Nicoise Salad is really called a salad composée, because it’s not tossed, but rather “composed”, on a serving platter or plate. While you don’t have to “compose” a Nicoise salad, it is classic, and does make a lovely presentation.
Nicoise Salad
(This post was originally published on June 14, 2012 and contains affiliate links to help offset the cost of maintaining my website. Thank you.)
What does Nicoise mean?
Nicoise means, from Nice, France, which means that many of the ingredients found in a Nicoise Salad traditionally would have been available around that region. As I was carefully preparing it, I noticed that a lot of the ingredients might already be in your fridge. I’m sure the original Nicoise Salad was created by a clever French housewife using up left-overs; “Hey, what can we do with last night’s leftover green beans?” “Throw them in tonight’s salad!”
Canned or fresh tuna in a Nicoise salad?
While fresh tuna would have been the main ingredient, Nice was originally a fishing port, after all, using fresh tuna is generally pretty pricey. I’m not a huge fan of canned tuna, so I substitute canned wild Alaskan salmon instead. Whichever you choose, try to buy the best canned tuna or salmon you can afford. I generally look for wild caught, and I don’t shy away from canned fish packed in olive oil, (more flavor!)
What ingredients are in a Nicoise Salad?
Heirloom tomatoes from my garden.
The small Nicoise olives are traditional, but feel free to substitute Kalamata or Greek olives. Boiled potatoes are also a key ingredient. No surprise since the potato is an important part of most European diets. I think you can decide which type of potato you prefer as you customize this salad. I usually opt for red or yellow. Cucumbers, haricots verts, (green beens), and bell peppers would have been growing in the garden behind the French farmhouse, and most likely a few chickens would have been part of the family, providing fresh eggs on a daily basis. Capers and tomatoes round out the ingredient list, and of course give it the Mediterranean flavors from the South of France.
Heirloom tomatoes from my garden.
What kind of dressing goes on a Nicoise Salad?
The homemade vinaigrette is classic and simple. Once you taste a homemade vinaigrette, you’ll never settle for bottled dressing again. Anchovies would also be an ingredient found in a Nicoise Salad, but I’ve opted to put them in my dressing only, as they seem to be an acquired taste for some. (You’ll never notice them in the dressing, however, and they do give a lovely “umami” flavor to the dressing. I do keep a tube of anchovy paste in my fridge just for Caesar Salad or a vinaigrette like this one. It’s much easier than opening a can!
Vinaigrette
So, although I give you the “Classic” recipe for a Nicoise Salad, I would hope that you might make changes to it as you adapt it to your family’s tastes. Substitute asparagus instead for the green beans, add artichoke hearts, or Marinated Mushrooms or add those anchovies! I hope you’ll make your own version of a salad composée. On a side note, this recipe is Whole30 compliant, gluten free and Paleo!
Heres’ how to make the perfect hard boiled egg for the Nicoise Salad.
Some of the items used in this post are available at my Amazon store for your convenience.
Nicoise Salad with Vinaigrette Dressing
Ingredients
- Bibb or butter lettuce
- 1/2 pound about 6, cooked potatoes, red, yellow, or fingerling
- 1 bell pepper sliced, I found this little, red, yellow and orange in a big bag and used 2 of each color, yellow, red and orange.
- 1/2 pound green beans cooked.
- 3 hard boiled eggs sliced
- 1 cucumber sliced
- A handful of black olives Nicoise, Greek or Kalamata
- Cherry tomatoes
- Capers
- 2 cans Wild Alaskan Salmon or Tuna, drained
- 1 1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 Tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 1/2 cup Extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 clove garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme, minced
- 1 anchovy filet, minced, (optional) (or 2 teaspoons anchovy paste.)
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Layer the lettuce around a platter. Add layers of veggies.
- Fill in with tuna or salmon. Add capers and olives
- Drizzle dressing over the salad just before serving.
- In a bowl, whisk Dijon, lemon juice, vinegar, olive oil, garlic, thyme, salt, pepper and anchovy paste or filet if using, until blending. Can be made ahead and stored in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
Dorothy at Shockinglydelicious says
Now I know what I want for dinner!
therealhappyhomemaker (aka, Debbie Gates) says
What a beautiful presentation. I enjoy making salads, but like you mix them. It must be an American thing, we always seem to be in a hurry and just throw things together. Thank you for sharing this beautiful salad.
Cynthia says
@therealhappyhomemaker, a composed salad is a great presentation for a buffet or when the salad is going to be the main meal. thanks!
