Kombu VS Wakame-How to Use for

Cooking
Difference Between Kombu VS Wakame 

Kombu:  

 
Most Kombu are imported from Hokkaido in Japan, it has a long 
tradition as delicacy that stands out for its n
​ utritional healing benefits​. 
Although it belongs as a ​seaweed type​, it can be specialized for 
making Dashi. 
Dashi is a type of soup that ​has a meaty flavor​ known i​ n Japan as 
umami​, a flavoring that’s foundational to Japanese cooking. Due to 
being an indispensable part of cooking Dashi, Kombu has become an 
important part of Japanese tradition. 

Besides being for Dashi alone, it can also be eaten like many different 
types of seaweed. And has a distinct crunchiness and soft pliability to 
its structure, t​ he texture of it is a little salty​. 

Additionally adding a strip of Kombu to cooked beans can be 

beneficial for digestion and reducing gas.  

Storage: 

Meanwhile you would want to store these dry strips of Kombu in a 

place that is dry or air-sealed. Therefore it will last longer periods of 
time.  

When you finally need to use the Kombu you want to cut them in the 
size that you want. Then slightly rinse the surface or soak them briefly. 
But make sure it’s not too much that ​it will cleanse them of their 
flavor​. 

How to Make Kombu Dashi: 

Wakame: 
  
The major harvesters of Wakame are found in Japan near areas of its 
coast. Areas such as Naruto strait, Coast of Sanriku, additionally it is 
grown in China and Korea. 

It’s grown mostly near the coast since near the coast there are more 
currents. Hence b
​ eing more rich in nutrients​ that can allow Wakame to 
grow more thick and crispy.  

Additionally there are also ​many different forms​ of Wakame that is 
popularly used around the world: 

Enzo Wakame 
Known as Enzo Wakame or Salt curing Wakame. Which is very 
resilient and f​ illed with flavor​ as a result of the salt curing process that 
it has undergone. 

Haiboshi Wakame  

Haiboshi Wakame or Ash dried Wakame is grown in Naruto, Japan. 

From where it’s harvested to be later coated with a layer of ash to 
create its green color. Furthermore making the Wakame more crispier 
as a result. 

Cut Wakame 

Cut Wakame is the most popular form of Wakame that is often used 
for making soup. And comes in washed and dried. 

History of Wakame 

Firstly Wakame has been a​ popular form of consumption​ in Japanese 

cuisine for over 1000s of years. And has been found in use before 
3,000 B.C. 

Later the use of Wakame is taxed as a law in Japan during 701 A.C. 
for its highly beneficial healing abilities. During this period, Wakame 
was a prized food that is eaten in the imperial court and shrines 
before being sold in the Japanese food market. 

Using Wakame to Make Soup: 

Kombu VS Wakame Nutrition 

Kombu: 

Firstly in Japan Kombu is famous as a decongestant for mucus, while 

containing an abundance source of minerals. Such as calcium, 
magnesium, potassium, iron, and zinc.  

Meanwhile it is abundant in vitamin B, C, D, and E, and carotenes. And 

has the nutrient germanium which is very beneficial for your skin 
health. 

Moreover Kombu also has a lot of fiber, and iodine which is essential 
for balancing your thyroid. Since iodine deficiency will prevent your 
thyroid from properly functioning and leads to hypothyroidism. 

But Kombu has a ton of iodine in comparison to other seaweeds. In 

fact, Kombu is the king of seaweeds with over 95 times more iodine 
than nori and 4.4 times that of Hijiki.  

Wakame: 

Contrastingly, Wakame is more for a Japanese cuisine known as miso 

soup. Further along is part of the cooking ingredients that can be 
eaten.  
Wakame has a deep flavor and tastes quite sweet in texture and is 
popularly used in seaweed salads or for producing clear stock. The 
structure is very light/tender and stringy as a veggie.  

When soaked in hot water, Wakame will expand to 8 times its original 
size. Then it can be eaten raw as a salad or for soup. 

Similarly to Kombu, Wakame has a huge amount of health benefits. In 

100 grams of Wakame contains 6.1mg of iron, 820mg calcium, 
410mg of magnesium, and 35.6grams of fiber. 

Hence making a great nutritious ingredient to include in your kids 

meal. Especially for its large amounts of calcium necessary for your 
children’s growth stage. 

Can You Use Kombu Instead of Wakame? 

Although they are both a seaweed type, Kombu and Wakame are for 
totally different usages. Firstly with the Kombu, it will add a more mild 
salty sweet texture for enhancing the flavor of the soup. 

But the the problem with Wakame is that it tends to get very slimy 
after it gets soaked in hot water. Generally you won’t notice any taste 
difference between them, since they can be both very salty. Yet for 
some more expensive versions you can really taste the flavor 
difference. 
Also Kombu is mainly like an aromatic flavoring for the soup base in 
Japanese cooking. Furthermore due to its thickness, Kombu is only 
added for the final part of soup making. 

Kombu Substitute 

First of all, for the Kombu you can substitute it with a dash of dried 
bonito flakes. Although it doesn’t exactly give the same share of 
flavor. However the bonito flakes will give the soup a smokey and sea 
taste to the base. 

Wakame Substitute  

As for Wakame, you can substitute it with a similar seaweed called 

Alaria Esculenta or Badderlocks. Which is a traditional food found 
near the far North Atlantic Ocean.  

Which can be eaten fresh or cooked, and is popular in Greenland, 

Iceland, and Ireland. While it has a mild flavor profile that can blend 
with other ingredients. 

Kombu and Wakame are for totally different usages in cooking. Not only that but also containing
different nutritional value and flavoring.