I’ve always loved this Salad Nicoise Recipe. It’s such a classic and very nutritious with lots of vegetables. I’ve made this for baby showers, a special summer lunch, and in the kitchen of our rental in Avignon. Often in the summer, I’ll have leftover potatoes and green beans, so I make an ad-hoc version on the fly.
There are quite a few ingredients, but many are part of my everyday pantry. I have a small herb garden outside my kitchen, so I just snip fresh herbs. I always have a can of tuna and jars of capers and Nicoise olives in the cabinet or in the refrigerator. Eggs, red onions, and lemons are a staple every week. Tomatoes, green beans, and new potatoes are all in season in September. So, this recipe is really not difficult to pull together.
Note: Before you panic by the number of ingredients and steps, take a breath. I have a short cut. In August and September green beans are in season, we posted about them a couple of weeks ago here.
Super Tip: Here’s my short cut. I plan to use this Salad Nicoise Recipe after a meal that I serve hot with fresh green beans and steamed new potatoes. Then a couple of days later you can just assemble the ingredients. If you haven’t noticed yet, I like to “plan for leftovers”. Then future meals can be prepared faster than if you follow the traditional recipe.
- Laurie Zerga
Founder, Chef-K Inc.
Salad Nicoise Recipe
Serves 4
Ingredients
- 8 ounces of green beans, trimmed and halved lengthwise
- 4 small new potatoes, quartered
- 1 can albacore tuna (6 ½ oz)
- 2 Tbsp red onion, minced
- 1 Tbsp capers, drained (use the tiny ones)
- 2 ripe tomatoes, quartered
- 1/2 head of butter lettuce, washed and leave leaves whole (mixed baby greens may be substituted for the butter lettuce if desired)
- 1/4 cup Nicoise olives (pitted)
- 1 hard-cooked egg, quartered
- 2 lemons, quartered
- 1/2 cup of mustard vinaigrette
- 2 Tbsp assorted minced herbs (tarragon, parsley, chives, basil)
Directions
- Bring a 5-quart pot of water to boil.
- Drop beans into boiling water for 2-3 minutes.
- Remove beans with a slotted spoon, and rinse with cold water to stop cooking. Reserve pot of water for next step.
- Drain and set beans aside.
- In same pot of water, add the potatoes and cook 8-10 minutes. Test with a fork for tenderness. Drain and set aside.
- Drain tuna and place in a medium bowl.
- Add red onion and capers to tuna and mix.
- Now compose the salad onto individual serving plates or a large platter, which ever the chef prefers. Here’s how to compose the salad for 4 individual serving plates:
- Place 1/4 of the lettuce on each of 4 plates.
- Now think of placing each additional ingredient in a different section of the plate.
- Place 1/4 of the potatoes on each plate.
- Place two tomato quarters next to the potatoes on each plate.
- Place 1/4 of the green beans on the other side of potatoes on each plate.
- Place 1/4 of the tuna mixture next to the green beans on each plate.
- Drizzle with 1/4 of the dressing all over each plate.
- Now place the quarter slice of hard egg, and two quarters of lemon on each plate.
- Toss a 1/4 of the olives over the salad and finally sprinkle 1/4 of the mixed herbs over all.
Salad Nicoise Dressing Ingredients
- 2 1/2 Tbsp lemon juice or wine vinegar
- 4 Tbsp of olive oil
- 1 tsp Dijon-style mustard
- 1 Clove of garlic, whole and pressed to release juice
- Salt and pepper to taste (start with 1/8 tsp each)
- 1 Tbsp mixed minced herbs (parsley, tarragon, basil, chives)
Salad Nicoise Dressing Directions
- Place all ingredients in a small jar.
- Put on lid and shake vigorously.
- Remove garlic before using the dressing.
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