• Seaweed snacks add an instant hit of umami and crunch to everything from popcorn to grain bowls.
  • They’re an easy, versatile upgrade—just crumble or slice and sprinkle on your favorite dishes.
  • A little goes a long way, so taste before adding extra salt since they’re already seasoned.

Many of us keep a package of seaweed snacks, those mini sheets of salted, roasted nori, in our desk drawer, lunch box, or kitchen cabinet for a quick, tasty, savory snack.

I love these low-calorie nibbles, but I love even more adding them to other snacks and dishes for a satisfying hit of umami and crunch. You can zhuzh up all kinds of foods with this one simple ingredient.

To use, simply crumble the sheets with your fingers or pulse them briefly in a mini food processor. For a more precise, polished look, cut them into thin strips with kitchen scissors. Just be mindful when seasoning, since these snacks are already salted.

Packaging for organic roasted seaweed snack.
Kirkland Signature
package of seaweed snacks
Gimme
package of seaweed snacks
Seasnax

Popcorn

a from above view of an anonymous asian woman and her indian boyfriend eating snacks while spending their leisure time together
FreshSplash//Getty Images

Add several sheets of crumbled seaweed snacks to a bowl of hot, freshly popped popcorn and toss. Drizzle with melted butter if you like, then taste before adding any extra salt.

Avocado Toast

Sliced whole grain toast topped with avocado and spices.
Claudia Totir//Getty Images

Give your brunch staple an umami boost—and a striking pop of color. Prepare your avocado toast as usual, then top with crumbled seaweed snacks. Or skip the bread and use a whole seaweed sheet as a fun, edible base for mashed, seasoned avocado. A sprinkle of toasted sesame seeds is great here, too.

Ramen

noodles with seaweed, tuna flakes and sesame seeds healthy vegan vegetarian eating in ceramic bowls, stone concrete background, copy space, top view, close up
Fuzullhanum//Getty Images

Add strips or crumbles of seaweed snacks to your ramen toppings for a powerful boost of umami. They’re also a natural fit in miso soup.

Eggs

a dish of eggs with seaweed, sesame seeds
Daniela Blerinca / 500px

Eggs pair beautifully with seaweed’s saltiness. Add a jammy egg to your ramen (see above), sprinkle crumbled seaweed snacks over deviled or scrambled eggs, or fold them into your favorite egg salad recipe. Finish with chopped scallions for extra flavor and freshness.

Grain bowls

vegan poke bowl with avocado, tofu, rice, seaweed, carrots and mangoes vegan food concept
vaaseenaa

These healthy meals can sometimes fall a little flat. Add a generous sprinkle of crumbled seaweed snacks to your next grain bowl or salad—even if the flavors aren’t traditionally Asian. They bring an instant, craveable umami lift.