a plate and set aside.
- In the same frying pan, heat another 3 tablespoons of avocado oil on medium high heat. Sauté the shallots until clear. Add ginger and garlic and sauté for another minute or two (a little browning is fine). Add the shiitake mushrooms and continue sautéing until mushrooms are cooked through but not mushy.
- Pour in the premade sauce and chicken stock. Bring up to boil then turn heat down to medium. Add the kelp noodles and stir until the sauce has thickened slightly and is well incorporated into the noodles.
- Turn heat off and add the spinach. Stir until the spinach is slightly wilted. The residual heat will continue to heat the spinach without reducing the sauce too much. Season with sea salt to taste.
- For garnish, sprinkle green onions and roasted cashews over top. Enjoy!
- TT means to taste. For this recipe, I used about 2 teaspoons of sea salt.
- Sesame oil goes well with this dish and can be added in at the end to add that extra zing!
- No chicken stock on hand? No problem, filtered water can be used instead.
- Vegetarian? Omit the chicken stock and prawns and it's still delicious.
- Bok Choy is a great substitute for spinach in this recipe.
- Any nut butters can be used in placed of the almond-cashew butter.
- The cashews can also be toasted in a frying pan on high heat. Make sure you toss and turn the cashews while it is on the heat as the toasting happens quite quickly. Better yet, buy already roasted cashews to save time.
- For the organic miso paste, I used Amano Genmai Miso because it is gluten-free and it tastes great! It’s a brand that one of the Chef/Holistic Nutritionist at my school recommended to us students.
- Coconut Aminos are my new soy sauce that has no soy! It is raw, organic, non-GMO, gluten-free and has 65% less sodium than soy sauce. It’s the best substitue for soy sauce that I have found. It is made of organic coconut sap and sea salt.
- Kelp Noodles can be found in specialty food stores. I bought mine at Whole Foods and I like the Sea Tangle brand. Other brands apparently taste like cardboard according to a guy I talked to at Whole Foods