Dairy Free Fig & Kelp Noodle Salad with Apple Cider Vinegar Dressing
This salad is a stunning collision of sweet, tangy, and fresh — ripe figs nestled among silky kelp noodles, crisp purple cabbage, cool cucumber, and a riot of mint and cilantro. The dressing is where everything comes alive: coconut aminos and apple cider vinegar bring a bright, savory depth, while honey, fresh ginger, turmeric, and lime juice round it all out into something genuinely craveable. Every single ingredient here is naturally free of dairy, so there's no swapping, substituting, or second-guessing — it just works as written. The baking soda soak is a clever trick that transforms kelp noodles from stiff and crunchy into tender, pliable strands that drink up the dressing beautifully. Folding in the figs at the end keeps them intact so you get those gorgeous jammy bursts in every bite. It's the kind of dish that looks impressive enough for a dinner party but comes together with minimal effort and a single mixing bowl.
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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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