Artificial Food Coloring Free Fig & Kelp Noodle Salad with Apple Cider Vinegar Dressing
This salad is a genuinely stunning combination of textures and flavors — silky kelp noodles, crisp purple cabbage, cool cucumber, and jammy fresh figs all tossed in a bright, tangy dressing that hits every note at once. The color here comes entirely from real food: deep purple cabbage, golden turmeric, vivid green herbs, and those gorgeous quartered figs, with zero synthetic dyes anywhere in sight. That matters more than it might seem, because bottled dressings and pre-seasoned noodle products are some of the sneakiest places artificial colorings hide. Making the dressing from scratch with coconut aminos, apple cider vinegar, fresh ginger, and lime juice means you know exactly what's going in — and it tastes far better than anything from a packet anyway. The baking soda soak is a clever trick that transforms kelp noodles from stiff and crunchy into something genuinely tender and satisfying, almost like a lighter glass noodle. Fresh mint and cilantro bring an herby lift that keeps the whole bowl feeling clean and lively rather than heavy. It's the kind of salad that looks impressive enough for company but comes together with nothing more than a whisk, a colander, and a little patience.
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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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