Here's a twist on a summer classic French salad, the Salad Nicoise using smoked salmon instead of traditional canned tuna. Top it with a tangy French vinaigrette dressing with Dijon mustard and briny capers. All of the ingredients can be prepared ahead, making this fabulous entree salad and snap to pull together when you're ready to eat. No matter where you live, bring a little French joie de vivre into your summer tonight.
If you peruse a few French chef's opinions you'll get different answers as to what makes a proper Salad Nicoise. Some say it would never have eggs, potatoes, or greens beans, yet others include them. There's always a debate in food. All heresies aside, all of those marvelous elements are what make a Salad Nicoise.
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Why You'll Like This Salad
- There is little cooking and it's done ahead of time.
- A delicious and cool entree salad to beat the summer heat.
- Filled with beautiful colors, flavors, and textures, it's sure to please.
Chef's note: Sounds good but how do you pronounce it? It's pronounced “knee-swahz”. This great classic French salad hails from the beautiful blue water Mediterranean city of Nice.
Salad Nicoise Ingredients
- Greens: I find that soft lettuces such as red lettuce or a baby lettuces mix work best for a Salad Nicoise.
- Protein: The classic is tuna, but I've used smoked salmon here. Either is good.
- Tomatoes: Grape or cherry tomatoes make this easy.
- Olives: Buy the tiny black Nicoise olives.
- Potatoes: There is much debate over including potatoes, but I always add them. I like the little gold potatoes.
- Eggs: Hard boiled eggs adds more protein, color and flavor.
- Green beans: Use the tender French green beans called haricot vert.
Substitutions and Variations
- Not a seafood fan? Use sliced grilled chicken.
- For tuna, used canned light tuna.
- Eating lower carb? Skip the potatoes.
- Can't find Nicoise olives? Buy the Greek kalamata olives. Get pitted.
- For another salmon option, make steamed salmon and chill. It's super easy and great in this salad (and others).
- A good substitute for green beans is steamed or roast asparagus.
- Potato options: Use baby red potatoes or small fingerling potatoes.
- Another good inclusion is artichoke hearts.
Chef' tip: We all need to be aware of mercury levels in canned tuna for health reasons. If you want to use canned tuna, choose one of these safer brands, according to Consumer Reports. For kids and pregnant women, skip tuna. While I love tuna, the mercury and tuna issue is exactly why I use smoked salmon in my Salad Nicoise.
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Recipe Instructions
All of this can be done ahead of time, either a few hours ahead or the day ahead.
- Step 1: Prepare your protein. If using purchased smoked salmon, there's no work.
- Step 2: Hard boil the eggs: For easy peel hard boiled eggs use this method.
- Step 3: Boil the potatoes in salted water until tender when pierced with the tip of a sharp paring knife.
- Step 4: Cook the green beans in salted boiled water for 5 minutes then shock in ice water to stop the cooking process and chill. Drain, dry and refrigerate.
- Step 5: For tomatoes, halve them for easier eating. Refrigerate in an airtight container until salad assembly time.
- Step 6: Be sure your lettuce greens and clean and dry.
- Vinaigrette: Make the vinaigrette and keep it in a jar with a tight lid, then just shake to re-emulsify at serving time.
The vinaigrette is absolutely terrific and works with any salad. It also works well with grilled or roast chicken and as a dressing for a cold potato-style salad. Vinaigrettes are not just for salads. Use them as you would many other dressings and sauces.
Serving Suggestions
Because a Salad Nicoise is considered a composed salad (versus a tossed salad), pile the salad greens in the center of the plates or platter and arrange all of the components in groups over the greens. Drizzle the vinaigrette over the entire thing and serve extra on the side.
Besides being able to make all of the components ahead of time, another great thing about Salad Nicoise is you can make it for 2 or 20. I’ve made crowd-pleasing Salad Nicoise for tailgating before summer concerts. Wish I had a photo!
Add a little dessert like these easy chocolate pots de creme and you have one fantastic meal, tailgate, or picnic, all done with French flair.
Recipe FAQs
Yes, a Salad Nicoise is the perfect made ahead entree salad as all of the components are easily made ahead and refrigerated until assembling for serving. Blanch green beans, boil potatoes, cook and chill your protein of choice, make the vinaigrette, halve tomatoes and be sure your greens are clean and crisp.
To make a Nicoise Salad vegan, omit the eggs and the salmon or tuna, and add a plant-based protein option such as garbanzo beans or even seared or grilled firm tofu. If you want a vegetarian Nicoise, keep the eggs.
According to French chef Francois, a proper Salad Nicoise has no vinegar, no lettuce, no fresh tuna, and absolutely no boiled vegetables, like potatoes or green beans. To use these ingredients would label you a heretic. So it depends on if you want to be a purist or a free-spirited non-conformist. For me, I love the additions of the vegetables and can't imagine not having a good French vinaigrette with my Nicoise. But of course, I am not French and I do like messing with tradition! Choose what you will and enjoy.
📖 Recipe
Salad Nicoise with Smoked Salmon
Ingredients
Vinaigrette (makes extra)
- 1 tablespoon minced shallot approximately 1?2 of one medium shallot
- 1 teaspoon Dijon-style mustard
- ¼ cup champagne vinegar or white balsamic vinegar
- ¾ cup extra virgin olive oil or a lemon olive oil
- 2 tablespoons capers drained and rinsed
- 3 tablespoons chopped Italian parsley
- 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh thyme
- Freshly ground pepper to taste
- Chopped chives and/ or basil chiffonade or leaves to garnish
Salad
- 6-8 ounces spring mix salad greens
- 6 ounces baby green beans
- 8 ounces small baby gold potatoes
- 4 hardboiled eggs
- 4 ounces Kalamata or Nicoise olives
- 12 red cherry or grape tomatoes halved
- 12 ounces Smoked Salmon sub canned light tuna or grilled chicken.
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Instructions
Make the Vinaigrette
- Start be making the vinaigrette. In a medium bowl blend shallot, mustard and vinegar. Slowly drizzle oil into mixture and whisk until emulsified. Add capers, parsley, thyme and pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Set aside to dress the salad.
Cook Green Beans
- Fill a large 5 quart) pt full of water. Bring to a boil. Add 1 tablespoon of salt to a boil. Drop green beans into boiling water and cook 5 minutes. Meanwhile prepare an ice bath: fill a large bowl half full of ice and add cold water to cover the ice. When beans are done cooking, scoop green beans from pot and into the ice bath.
Boil the Potatoes
- Next in the same boiling, cook potatoes. Reduce to a simmer and cook for about 10-12 minutes until they can be pierced through with a paring knife. Remove potatoes with a strainer spoon when they are done. Cool and cut in half if they are small.
Assemble and Serve
- In a large bowl, lightly toss greens with just enough of the vinaigrette to evenly coat the leaves. Arrange the beans and potatoes in groups on a large platter or on individual plates. Mound greens in the center of plates or platter. Lightly toss the tomatoes with a small amount of vinaigrette. Arrange tomatoes and olives in groups around the greens on the plates. Add egg halves to each plate. Season eggs and potatoes with salt and pepper. Finish the salad with large chunks of smoked salmon. Drizzle a little dressing over the salmon, beans and potatoes. Top with chives and/or chopped basil leaves.
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