Laverbread is the Welsh food made from a traditional laver seaweed purée, often served with oatmeal cakes.
Laver is a red seaweed gathered from rocky shores around Wales. After harvesting, it is washed and boiled for several hours until it becomes a dark, soft purée. It may be eaten as it is, rolled in oatmeal and fried, or served alongside cooked breakfast ingredients and seafood.
The food is especially associated with the Welsh coast and the Gower Peninsula. Its strong savory flavor and mineral-rich seaweed character have made it an important part of traditional coastal cooking.
Despite its name, laverbread contains no wheat bread. “Bread” describes its use as a food accompaniment or spread rather than its ingredients. It is also distinct from Irish or Japanese seaweed preparations, which use different species and culinary traditions.