Once a staple of Māori kai, seaweed is experiencing a revival in modern cuisine, not just for its rich flavour but for its sustainability and health benefits. And for boaties, it’s a readily available, space-saving, and nutritious ingredient worth learning to harvest and use.
Whether you’re a seasoned forager or just dipping your toes into the coastal harvest, here’s how to responsibly gather and cook with seaweed from New Zealand’s shores.
A taste of the tides
For centuries, Māori have harvested and eaten seaweed, particularly karengo (a native nori-like variety), which was dried and stored for winter months. Today, with a resurgence in wild food appreciation, more Kiwis are rediscovering the flavours and health benefits of seaweed, from silky bull kelp to crispy sea lettuce. But before heading to the shoreline with a bucket, it’s essential to know what’s edible, how to forage sustainably, and how to transform it into a delicious meal.
New Zealand’s seaweed forests: A hidden treasure under threat
While seaweed might seem abundant along our shores, New Zealand’s rimurimu (seaweed forests) are under increasing threat due to climate change, pollution, and habitat destruction. Often out of sight and out of mind, these underwater ecosystems play a crucial role in marine biodiversity, acting as nurseries for fish, stabilising coastlines, and even helping to absorb carbon from the atmosphere.
One initiative working to restore these vital habitats is Love Rimurimu, a project piloting the regeneration of seaweed forests in the Wellington region. Through education, restoration efforts, and public engagement, Love Rimurimu aims to bring seaweed into the spotlight and reconnect Kiwis with the importance of these marine forests.
Seaweed Fest 2025: Celebrating Aotearoa’s underwater forests
Last week marked the first-ever Seaweed Festival for Aotearoa, a celebration of New Zealand’s underwater forests. Seaweed Fest 2025, organised by Love Rimurimu, took place across Wellington from the 1st to the 9th of March 2025, featuring a packed schedule of events designed to inspire curiosity and appreciation for our marine ecosystems.
The festival lineup included behind-the-scenes tours of Te Papa’s seaweed collections and community exhibitions, and public talks from seaweed experts. Of most interest to those of us who would like to harvest straight from the ocean were guided snorkels, sea-swims, as well as seaweed feasts (and, not to be forgotten, sea-shanties, and seaweed-inspired gins.)
For people whose lifestyle is boat-centric, this festival was a unique opportunity to explore seaweed beyond the galley—diving deeper into its ecological significance, cultural connections, and culinary possibilities.
Kelp Forest Kai: Cooking with seaweed
As part of the festival’s celebration of seaweed, I had the delight of catching up with Alison Herft from Travelling Kitchen NZ, a social enterprise with EPIC values at its heart—Empowering people, Practical skills, Inspiring experiences, and Connecting people. (Check them out on Facebook!)
On Saturday, (8th March, 2025) Alison hosted the Kelp Forest Kai workshop, designed to introduce participants to the wonders of rimurimu (seaweeds) found along the Wellington Harbour coast. Attendees learned to identify different types and flavours of seaweed, explore environmentally responsible harvesting techniques, and—best of all—share a delicious feast made from the very seaweed they gathered and prepared together.
The workshop proved incredibly popular and was fully booked, reflecting the growing curiosity and enthusiasm for seaweed as both a food source and a way to connect with the ocean’s natural bounty.
Know your seaweed: Edible varieties in NZ
Alison is a huge fan of cooking with seaweed; it reminds her of her Scottish roots and time spent with her mother foraging for seaweed along Scotland’s coastline.
Before speaking with Alison, I had considered gathering seaweed for cooking but found online resources both encouraging and daunting. My curiosity was tempered by concerns about handling it safely—food poisoning was a real worry. However, after our chat, I realised it’s not as complicated as I’d imagined—all it takes is the right knowledge. So, I was even more delighted when Alison shared her expertise and personal experiences, making seaweed foraging feel both accessible and rewarding.
The ‘travelling’ concept behind Travelling Kitchen—bringing cooking experiences to community halls, beaches, and beyond—was inspired by the design of boat galleys. The idea is simple: how do you create and share delicious meals with a group, even in a confined space, with everything you need on hand, just like cooking at sea? It’s a system that works brilliantly, relying on smart planning and creative use of space, equipment, and ingredients—something that truly resonates with me.
