Nitrate & Nitrite Free Fig & Kelp Noodle Salad with Apple Cider Vinegar Dressing
Bright, refreshing, and genuinely unexpected, this salad brings together silky kelp noodles, jewel-like fresh figs, and a zingy apple cider vinegar dressing that hits every note at once. The trick to getting those kelp noodles just right is a quick baking soda soak, which transforms them from stiff and glassy to tender and pliable without any cooking at all. Coconut aminos stand in beautifully for soy sauce, delivering that savory depth without any of the preservatives or additives that make conventional condiments a concern for anyone avoiding nitrates and nitrites. Fresh ginger, turmeric, and lime juice round out the dressing with warmth and brightness, while the mint and cilantro keep every bite feeling clean and alive. The quartered figs are the real showstopper — their honeyed sweetness plays off the tangy vinegar dressing in a way that feels almost effortless. Purple cabbage and cucumber add satisfying crunch, making this a salad that actually holds its own as a full meal rather than a side thought. Every ingredient here is whole, unprocessed, and straightforwardly clean, so you can serve it with total confidence.
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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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