This is one of the 10 recipes that stick out to me the most when I think of my childhood. Crazy that a Salad Nicoise is one of them huh? Well my mom was a French major & we had a French exchange student growing up… so I think it stemmed from there! I use to like it a lot growing up, however, not as much as I do now, because now I SEE how beneficial it is.
Now that I am older, I appreciate it on a whole new level because this sort of salad dish is customizable for the whole family. It is overall one of the best well rounded dishes in my opinion. It is what summer is all about, with all the fresh produce, drizzled with the best homemade red wine vinaigrette. The best part, after I eat this my body always feels good. It is crazy if you really pay attention. Heaviness you feel with certain meals or food, bloated etc. Whenever, I eat this, I always feel full & fueled!
How is a Salad Nicoise different from a regular salad?
WELL we can thank the people of NICE for this recipe. Nope not calling you nice, which I think you all are hahah, but the French city of Nice.
Salad Nicoise has been around since as early as the 19th century. The first version recorded in the early 19th century was considered a salad for those that didn’t have much money, using a combination of tomatoes, anchovies and olive oil. Then 20 years later it was in a recipe cookbook with more ingredients added on like artichokes, black olives and peppers & more a vinaigrette type of dressing. Then the recipe took off from there!
Since that point in history the Salad Nicoise has been HIGHLY debated, what goes in it for the traditional version and what doesn’t go into it. Chefs who battle if potatoes should really go in it or tuna for that matter!
Honestly, it is pretty neat in my opinion! That there are so many varieties stemming back 100+ years, and that so many chefs have claimed their mark on this ever so delicious and healthy salad. It is a salad where chefs have add rice, have added different varieties of fish as well. It is really is a salad where you add the ingredients you maybe wouldn’t normally think of!
With our family’s recipe, we have a combination of a lot of the classic or non traditional Salad Nicoise recipes & my mom’s signature vinaigrette dressing. However, you can like mentioned above add what you, or need to use in your fridge, but the combination used in this recipe tastes so good with each other that you will want to do follow this recipe!
Ingredients Needed for this Healthy and Easy Salad Nicoise
Now again, one of the best things about this salad is it is tailored to your favorites. Mix & match what you know your family loves to make this the best fresh salad for them this summer! In ours you will need the following:
- Romaine Lettuce or we love Gotham Green’s — Greenhouse Crunch. You want a lettuce with good crisp to it!
- Tuna
- Cauliflower
- Green Beans
- Hard Boiled Eggs
- New Potatoes
- Cucumbers
- Tomatoes
- Olives
- Avocado
*** You will need to steam the green beans, boil the potatoes & the eggs, the cauliflower. Therefore, I don’t normally make the cauliflower all the time. It is SO good in this recipe, however if I want to get it done fast, I will leave out the cauliflower
How to make the Healthy & Easy Red Wine Vinaigrette to go with the Healthy and Easy Salad Nicoise
This homemade red wine vinaigrette is a dressing that I grew up on! I remember as early as I can remember my mom making this dressing for all our salads during the week. Now looking back on it, I can see from the eyes of a now mom how much thought she put into fueling mine and my sisters body with real food and real ingredients. My mom’s cooking is very much a large influence on HGHF mission!
Homemade Red Wine Vinaigrette
- 2/3Â red wine vinegar
- 1 1/3 cup light olive oil
- 1Â large garlic clove or 2 small ones minced
- 3 tsp or more to taste Dijon mustard
- Salt & pepper to taste
Directions:
Shake all ingredients together and refrigerate
^^ I mean how easy is that?!
Can I use other dressing besides the Red Wine Vinaigrette?
You can you another dressing, but I highly recommend using this one 🙂 It pairs really well with the vegetable combination and doesn’t take away from the taste of the ingredients.
Am I able to use or omit some of the vegetables or protein in this recipe?
Of course! What I love about this recipe is it is so accommodating!
What cheese do you recommend for this combination?
I have used tangy cheese in this recipe, because it can hold its own with potatoes, tuna etc. I like to use feta cheese and gorgonzola cheese!
Does this salad keep well for lunches or another dinner during the week?
Yes! What I love is once you have prepped the salad ingredients, they store well for 3 to 5 days in the fridge. That way you can keep reassembly the salad for future lunches & dinners!
Healthy and Easy Salad Nicoise
Equipment
- Air Fryer ( optional )
- Steamer
- Large pot
Ingredients
Homemade Red Wine Vinaigrette
- 2/3 red wine vinegar
- 1 1/3 cup light olive oil
- 1 large garlic clove or 2 small ones minced
- 3 tsp or more to taste Dijon mustard
- Salt & pepper to taste
Salad Nicoise
- 1 head of cauliflower
- 8 new potatoes boiled about 15 minutes for new & red potatoes
- 8 hard boiled eggs
- 12 oz fresh green beans
- 4 oz cherry tomatoes
- 1 can of black olives
- 2 cans of albacore tuna no salt added
- 2 cucumbers sliced into sticks
- 10 oz lettuce like Romaine & Green House crunch like mentioned above just want to make sure it is nice & crunch lettuce!
- 2 ripe avocados
- Everything But the Bagel Seasoning
Instructions
Red Wine Vinaigrette:
- Shake all ingredients together and refrigerate
PRO TIP: I usually like doing these steps simultaneously. Like while my potatoes are boiling, I also have my insta pot boiling my eggs & my air fryer cooking my cauliflower. While all that is going I will get the rest of the veggies ready!
Salad Nicoise
- Wash the tomatoes & set aside. Clean off the cucumbers & slice into sticks, then set aside. Open the cans of tuna, drain & then place the tuna onto a paper towel to let it drain a little bit more until ready to assemble the salads. Dice up the avocado last so it doesn’t have time to brown.
For the Potatoes:
- In a large pot of boiling water, you will cook potatoes until tender but not falling apart, 10 to 15 miuntes. Timing with depend on size of potato– take a fork & if you can spear through the potato easily, they are done! Then drain in collander & rinse with cold water. Then set the potatoes aside in a bowl.
For Hard Boiled Eggs
- my favorite method is in an insta pot. I find that you can cook them perfectly in there & really gage how well done you want them cooked! In the insta pot I place my egg insert, pour 1 cup water in. Then place lid secure to lock, make sure the steam release handle is locked & then put on high pressure for 4 minutes. Then naturally release for 4 minutes. 3 minutes for a bit more runny. In the picture in 4 minutes. Then after they have naturally released, quick release the steam release handle & place the eggs into a bowl of ice cold water.
For Green Beans
- Steam the green beans for 5 minutes after the water has started to boil & then toss with butter if you'd like. I like to sprinkle mine with EBB or both 🙂
For Cauliflower
- Break apart into florets. Then toss in olive oil a little bit of paprika, garlic powder, salt, pepper & juice of one lemon. Air fry on fry setting for 15 minutes ( 400 degrees) Continuing to take the basket out to toss about 5 times. on the 3rd time sprinkle a little more seasoning on top & a little bit more lemon juice.
Assembling the Healthy and Easy alad Nicoise
- After all your parts of you salad are good to go, you can start assembling as see on the plate, then drizzle with the red wine vinaigrette!
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