Everything you need to know about nori seaweed

Read on to find out all about one of the most popular varieties of seaweed eaten in Japan, nori, and discover what it is, and what nori means below. 

What is nori?

Firstly, what is nori seaweed? Put simply it’s a dried, edible seaweed that features in many Japanese dishes and it contains a lot of vitamins and minerals. Eating a couple of sheets of nori is said to provide enough vitamin A, B1, and B2 for your daily allowance, and it also contains important minerals like potassium, calcium, magnesium, iron, and zinc. You’ll often find it sold as flat sheets that can be used in many different types of dishes, and it quite literally translates to 'ocean moss' in English. Seaweed is prevalent in Japanese cuisine and culture, and if nori has intrigued you enough to find out more about the world of seaweed, then take a look at our rundown of the top five types of seaweed in Japanese cuisine, including nori, for more inspiration. It’s so popular in Japan, that around five billion sheets of nori are produced annually to maintain the supply and demand. 

What is nori made of?

Nori is made from a species of red algae. Whilst traditionally seaweed would have been harvested by divers, there is more commercial growing of seaweed taking place now in Japan. Nori is generally now grown in a very controlled environment, using nets. The seeds are planted into the nets around the end of summer and the nori is harvested in late autumn, once the seaweed reaches a length of around 20cm. The majority of Japanese nori is farmed in the cold sea, around the regions of Chiba, Miyagi, Tokai, Kyushu, and the Seto Inland Sea. When freshly harvested it has a reddish brown appearance, and dries to the green color that we most closely associate with this ingredient. 

What does nori taste like?

Naturally, with it being a product of the sea, nori has both a sweet and salty flavor profile, combined with a strong umami flavor. You’ll easily find it available on its own as sheets to snack on. And, when used in dishes, it adds a milder taste than you might think. In fact, it’s known as one of the more approachable seaweeds to try and taste first if you’re just beginning to explore and sample seaweed. With its crispy texture and moderate flavor, it’s a great place to start if you want to begin introducing seaweed to your dishes. Generally, you’ll find it has a stronger sense of umami than a fishy taste, though, of course, there is still a subtle briny and slightly fishy flavor. 

Traditionally, nori was consumed as a wet ingredient, but it started to become more widely used in food preparation, and then incorporated into the sushi rolls that we know and recognize today. When there was a need to thus preserve the nori for a longer period of time, farmers started to dry it in the sun to create the thin sheets of nori that we see mostly used now. Though regularly sold in sheets for a quick and healthy snack, it's also famously used as the outer layer of many sushi rolls. The seaweed is used to make the sushi rolls tight. You’ll need to soak your nori sheets prior to using them to help make them more malleable and easier for forming into the desired shape for your dish. Once you start looking, you’ll realise nori is used in so many of your favorite sushi rolls, used for both the exterior and interior, to bring form and structure to the sushi. For more sushi inspiration, and to learn about the different types, we have a helpful quick guide to 35 different types of sushi to help with your understanding. 

However, nori is not only confined to snacks and sushi and you will sometimes come across nori in other formats. For example, strips of nori can be added to the top of rice dishes or noodles, to add a touch of color to the recipe. 

Does nori go bad?

If you’re wondering does nori expire, then, like all fresh ingredients, it does have a shelf life. However, owing to it being dried during preparation, nori can last a much longer time than you might initially expect. When kept in the fridge and stored correctly, nori can last for around 6 months. You can also store it in the freezer for up to 10 months, in an airtight container. You will need to defrost the nori before using it, in the fridge overnight.