Optimise your wellbeing by learning to make this vegan style refreshingly sweet spiced infused Jamaican sea moss drink recipe more commonly known as Irish moss. A modern blender technique with no boiling required making it carrageenan free!!
If you’re looking for a nutritious beverage that is good for your health and tastes delicious then this sea moss drink has it going on. When it comes to adding the right spice blends to a tropical drink, the Caribbean are good at mastering that fine balance.
If you want to learn how to make sea moss drink that is vegan, modified yet still packed with flavour then read ahead.
What is sea moss?
Sea moss is a type of algae which grows on the rocky parts the Atlantic coast and North America. It is referred to by several names including Irish moss, Chondrus Crispus and Carrageen moss. You will also see it labelled as either of the aforementioned names.
Growing up I knew it as Jamaican Irish moss or simply sea moss so I may use those two names interchangeably throughout this post.
Pure sea moss has become contemporary which sees raw sea moss used in Dr Sebi’s alkaline diet, gels/paste and used as a thickening agent.
Is Carrageenan the same as sea/Irish moss?
No, Carrageenan is a refined and highly processed derivative from the sea moss. This gum extract is what is commercially used in many food and drinks such as ice cream, syrups, beverages and used as a stabiliser or to add texture.
Many people are under the impression that pure sea moss is not healthy when it’s actually the highly processed substance that comes from Irish moss that is problematic.
For this recipe we are working with pure/unrefined sea moss which has not undergone any high processed treatment. The drink itself is minimally processed and not boiled to retain as much nutrients as possible.
The traditional way of making Irish moss drink/sea moss drink – the Jamaican way
The traditional method for making Irish moss is non vegan. First of all you would rinse the moss several times to remove any debris and sea salt.
Then leave the moss to soak and expand overnight in water so it is easier to boil. From there you would transfer the Irish moss and water into a large pot.
Then add thickeners – Isinglass – a substance that comes from the stomach of a surgeon, gum arabic and linseed (flaxseed). All of the aforementioned would be brought to the boil for 30-40 minutes to make a thick gelatinous substance.
Next you would allow the liquid to cool slightly then strain off the liquid which would turn completely into a panacotta/blancmange type of gelatin.
Once the sea moss gel is portioned, a small amount is added to the blender along with sweetener – condensed milk/honey/milk along with spices and vanilla.
Some people turn things up a notch by adding stout, rum, guinness or peanuts for additional flavour.
Irish moss is quite a potent drink known as a love potion in the Caribbean so many women would prepare this for their spouse. Nowadays the the drink has evolved so much that it is consumed by both genders.
How to make sea moss drink
My way of making Irish sea moss drink is different from the traditional method. With that being said, I felt it was appropriate to share the true Jamaican way of making Irish moss because whenever I modify a recipe from my heritage I ALWAYS acknowledge it’s origins and reasons for any changes.
Don’t boil Irish moss – As Irish moss is packed with so much nutritional value, one of the main recipe modifications is to NOT boil the moss but rather let the moss soak overnight along with the linseed.
Although you won’t get that extra thick gelatin, you will preserve most if the nutritional value which is a lot more healthier.
Isinglass and arabic gum is optional – As this is a vegan recipe Isinglass is forbidden. Gum arabic is merely a thickener and because we are using the entire sea moss there really is no need to add any additives.
Drain off the water from the moss – which brings me to my other point in respect to creating a thick substance without boiling out the nutritional value.
Puree the entire moss – The whole sea moss will be used, nothing is to be wasted. Add the moss/flax water to a high speed blender and puree into a gel consistency.
Sweetener – I like to use a low GI index sweetener to keep within the realm of good health. Agave nectar, coconut nectar or maple syrup are good vegan alternative to honey. You can also use my condensed coconut milk for additional sweetness.
Plant based milk – Coconut milk or almond milk work really well. After making this recipe many times I would highly recommend using almond milk as it really compliments the taste.
Store any leftover sea moss gel – Some people suggest storing it in the refrigetor for upto a month. I personally disagree and suggest using the blended sea moss gel in 3-4 days maximum . Alternatively, you can freeze in small portions, ready to use.
Spices – Dont forget to add your spices – cinnamon, nutmeg and vanilla
Where to buy Irish moss
Irish moss is widely available online (amazon, etsy) and also the best place to purchase it from. If you live in an ethnic neighbourhood then you can find Caribbean brands of Irish moss in your local supermarket. Make sure the moss that you purchase is whole and not flaked and definitely not made in China.
Try to buy sea moss that is described as “wide harvested” or wildcrafted” this a good way of determining its authenticity. Irish moss should also have some signs of debris – sand/sea salt which needs to be thoroughly washed off using your hands.
It shouldn’t have a strong smell of cholrine which some people have reported, so be mindful of that.
How to make a single serving
If you want to make a small individual serving of Irish moss drink. Instead of using the entire bag of moss, simply measure out 1/3 cup of sea moss.
