Dulse, a type of red seaweed with a chewy texture that’s often used in dried, flaked form, has been harvested for centuries in Europe. But this sea vegetable, which typically grows along the Pacific and Atlantic coastlines, has remained in relative obscurity in the US – until now.

Researchers from Oregon State University (OSU) were on a mission to develop a new food source for abalone – sea snails that are popular cuisine in Asia. Dulse, rich in proteins, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, turned out to be perfect for this – but while growing the red plant, the researchers had an idea – why not feed dulse to people too?

It might have been a hard sell in the US, where seaweed is typically consumed only with sushi or miso soup… and, to a greater extent, by some of those in the vegan and vegetarian communities.

The strain of dulse being grown in Oregon, however, is unique. It’s so unique that the research team is working on a marketing plan to develop a new line of seaweed-based specialty foods. Oregon State researcher Chris Langdon explained:¹

“This stuff is pretty amazing… When you fry it, which I have done, it tastes like bacon, not seaweed. And it’s a pretty strong bacon flavor.”

Seaweed Can Take on a Meaty Flavor Due to Umami

Seaweed that tastes naturally like bacon could draw in a whole new crowd of people looking to add nutrition and flavor to their diets. While it may seem surprising that a sea vegetable could take on a meaty flavor, seaweed imparts a strong umami flavor into virtually any dish it touches.

It was more than 100 years ago when a Japanese chemist named Kikunae Ikeda discovered the secret that made dashi, a classic seaweed soup, so delicious. It was glutamic acid, which, in your body is often found as glutamate.

Ikeda called this new flavor “umami,” which means “delicious” in Japanese, but it wasn’t until 2002 that modern-day scientists confirmed umami to be a fifth taste, along with sweet, sour, bitter, and salty.

Most foods contain glutamate, although some more than others. Foods naturally high in glutamate include protein-rich meat, eggs, poultry, milk, cheese, and fish, along with sea vegetables, ripe tomatoes, and mushrooms.

Umami is valued for making foods taste better. When an umami-rich food like seaweed is added to soup stock, for instance, it makes the broth heartier, more “meaty,” and more satisfying.