Alison incorporates seaweed into her cooking as often as possible, always with a focus on sustainability. Her approach aligns with the EPIC values of NZ Travelling Kitchen—harvesting only what’s needed and making the most of its rich nutritional benefits. It’s about creating something meaningful while respecting this valuable natural resource.
Foraging responsibly: What you need to know
While seaweed is abundant along New Zealand’s shores, Alison highlighted that foraging requires mindfulness and care. Here are some key guidelines:
Check local regulations
Some areas, particularly marine reserves, have restrictions on seaweed harvesting.
Harvest sustainably
Never pull seaweed from the roots. Instead, trim with scissors (or sharp fingernails), leaving enough for regrowth (and the base roots in the water). Only take what you need, or as little as possible, particularly if it’s a popular harvesting spot. Take care not to walk on other plants and animal life while walking around rockpools and shorelines.
Avoid polluted areas
Don’t collect seaweed near stormwater drains, harbours, or areas with heavy boat traffic; use local knowledge to assess the cleanliness and safety of the water in a particular area, this might involve local iwi, local councils, and even NIWA for some areas. The water quality needs to be high. If you’re in an area with heavy boat traffic—often a sign of diesel and pollution—consider relocating to a quieter spot where the water is likely to be cleaner and the seaweed safer to harvest.
Know the seasons
Many species grow abundantly in autumn and winter, making these the best times to forage.
Cleaning, storing, and preserving
Alison’s pointers for cleaning, storing, and preserving seaweed is worth taking time to digest. On a boat where it can get hot and stiffly, food hygiene is vastly important.
Freshly harvested seaweed should be rinsed thoroughly in seawater (not freshwater, which can degrade its texture). If storing it, use it within a few hours. Before use, rinse it thoroughly by submerging in cold fresh water several times, lifting it out to avoid grit and little sea animals settling back. Do not use if it is smelly or the water it is stored in has got sludgy or smells.
Drying is one of the best ways to preserve it—simply lay it out in the sun on kitchen towels or hang in an airy space, turning frequently. Once fully dry, store in an airtight container. Some seaweeds, like karengo, can also be stored frozen (up to three months) or pickled for year-round use.
From shore to plate: Cooking with seaweed
Seaweed is packed with umami, making it a fantastic addition to a wide range of dishes. Whether dried, fresh, or pureed, it adds depth and flavour while delivering a nutritional boost. Below are some great ways Alison has suggested to incorporate different varieties into your cooking. For all of these ideas, consider adding no salt because the minerals and salts are already provided by the seaweed!
Once you’ve mastered a few ways to use seaweed, why not explore other varieties? Each type offers unique mineral-rich flavours and textures, adding depth and diversity to your cooking.
Bull kelp noodles
Bull kelp is a large, robust seaweed with a thick, flexible stipe that supports a broad, spongy blade. Mostly found around the South (particularly the Otago Peninsula and Dunedin) and Stewart Islands, as well down the Wairarapa and Wellington Harbour Coast. Slice bull kelp into thin strips, soak briefly, then sauté for a chewy, noodle-like texture in stir-fries; excellent with fish and seafood. But be careful if stir-frying seaweed, or similar cooking methods, because it will ‘spit’/pop when the water of the seaweed comes into contact with the frying oil.
Kelp puree
Bladder, bull, and asian kelp can be found on coastlines all around New Zealand. Soak small slices of kelp in light vegetable stock for a few hours, then blend into a smooth puree. Add back into soups or stews for an extra layer of savoury depth.
Steamed greens with kelp
After soaking, finely shred kelp and toss it with steamed greens like bok choy, adding a subtle oceanic flavour. Or add it to a pan of chickpeas, coconut cream, and tomato.
Sea lettuce salad
Sea lettuce is a bright green, translucent seaweed with thin leaves which is crunchy with a lightly salty sea flavour. It is found along the coastline, in the shallow flats of estuaries and harbours, and is more likely to be found north in Tauranga Harbour, Ōhiwa Harbour, and the Maketū and Waihi Estuaries. Only pick fresh sea lettuce that appears glossy, translucent, and light to emerald green in colour. Shred bright green sea lettuce and combine with sun-ripened tomatoes, coriander, mint, olive oil, and lemon juice for a fresh summer salad.