Follow the instructions below only using about 2-3 cups of water soak the moss. Just add the sea moss along with the rest of the ingredients to a blender.
More Jamaican/Caribbean drink recipes
Jamaican Carrot Juice
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Sea Moss Drink (Irish Moss Drink)
Ingredients
To make the sea moss gel
- 100 g of Jamaican Irish moss/sea moss
- 6 cups warm water to soak the moss
- 2 tbsp of linseed flaxseed
To make the drink
- 1 cup Almond milk can use coconut milk
- Coconut condensed milk optional to taste
- 1/4 cup of Sweetener - coconut nectar agave nectar, maple syrup
- 1/8 tsp Nutmeg
- 1/8 tsp Cinnamon
- 1 tsp of Vanilla
Instructions
- Place the sea moss in a colander.
- Use your hands to thoroughly wash any debris and excess sea salt from your moss. Do this several times until the sea moss looks and feels less gritty.
- Place the sea moss and flaxseed in a large size bowl with the 6 cups of warm water and leave to soak overnight. The moss will expand in size and the water should thicken slightly
- Use a colander to pour and drain off the excess water that was used to soak the sea moss
- Place the sea moss into a blender bowl and puree into a paste. The sea moss should be gelatinous in texture. Don't worry it's not too thick to begin with, when you store in a large jar in the refrigerator it will turn thick over time
- Scoop out the paste and transfer into a jar/bowl and refrigerate.
- Add 4tbsp of the sea moss paste along with the almond milk, vanilla, spices, sweetener of your choice into a high speed blender
- Blend into a smooth consistency - add any extra i.e rum, stout, oats etc.. now if required
- serve accordingly.
Notes
- Some people refrigerate their moss gel for up to 4 weeks. I recommend storing it for 3-4 days for maximum potency.
- For longevity freeze the gel into small ice cubes.
- DO NOT USE powdered or flaked sea moss, this form of moss is refined as has loss it's nutritional value.
- You can also use this recipe to make the sea moss gel only for additional purposes
- To make a single glass of this drink use 1/3 cup of moss instead soaked in 2-3 cups of water and follow the rest of the instructions.
- Make sure the sea moss you are using is "Wildcrafted" or "Wild Harvested".
- If you are facing any difficultly pureeing your sea moss into gel, add a splash of water. I own a high speed blender (vitamix) which makes a huge difference.
- It is normal for the moss gel to thicken up as it is refrigerated.
- If the actual drink is too thick, add a splash of almond milk
Nutrition
I’m so excited to try this. I just got a nice batch from herbalisland.com. It smells just like the ocean. Is the drink salty, I just can’t imagine all the salt coming out in just soaking. Thanks!
Hi Aubry. It shouldn’t be salty at all. It’s important that you rinse off your salt moss very very thoroughly before soaking it.
Hi Charla,
You had a recipe on here for vegan condensed milk made with coconut and cashews. I loved it. Why did you remove it?
Hi Keisha. I got rid of recipes that my readers just didn’t seem to love and that was one of them. They prefer the stove top recipe. I have that recipe in my notes. I see your email address on the backend of my website. I can email it over to you if you need it? let me know!
Yes, that would be great!! Thank you.
Hi Charla,
Please email the recipe for the vegan condensed milk made with coconut and cashews to me as well. Great site!
Thanks :>
Thank you! Just done it!!
Wonderful and yummy. Thank you.
You are welcome
I rinsed mine several times then soaked it and there was no salt tastes at all
Was there a fishy taste?
Hi Charla,
So excited to try this recipe, it sounds really good and love that it’s vegan. I just wanted to clarify with the recipe, would only one serving of the drink be made? I.e. if I wanted to make it for 4 people I would use 4 cups of almond milk and 16tbsp of sea moss gel and so on. Thank you!
Lola
Hi Lola. Yes, that’s correct. Just adjust the amount to serve 4 people, so 4 cups of almond milk and 16tbsp of sea moss gel etc.. is correct.
Absolutely the best way to take sea moss. I love it!! 😍 Thanks for sharing this recipe.
You are very welcome Sojo
Hwllo there!
I live in A big city in the north of Italy and here is not easy to find fresh seamoss. I tried the drink when I was living in London and loved it..
I purchased some 50 gr. of Irishmoss from Internet and now it showed up as Flakes. I saw you advice not to use flakes. can you please explain why are they not good and if I shouldnot use them for the recipe and defenetly dispose of them ?
thank You so much
Hi Giacomo. The reason why I don’t recommend flakes is because there are so many fake suppliers online that I try to recommend sea moss that I know to be authentic which happens to be sea moss that is whole not flakes. Does your sea moss state where it was sourced? What’s the brand name? It’s difficult for me to determine if your sea moss is real without knowing more details.
hey ! I bought it on Ebay from a German supplier. this is therir website>hopfenlager.de
I* guess is a shop for mainly beers ingredients. I guess I can find Irish moss in my town but right now I can`t really roam around. I will try to find a closer supplier….
