Artificial Food Coloring Free Asian-Inspired Salmon Salad
Bright, fresh, and packed with bold flavor, this salmon salad is the kind of meal that looks impressive but comes together with surprisingly little fuss. The dressing is built entirely from real, whole ingredients — coconut aminos, apple cider vinegar, fresh ginger, raw honey, and lime juice — so there's no reaching for a bottled sauce that might be hiding synthetic dyes or artificial additives. Coconut aminos in particular is a fantastic swap for conventional soy sauce, which can sometimes contain coloring agents depending on the brand. The salmon itself gets a simple rub of turmeric, ground ginger, and sea salt before hitting a hot skillet with coconut oil, developing a beautifully crisp skin with nothing artificial involved. Underneath, the salad is a crunchy, colorful mix of shredded cabbage, julienned carrot, cucumber, scallion greens, and fresh cilantro — all naturally vibrant without a drop of food dye in sight. A final drizzle of that tangy ginger-lime dressing ties everything together and makes each bite feel lively and restaurant-worthy. It's the kind of clean, satisfying dinner that proves you really don't need anything artificial to make food look and taste this good.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
For the salmon
- 4 salmon fillets (about 6 oz each), skin-on
- 1 tbsp coconut oil
- ½ tsp fine sea salt
- ½ tsp ground turmeric
- ¼ tsp ground ginger
For the dressing
- 3 tbsp coconut aminos
- 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tbsp fresh ginger, finely grated
- 1 tsp raw honey
- 1 tsp fresh lime juice
For the salad
- 4 cups green cabbage, thinly shredded
- 1 large carrot, julienned or coarsely grated
- 1 english cucumber, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
- 4 scallions (green tops only), thinly sliced
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro leaves
- 1 tbsp fresh mint leaves, torn (optional)
For serving
- lime wedges, for serving (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Make the dressing: whisk together the coconut aminos, apple cider vinegar, olive oil, grated ginger, honey, and lime juice in a small bowl until the honey is fully dissolved and the dressing is uniform. Set aside.
- 2
Combine the shredded cabbage, carrot, cucumber, scallion greens, and cilantro in a large mixing bowl. Drizzle about two-thirds of the dressing over the vegetables and toss until evenly coated. Scatter the mint over the top, if using.
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