Dedicated to creating plant-based foods from regenerative agriculture, New York-based alternative meat brand Akua recently launched of the world’s first-ever vegan burger made from kelp.
To bring the kelp burger to life, Akua worked exclusively with sustainably-sourced, ocean-farmed kelp. In fact, all of Akua’s products, their other main offering being kelp jerky, are made from ocean-farmed seaweed.
Akua says that kelp, classified a type of highly renewable algae that comes with many benefits including absorbing carbon and preventing ocean acidification, is a zero-input crop that requires no fresh water, fertilizer, feed, or arid land to grow, making it very eco-friendly. Plus, this incredible seaweed filters carbon and nitrogen from the water as it grows, and by harvesting it, Akua is creating new jobs in coastal communities.
Specifically, Akua sources their seaweed (or “seagreens” as they like to call them) from a network of regenerative ocean farms along the Northeast coast of the United States. The variety of kelp they work with is called Saccharina Latissima.
Beyond sustainability, kelp also has a very impressive nutrition profile. The seaweed is bursting with vitamins A, E, K, and B6, in addition to zinc, potassium, calcium, folate, and iron.
Given the brand’s dual commitment to environmental sustainability and nutrition, it’s no surprise that the Kelp Burger is 100% vegan, GMO-free, plant-based, soy-free, and gluten-free.
While the bulk of the product is made out of ocean-farmed kelp, each patty also contains cremini mushrooms, black beans, quinoa, pea protein, crushed tomatoes, and superfoods. In terms of flavour, Akua describes it as having a toasty umami flavour with hints of fresh tomatoes and mushroom (translation: it doesn’t taste fishy or seafood-like at all).
As with any burger, Akua recommends frying it in a frying pan or on the barbecue. According to the brand, the ideal texture is crispy on the outside and hot all the way through.
Pair it with your favourite toppings and condiments, such as avocado, mustard, or vegan cheese, and voila – a plant-based, sustainably-sourced, highly renewable vegan burger! Not into burgers? Akua also recommends crumbing it up and turning it into falafel or bolognese sauce.
Akua’s Kelp Burger is currently available for purchase on their website in packs of 12, 24, or 36. They are also available at select vegan restaurants in the United States, including Honeybee Burger in LA (the first restaurant to offer this specialized new patty), and gourmet grocers such as HULA’s in Monterey, California and Lemon Press in Nantucket, Massachusetts.
All images in this article are courtesy of Akua.
