Zesty Sesame Peanut Kelp Noodle Salad

It’s keto! t’s vegan! It’s raw and low cal! These kelp “noodles” are nutritious And surprisingly good. I also include a kelp noodle hack to soften them — otherwise they’re weirdly crunchy and I don’t like the mouthfeel.

I was surprised to find the noodles I purchased in Thailand were much thicker than what I’m used to in the US — they’re more like udon, while the ones I’m used to are much thinner, like vermicelli.

There’s a simple hack of rinsing the noodles then soaking and massaging them with baking soda and lemon in water. Then rinse again and use. So easy! They can be eaten raw so you retain all those minerals in the kelp.

Here I’m gathering the ingredients before starting. Notice that because I’m in Thailand I have access to raw organic coconut cider vinegar, but you can use apple cider vinegar in its place. Also, I’m utilizing some quick Vietnamese pickles I made to go with my raw summer rolls. (Recipe here.) They last about 6 weeks in the refrigerator and really punch up the flavor of this kelp noodle salad. But if you don’t have them, you can always chop some carrot and daikon into batons and add that to the recipe if you wish, or use other pickled or lacto-fermented veggies you might have on hand.

I chose these veggies from what I had on hand but you can certainly use others — thinly sliced sugar snap peas, grape tomatoes, red bell pepper, etc.

Once the noodles have been massaged to the point where they’re soft and al dente, rinse and drain and dry them off.

Add veggies and dressing and stir!

This recipe is so easy, delicious, and it’s raw so it’s packed full of nutrition. Especially as part of a keto diet, this will be in heavy rotation!

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This gingery peanut dressing is excellent with many other dishes too.

Recipe:

• Prep Time: 10 min

• Total Time: 10 min

• Yield: Serves 2 - 3 

• Category: Entree, Salad

• Cuisine: Vegan

INGREDIENTS

• 1 package kelp noodles

• juice of 1/2 small lemon

• 1 1/2 tsp baking soda

• 1 1/2 cups raw veggies cut into batons (carrots, cucumber, celery, red or yellow bell pepper, or whatever else you have on hand)

• 2 tbsp chopped cilantro

• optional - 3 rounded tbsp Vietnamese-style quick pickles of daikon + carrot (recipe here)

• black sesame seeds, to garnish

• lime wedges, to serve

Dressing

• 3 generous tbsp creamy peanut butter

• 1 tablespoons apple cider vinegar (or up to 2 tbsp to taste)

• 1 tbsp lime juice (about 1/2 lime) or more to taste

• 1 tsp toasted sesame oil

• 1 tablespoon tamari, soy sauce (or 1 tbsp + 1 tsp liquid coconut aminos if you’re avoiding soy)

• 1 1/2 teaspoon fresh grated ginger

• 1/4 tbsp salt - I used pink Himilayan salt

• 4 drops or more of liquid stevia, to taste

• Optional - 1/2 - 1 tsp chile garlic sauce to taste (such as Indonesian sambal olek or a sweet Thai chile sauce if you’re eating sugar)

INSTRUCTIONS

Mix the dressing in a small bowl and taste to adjust seasonings to your liking. set aside.

To soften the kelp noodles, rinse under cool running water. Put in a container or bowl (non-metal) and fill with water just to barely cover. Add lemon juice and baking soda. With clean hands, massage the noodles for 2-4 minutes. They will soften. Depending on the thickness of the noodle and your personal taste, stop when noodles seem al dente. They will still get a little softer when dressed. Don’t over-massage or they will get too mushy.

Rinse the noodles well, drain and dry as best you can. Blot with a clean towel or paper towel — that way the water clinging to the noodles won’t dilute the yummy dressing.

Add noodles and veggies and half of the cilantro to a large bowl, and toss. add dressing and mix until well coated.

Serve in individual bowls, garnish with scallions and sesame seeds. Top with fresh lime juice.

Serves 2 – 3