Peanut Free Basil-Herb Kelp Noodle Salad
Kelp noodles are one of those ingredients that feel almost too good to be true — light, satisfying, and ready to soak up whatever you throw at them. Here, they get a long soak in apple cider vinegar and cold water to soften into silky, pliable strands that pair beautifully with shaved zucchini and cool cucumber half-moons. The real star is the blender pesto, a bright, herbaceous sauce built from fresh basil, parsley, garlic, lemon, and a warm undercurrent of turmeric and ginger that makes it feel a little more interesting than your average green sauce. Everything comes together in one big bowl with a good toss, so the noodles and vegetables get completely coated in that vivid, fragrant dressing. For anyone navigating nut allergies, this pesto skips the traditional pine nuts entirely — no substitutions needed, just olive oil doing all the heavy lifting to create a smooth, cohesive sauce. It's the kind of salad that looks impressive enough for a dinner party but is genuinely low-effort to pull off. Finish with torn basil and a squeeze of lemon and you've got something that tastes as fresh and vibrant as it looks.
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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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