Sea bean seaweed, also known as sea spaghetti, only needs a brief desalting rinse before use: no cooking, with a crisp texture that holds up well under a thick sauce. Here, that sauce is a blend of full-fat coconut milk, peanut butter, fresh garlic and jalapeno, blended until smooth and clingy. Spinach and red pepper cut into thin strips bring freshness and colour. For a fully raw version, use a raw, unroasted peanut butter, or swap it for almond butter or sprouted sunflower seed butter. Makes two servings, plus about three cups of sauce, so there's some left over.
Seaweed Noodles with Spicy Coconut Peanut Sauce
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Ingredients
Base
- 1 packet of fresh sea bean seaweed (about 340 g)
To add
- 1 cup spinach, cut into strips
- 1 cup red pepper, cut into thin strips
The sauce
- 1 can full-fat coconut milk (homemade for a fully raw version)
- 1/2 cup peanut butter
- 3 tablespoons coconut sugar, or your preferred sweetener
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon fresh cilantro
- 2 cloves garlic, freshly crushed
- 1 jalapeno
- 1 teaspoon chili flakes
- 1 teaspoon pink Himalayan salt
We offer fresh sea bean seaweed in our Fresh Seaweed range.
Method
- Take the sea bean seaweed out of its packet. Soak it briefly in filtered water for a first desalting, rinse, then discard the water. Then soak it for two to three minutes in fresh filtered water and rinse again (a third time if it still tastes too salty). Set aside.
- Cut the spinach into thin strips and the red pepper into thin strips. Set aside.
- Put all the sauce ingredients in the blender and blend until you get a smooth, creamy texture. Adjust the seasoning, especially the jalapeno and chili flakes. For a thinner sauce, add 60 to 120 ml filtered water.
- Combine the sea bean seaweed and vegetables in a medium bowl, pour over the sauce and toss gently to coat evenly.
- Finish, if you like, with a little extra spinach or pepper.
Tip
With a whole jalapeno and a teaspoon of chili flakes, the sauce is genuinely spicy. Cut back on or leave out one of the two if you prefer it milder: the rest of the recipe stays the same.
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FAQ: your questions about sea bean seaweed
What is sea bean seaweed?
It's a brown seaweed, Himanthalia elongata, harvested on the Breton coast, also known as sea spaghetti because of its shape: long olive-green strands that can reach 3 metres. It's one of the few seaweeds that works as a main ingredient on a plate rather than just a condiment - hence its use here as a noodle base.
How do you desalt sea bean seaweed before cooking it?
It's preserved in salt, which lets it stay fresh without needing prolonged refrigeration. Before use, soak it briefly in water, rinse and discard that first water, then leave it for two to three minutes in fresh water before a final rinse. If it still tastes too salty, a third rinse usually fixes it.
What does sea bean seaweed taste like?
Its flavour is distinct but less iodine-heavy than you might expect, with a slightly sweet note reminiscent of green beans, hence the name. Once desalted, it stays firm and crisp to the bite, which makes it a good base for a sauce as aromatic as this one.
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