Nightshade Free Fig & Kelp Noodle Salad with Apple Cider Vinegar Dressing
Bright, refreshing, and genuinely unexpected, this salad brings together silky kelp noodles, sweet fresh figs, and a tangle of crisp vegetables in a way that feels both light and deeply satisfying. The baking soda soak is a clever trick that transforms kelp noodles from stiff and crunchy into something tender and almost silky — no cooking required. Every ingredient here is naturally free from nightshades, so there's no need to swap out anything or second-guess a label; the whole dish just works as written. The dressing is where things really sing: coconut aminos stand in beautifully for soy sauce, delivering that savory depth alongside apple cider vinegar, honey, ginger, turmeric, and a hit of fresh lime juice. Purple cabbage, cucumber, scallion greens, mint, and cilantro keep every bite cool and herby, while the quartered figs add a jammy sweetness that ties the whole bowl together. It's the kind of salad that looks stunning on the table and tastes even better than it looks — proof that eating around nightshades doesn't mean eating boring food.
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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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