Paleo Basil-Herb Kelp Noodle Salad
Kelp noodles are one of those ingredients that sound intimidating but are genuinely effortless once you know the trick — a quick soak in apple cider vinegar and cold water softens them into tender, pliable strands that hold onto a sauce beautifully. Here, they get tossed with shaved zucchini ribbons and cool cucumber slices, making this salad feel fresh, light, and satisfying all at once. The real star is the blender pesto: two full cups of basil blended with parsley, garlic, lemon, and a warm hit of turmeric and ginger that gives it unexpected depth without straying from clean, whole-food ingredients. Grain-free eating can sometimes feel like you're constantly substituting and compromising, but this dish doesn't ask you to miss anything — it stands completely on its own. Everything in the pesto and the salad is naturally compliant, with no cheese, legumes, or grains to navigate around. It comes together in one bowl with minimal cleanup, and the bright green color alone makes it feel like something you'd order at a restaurant rather than throw together at home. Finish with torn basil and a squeeze of lemon, and you've got a dish that looks as good as it tastes.
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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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