Thank you for the propt answer !
your website is great !!
Yes. Please try to source the sea moss locally if you can next time and you are welcome.
its a german supplierI found on ebay I guess of mostly beer making ingredients. here is the website> hopfenlager.de
I don’t recommend buying sea moss from Ebay.
Hey, Love the recipe and thanks for the information.
How long can i store the sea moss drink/gel?
Information is in the post. “Store any leftover sea moss gel – Some people suggest storing it in the refrigerator for upto a month. I personally disagree and suggest using the blended sea moss gel in 3-4 days maximum . Alternatively, you can freeze in small portions, ready to use.”
I purchased from fruitzandrootz on Instagram it’s coming from the Caribbean
Can too much sea moss be unwise?
I’m not aware of any issues with over consumption
Hello everyone. I have found plenty of sea moss in the Asian markets. It is authentic with no Chinese labeling. It is pure and gentle.
What’s the brand?
Yes it can it has lots of iodine and too much iodine is bad
Greetings Charla,
Where can I get the coconut condensed milk? I think this is a healthier sweetener.
Hi Horace, Here is the link https://thatgirlcookshealthy.com/organic-condensed-coconut-milk/
Hi Joanne.. Once I soak the sea moss overnight can I blend it with green tea powder and drink it like tea?
Great recipe I’ll be trying this later this week 🙂 I already boiled some last night and put some in my fruit smoothie this morning. Now I know that I shouldn’t have boiled it! Do you think it’s safe to drink or shall I throw it away?
Hi Joanne. Drink it this time around rather than waste it since you are only doing it on this occasion. Moving forward it’s highly recommended to soak the sea moss in order to retain its nutritional value.
Thank you soo very much for sharing this dear. Loving your website. I was stressed and overwhelmed by the choices on Amazon, so I ended up buying from Chakabars Fruit and Rootz and it got here faster than expected and looks very fresh! Quick question, I only have ground flax on hand at the moment, will that be acceptable?
Hi Jackie. Yes, you can certainly use ground flaxseed. The recipe will still work the same.
Hi Charla, Thank you for sharing this recipe. I’m looking forward to try it. Please can you give me contacts to your jamaican supplier? I get my seamoss from two suppliers but they pack them themselves in plastic bags and nothing that mentions where it is form.
Also, do you think we can make hot beverages with seamoss for cold season?
I find this https://akeempierre.com/ sea moss to be the most credible around. In respect to your two suppliers I would double check whether or not they source it from China because that’s where the fake stuff is coming from. I haven’t made any hot beverages with sea moss yet, but I’m hoping to do some trial and error to see what hot beverages I can make with it
Do you have a recommended vendor on Amazon or Etsy for sea moss? I’ve seen so many that appear to be fake but I don’t have the experience to really judge. I have read, and seen clips of Dr. Sebi stating that the thicker, heavily salted version is pool grown and not the natural form found in the ocean but it seems all I find on Amazon and Etsy are the thicker, heavily salted kind… I’d rather purchase the real deal but I’m finding it difficult to determine what is actually the real deal. Please help!!
I can’t recommend a specific vendor via Etsy or Amazon as I buy my sea moss locally from a Jamaican store. However, I do know for a fact the this guy https://akeempierre.com/ sells authentic sea moss. You want to stay away from any sea moss that is “made in China” it’s fake. Also, most wildcrafted sea moss that is harvested in Jamaica (check the label to make sure it states this) will be authentic. I hope that helps!
Hello,
What’s is the recipe/measurements for a single cup/batch?
Hello Taquel.
Follow the exact instruction using a 1/3 cup of sea moss and soak it in 2 cups of water instead
Planning to try this recipe out. Does this mean the pre-made Irish seamoss drinks carried in many local, traditional food and juice shops are NOT vegan?
No. It’s most likely not vegan.
Greetings Charla,
Can I make hot tea with sea Moss? If I can, how do I make it? Can I use lemon or lime?
Thank you!
Hi Dee, I haven’t tried it before. If I did I would probably boil the sea moss with some lemon or lime then drain it off. The texture is a little gelatinous so it would be quite thick!!
Hi Charla, If I were to freeze this recipe, or a similar one, into a pop, do you think it could last in the freezer up to a month or so before consuming? Thanks in advance!
Yes, as long as your freezer doesn’t give off freezer burn it should be fine.
Do you have a recipe for powdered sea moss?
No I don’t. I’ve never made sea moss with powder, only the raw stuff.
Oh my goodness, I have been struggling with drinking sea moss for months. This recipe just saved me! I left out the condensed milk and added a little coconut sugar. Thank you!
You Are welcome Whitney!!
I grew up drinking seamoss with my Jamaican food in Ny. I’m glad to have found this recipe!!!
You are welcome April