Create allergy card
← Browse ingredients

Kombu

Edible kelp commonly used in Japanese cuisine.

Kombu — illustrative ingredient image

About Kombu

Kombu is edible kelp, especially the dried seaweed used as a foundational ingredient in Japanese cooking. It is steeped in water for dashi, added to simmered dishes, or cooked with beans, vegetables, and rice before being removed or eaten.

Its taste is savory and marine, with a pronounced umami character. Dried kombu is leathery, while rehydrated kombu becomes flexible and slippery; the precise sensory profile varies because kombu is a culinary category covering several edible kelps.

It is typically sold as broad, leathery sheets or strips with a dark olive-brown to nearly black surface. Forms include dried sheets, cut pieces, and sometimes powdered or seasoned products; preparation changes its flexibility and may transfer flavor to a broth.

Ingredient type
whole food
Form
whole

Forms & related ingredients

FOLLOW IT TO THE PLATE

Where will you meet it?

Explore the dishes that use this ingredient and their country and cuisine connections.

Explore linked dishes

ON A MENU OR LABEL

Find local names and written forms to help recognise this ingredient.

See local names

Where kombu appears

23 linked foods

Find foods to recognise by country and type. Recipes and products vary; these are recorded ingredient connections.

Showing 13–23 of 23

Sides

Soups

Noodle dishes

Rice dishes

Other dishes

Ingredient connections awaiting review · Coverage is still growing, including packaged snacks.

Name examples awaiting language review. Confirm the specific food or product.

Local names for kombu

Names and romanised forms to recognise on menus and labels.

English

Kombu

English

Kombu breton (Laminaria digitata), séché ou déshydraté

Search alias · Not a confirmed translation

English

Kombu ou kombu japonais (Saccharina japonica), séché ou déshydraté

Search alias · Not a confirmed translation

English

Kombu royal (Saccharina latissima), séché ou déshydraté

Search alias · Not a confirmed translation

Available names only. Languages may be spoken in other countries; a name alone does not identify every ingredient in a dish.

Kombu nutrition & diet

Kombu nutritional value

Algae, kombu, "Mitsuishi-kombu", dried — MEXT 09018

Per 100 g of the edible portion in the explicitly named reference form.

Calories
235kcal
Protein
7.7g
Carbs
64.7g
Fat
1.9g

Per 100 g edible portion. Values use MEXT 2023 with March 2026 corrections; the English food name is matched by food code from the official English edition. Carbohydrate is total carbohydrate by difference. Values in parentheses in the source are estimates reported by MEXT. This reference does not cover other preparations or brands.

Portions & preparation

Match edible kombu kelp in its stated form: dried sheets, rehydrated pieces, powder, or broth made by steeping. A reference should distinguish the portion removed after stock-making from kelp actually eaten. Preparation with soy sauce, miso, oil, or other ingredients changes the finished serving.

Compare the right form: Match the exact kelp type and form—dried sheet, rehydrated kelp, powder, or broth—and specify whether it is eaten.

Diet considerations

Kombu is a plant-derived edible seaweed. Plain kombu can fit plant-based patterns, but stock, seasoning powders, and prepared products may include fish, shellfish, bonito, soy, or other additions. Portion and whether the kelp is consumed or discarded after steeping materially change the relevant dish context.

AI-authored reading notes · Awaiting editorial review. Measured values, where available, have a separate source above.

Dietary compatibility

  • Vegan
    Typically compatible
  • Vegetarian
    Typically compatible
  • Pescatarian
    Typically compatible
  • Keto
    Depends on the version
  • Paleo
    Typically compatible
  • Low-carb
    Depends on the version
  • Halal
    Not established
  • Kosher
    Not established
What these diet assessments mean
Vegan · Typically compatible
The plain ingredient profile is plant, fungal or mineral based. Added ingredients in a prepared product need a separate check.
Vegetarian · Typically compatible
The plain ingredient profile is plant, fungal or mineral based. Added ingredients in a prepared product need a separate check.
Pescatarian · Typically compatible
The plain ingredient profile is plant, fungal or mineral based. Added ingredients in a prepared product need a separate check.
Keto · Depends on the version
Compatibility depends on the portion and preparation. A sourced carbohydrate amount for a defined serving is not available.
Paleo · Typically compatible
The plain form fits the conventional paleo food groups. Added ingredients and individual interpretations can differ.
Low-carb · Depends on the version
Compatibility depends on the portion and preparation. A sourced carbohydrate amount for a defined serving is not available.
Halal · Not established
Sourcing, processing and any applicable certification have not been verified. A food name alone does not establish halal status.
Kosher · Not established
Sourcing, processing and any applicable certification have not been verified. A food name alone does not establish kosher status.

For the plain ingredient · Awaiting review. Diet compatibility is not allergy suitability or halal/kosher certification. Keto and low-carb depend on the portion.

Reviewed ingredient entryIngredient reference · Preparations vary

AI-generated illustration for visual context. It does not identify a particular product or establish allergen content.

Sources & review

Nutrition reference: MEXT Standard Tables of Food Composition in Japan, 2023 supplement, corrected March 2026 ↗. Values are scaled from 100 g of the recorded edible form. Individual portions have no assumed fixed weight.

Expanded overview, name examples and nutrition notes are database drafts awaiting editorial review. Numeric nutrition values, where shown, have their own source and food-form reference.

The ingredient description and dish connections come from the draft catalogue and may change after review.

Last recorded verification: .