Artificial Food Coloring Free Basil-Herb Kelp Noodle Salad
Bright, herby, and completely free of synthetic dyes, this kelp noodle salad gets every bit of its vivid green color from real ingredients — fresh basil, parsley, and a whisper of turmeric blended into a silky homemade pesto. Packaged salads and bottled dressings are notorious hiding spots for artificial colorants, so making everything from scratch here means you know exactly what's going into the bowl. Kelp noodles are a surprisingly satisfying base — they soak up the lemony, garlicky pesto beautifully after a quick apple cider vinegar soak that softens them into something tender and pleasantly chewy. Shaved zucchini ribbons and thin cucumber half-moons add crunch and freshness without any processed ingredients in sight. The pesto comes together in under a minute in a blender, with lemon zest, ginger, and turmeric rounding out the flavor in a way that feels complex but is genuinely effortless. It's the kind of dish that looks impressive enough for a dinner party but is easy enough to throw together on a weeknight when you want something light and clean.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
For the salad
- 12 oz kelp noodles
- 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tsp salt, divided
- 1 medium zucchini, shaved into thin ribbons with a vegetable peeler
- 1 english cucumber, thinly sliced into half-moons
For the pesto
- 2 cups fresh basil leaves, loosely packed
- ¼ cup fresh parsley leaves
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled
- ⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tbsp lemon juice (from about 1 lemon)
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- ¼ tsp ground turmeric
- ¼ tsp ground ginger
- ¼ tsp salt
For serving
- 2 tbsp fresh basil leaves, torn (optional)
- lemon wedges (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Rinse the kelp noodles under cold running water in a colander, then transfer them to a large mixing bowl. Add the apple cider vinegar, 1/2 tsp of the salt, and enough cold water to submerge the noodles. Let them soak for 15 minutes, until noticeably softened and pliable.
- 2
While the noodles soak, combine the basil, parsley, garlic, lemon juice, lemon zest, turmeric, ginger, and 1/4 tsp salt in a food processor or blender. Pulse 5–6 times to roughly chop the herbs and garlic, then stream in the olive oil with the motor running and process until the pesto is smooth and bright green, about 30 seconds.
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