Alpha Gal Friendly Fig & Kelp Noodle Salad with Apple Cider Vinegar Dressing
Bright, refreshing, and genuinely stunning on the table, this salad brings together silky kelp noodles, juicy fresh figs, and a tangle of crisp vegetables in a way that feels both light and deeply satisfying. For anyone managing alpha-gal syndrome, finding recipes that are completely free of mammalian meat, dairy, and hidden animal-derived additives can feel like a constant puzzle — this one solves it cleanly. Every ingredient here is plant-based or derived from non-mammalian sources, so there's no need to second-guess the label on a bottled sauce or wonder about a mystery ingredient. The dressing leans on coconut aminos instead of soy sauce for a mellow, umami-rich base, and the apple cider vinegar, lime juice, and fresh ginger give it a zippy brightness that ties everything together. A baking soda soak is the small trick that transforms kelp noodles from stiff and crunchy into something genuinely noodle-like and tender — don't skip it. The figs are folded in last so they stay intact, adding a honeyed sweetness that plays beautifully against the herby mint and cilantro. It's the kind of salad that looks like you spent way more effort than you actually did.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
For the salad
- 12 oz kelp noodles
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 8 fresh figs, quartered
- 2 cups purple cabbage, thinly shredded
- 1 english cucumber, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
- 3 scallions, thinly sliced (green parts only)
- ½ cup fresh mint leaves, roughly torn
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro leaves
For the dressing
- 3 tbsp coconut aminos
- 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tbsp honey
- 1 tsp fresh ginger, finely grated
- ¼ tsp ground turmeric
- ¼ tsp fine sea salt
- 1 tbsp fresh lime juice
Instructions
- 1
Rinse the kelp noodles under cold water in a colander, then transfer them to a large mixing bowl. Fill the bowl with warm water, add the baking soda, and stir briefly to combine. Let the noodles soak for 15 minutes, until they soften from crunchy and stiff to pliable and tender.
- 2
While the noodles soak, whisk together the coconut aminos, apple cider vinegar, olive oil, honey, grated ginger, turmeric, sea salt, and lime juice in a small bowl until the honey is fully dissolved and the dressing is uniform.
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