Carrageenan Free Fig & Kelp Noodle Salad with Apple Cider Vinegar Dressing
Kelp noodles might sound intimidating, but this bright, produce-packed salad is genuinely one of the easiest things you can throw together when you want something fresh and a little unexpected. The simple baking soda soak is the secret weapon here — it transforms the noodles from stiff and glassy to soft and pleasantly chewy without any cooking required. Sweet quartered figs, crunchy purple cabbage, cool cucumber, and a tangle of fresh mint and cilantro make every bite feel layered and alive. The dressing pulls it all together beautifully: coconut aminos and lime juice bring a savory, citrusy backbone, while honey and grated ginger add just enough warmth and sweetness to balance the apple cider vinegar. For anyone navigating carrageenan concerns, this recipe is a genuinely clean option — kelp noodles are simply seaweed and water, and every other ingredient here is whole and unprocessed, so there's nothing hidden to second-guess. It's the kind of salad that looks impressive enough for a dinner party but comes together with almost no effort at all.
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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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