Citric Acid Free Fig & Kelp Noodle Salad with Apple Cider Vinegar Dressing
Bright, cooling, and genuinely stunning on the plate, this noodle salad layers silky kelp noodles with juicy fresh figs, crisp purple cabbage, cucumber, and a shower of fresh mint and cilantro. The baking soda soak is a clever trick that transforms kelp noodles from stiff and crunchy into something tender and almost silky — no heat required. Avoiding citric acid can be tricky with packaged dressings and condiments, since it hides in everything from bottled vinaigrettes to flavored sauces, but this one is made entirely from scratch with clean, whole ingredients. Coconut aminos stand in for soy sauce without the additives, apple cider vinegar brings the tang, and a little honey and fresh ginger round everything out into a dressing that feels complex but comes together in minutes. The lime juice adds brightness without relying on any processed citric acid derivatives. Sweet figs folded in at the end make every bite feel a little luxurious, and the turmeric gives the whole salad a gorgeous golden glow. Serve it right away for maximum crunch, or let it rest briefly in the fridge to let the flavors settle in even deeper.
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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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