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Baking essentials · Baking aids

Agar agar

Plant-based setting agent from red seaweed; sets firm at room temperature and must be boiled to work.

Also called: agar, kanten, china grass

1 recipe with it

What it is

Agar agar is a gelling agent extracted from red algae, sold as powder, flakes or strands (China grass, kanten). It must be boiled for a minute or two to dissolve; it then sets as it cools to around 35–40 °C into a firm, clean-cutting gel that stays solid at room temperature. It is much stronger than gelatine and gives a firmer, more brittle bite, without the melt-in-the-mouth quality. It is vegan.

Gelidium / Gracilaria spp.

How it’s used

  • Vegetarian jellies and panna cotta
  • Japanese yokan and anmitsu
  • Falooda and Indian sweets with China grass
  • Firm vegan cheesecakes
  • Setting fruit and coffee jellies

Characteristics

Texture
Firm, crisp-edged gel.
When cooked
Powder is strongest; flakes and strands need more and longer simmering. Very acidic liquids weaken the set.
Sold as
powder, flakes, dried
Cooking uses
Used for thickening, Used for binding, Suitable for boiling

Storage

Pantry-stable. Keep sealed and dry; keeps for a long time.

Diet, allergens and safety

No major allergens in typical versions.

  • Vegetarian
  • Vegan
  • Dairy-free
  • Egg-free
  • Gluten-free
  • Nut-free
  • Soy-free
  • Caffeine-free

Nutrition per 100 g

Energy
306 kcal
Protein
6.21 g
Carbohydrate
80.88 g
Fat
0.3 g
Fibre
7.7 g
Sugars
2.97 g

USDA FoodData Central: Seaweed, agar, dried.

Substitutes

Optional — what works if you don’t have it, and how it changes the dish.

  • Gelatine — Use roughly 2–4 times the weight; dissolve without boiling. Not vegetarian.

Related ingredients

Recipes with agar agar

  • Alouda

    Mauritian · 1 h 15 min · 230 kcal · Vegetarian

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