Seaweed butter
Dry sea lettuce, blend into a fine powder, and whip into softened butter. Perfect for tossing with new potatoes or dolloping onto fish as it fries.
Miso seaweed soup
Rehydrate dried seaweed and add to a warm miso broth for extra umami richness.
Seaweed soda bread, faccocia, or muffins
Just mix in as you would with herbs or chopped chives.
Seaweed pickle
Neptunes necklace is common brown seaweed found in rockpools and rock platforms, or in shallows; it resembles strings of beads held together by short, thin segments of a stalk. They also make excellent pickle made in a similar way to vegetable pickles; or create seaweed caviar! Bound to impress when you invite guests to your home on water.
Karengo chips
Karengo, a red seaweed, is found on rocks along exposed coasts particularly the Kaikoura and Akoroa coasts, and is rare. It’s a delicacy to Māori and is closely related to Japanese nori and Welsh laver. Lightly roast dried karengo in the oven at 160°C, drizzled with sesame and olive oil, until crisp and toasty. Enjoy as a snack with beer, sprinkle over salads, or mix into hummus.
Wakame chips
Wakame is a large, brown kelp that can be found in the Marlborough Sounds, Otago Harbour, Bluff Harbour, and Oamaru Harbour. It is also known as Japanese seaweed. Make it in a similar way to Karengo chips.
Kūmara or falafel seaweed patties
Just mix in as you would with herbs or chopped chives/spring onions.
Seaweed strips
Add to home-made rice paper rolls, dumplings, or fried spring rolls.
Seaweed popcorn
Dried seaweed crumbled up in popcorn; consider adding some maple syrup or similar if you want sweetness as well as saltiness.
Here’s a nutritious culinary idea which is very interesting. Bliss balls (eg with cocoa, almond meal, sunflower seeds, date syrup) rolled and coated in dried seaweed.
These simple methods make it easy to integrate seaweed into everyday meals, adding flavour, nutrition, and a taste of the ocean to your cooking. There are so many things you can do with seaweed, and used sustainably, it provides an additional source of food.
If you’re keen for recipes that centre on the notion of sustainability, Alison has kindly suggested that we point you to the Recipe link for the Travelling Kitchen. The link can be found at https://www.travellingkitchen.co.nz/recipes/. Although the recipes aren’t focused on seaweed, you could use seaweed in any of them anyway. The recipes are bilingual and photo-based, to help make them easily accessible.
The health benefits of seaweed
Beyond its culinary appeal, seaweed is a nutritional powerhouse. It’s rich in iodine, which supports thyroid health, and contains vitamins A, C, and B12. It’s also packed with antioxidants, fibre, and essential minerals like iron and calcium—making it one of the most nutrient-dense wild foods available.
A final word on foraging ethics
Seaweed foraging offers a unique way to connect with nature while enjoying the spoils of the sea. However, it’s vital to forage with care, leaving enough for marine ecosystems to thrive. Respecting tikanga Māori, and a growing body of boaties, principles of sustainable harvest ensures this practice remains viable for future generations.
Get out and explore
Whether you’re anchored in a quiet bay, stopping for a break along the coast, or fully embracing life afloat, seaweed is an easy, sustainable way to enhance your diet. With a little knowledge and care, it transforms from an overlooked part of the ocean into a staple of the galley.
So next time you’re provisioning for a voyage, look beyond the supermarket shelves—the sea might just have everything you need.
Want to know more?
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED: Follow the Travelling Kitchen NZ on Facebook – you’ll find plenty of cooking workshops to attend where they show you how to cook with seaweed
Check out Peter Langlands – who has a thirty page guide to locating, foraging and using wakame seaweed in New Zealand; a great resource for those of us who have a way to go learning about seaweed in New Zealand
Join the Seaweed Foraging group on Facebook – it gives you the chance to ask the questions you always wanted to and to learn from others