Baker Bettie says
Beautiful! I always think of Julia Child’s episode of Salad Nicoise when I see this! The way she says “Salad Nicoise!” is priceless.
Cynthia says
Ha, ha! I still love Julia!
Tara says
This is one of my favorite salads of all time, yours looks gorgeous!!
Cynthia says
Thank you so much!
Aunt Bee says
I have only had 1 salad nicoise and it was the best salad I have ever had! Yours looks AMAZING!!!!! I have to try it! <3
Cynthia says
Thank you! Easy to make at home!
Geneviève says
This Niçoise looks delectable!
I was wondering if you happened to know the nutrional content to the recipe? I guiltily succumb to calorie counting 😉
Cynthia says
I had it and it miscalculated and I couldn’t figure out how to re-boot it. It’s on my list to redo. Since I started doing keto and low-carb I’ve stopped counting calories too.
Kim @ The Cookie Puzzle says
What a wonderfully looking salad. I can not wait to try this one. Pinning now. Thank you for sharing at Party in Your PJs.
Julie @ Tastes of Lizzy T says
This is simply a gorgeous salad! Looks like such an easy dinner.
Ilene says
This looks wonderful! I never thought to put thyme in my vinaigrette, but I am going to try it this week! This is a perfect meal for warm summer evenings!
Michelle @ A Dish of Daily Life says
What a beautiful salad! Once the warmer weather rolls around, I start craving salads. I can’t wait to try yours!
Sarah says
This looks delicious, can’t wait to try it!
allie @ Through Her Looking Glass says
What a gorgeous composed salad, Cynthia! I love everything you included and especially the fresh herb and lemon vinaigrette. It is so rewarding to make your own dressing. It tastes so much better and you can pronounce everything that’s in it!
Ashley @ Wishes and Dishes says
I love composed salads! The are so impressive to bring to a party! I’m so trying this one.
Christina at Christina's Cucina says
This is such a gorgeous composition of a salad, it almost looks too good to eat. Notice, I said, “almost”! Beautiful for so many occasions and easy to put together, too!
Cynthia says
Thank you Christina!
Taylor Kiser says
I love that you substituted wild Alaskan salmon in this! Looks delicious! And you are absolutely right about homemade salad dressings – always better! 🙂
Cynthia says
Thank you! I am a fan of homemade dressing, especially since they’re so easy to whip up!
zouhair fiorino najjar says
awesome ..healthy recipe..thanks..
Cynthia says
Thank you Zouhair
Kristin says
You know the way to my heart! When we’re not traveling, we cook clean 80% of time, so this is right up our alley! But it would taste even better if you made it for me, lol 😉
Cynthia says
Yes, we like to eat clean most of the time too! This is the perfect way to bring a little of Europe home!
Mimi says
One of my favorite salads. Actually way better at home than any I’ve ever ordered in Nice! I buy tuna belly now – either Spanish or Italian. So good for special salads like this. Have you ever had it?
Vicky says
This is one beautiful salad! Pinned.
lowcarbfrenchie says
Please, no potatoes, no green beans in the salade niçoise !!
I grew in Nice so I know what I’m talking about… 🙂 🙂
Also, your recipe isn’t low-carb with potatoes in !
xx
Cynthia says
Sorry to disagree with you, but I spent 18 months in culinary school and was trained by European chefs, most of whom were French. Salade Nicoise is a very classic presentation of a composed salad. Both potatoes and green beans are part of the salad. In fact,I’ve never heard of one that didn’t include those ingredients. Just to be sure, I went back and checked my text book from culinary school, Larousse Gastronomique, (which is a culinary “bible”) AND Julia Child’s Mastering the Art of French Cuisine. Regarding the “low-carb” aspect, you are correct, if you ate all those potatoes by yourself, they most surely wouldn’t be low carb. The beauty of a “Composed” salad is that the ingredients are presented separately, so this dish is ideal for a variety of diets. Are you low-carb? Skip the potatoes! Allergic to eggs? Don’t take one. Vegetarian? Don’t don’t eat the fish. The salad is meant to be served to 6-8 people. Perhaps you’ve been eating a modern version of this salad?
Scott Fenton says
lowcarbfrenchie is correct if we are discussing the original Salade Nicoise before it started to become internationally famous. The original, original 😉 was just tomatoes, anchovies and olive oi. In the early 1900s it was usually included tomatoes, anchovies, artichokes, an olive-oil-based dressing, red peppers and black olives, but excluded tuna, potatoes, and lettuce. The later 1900s, as it became a global favorite, took on the fuge and variation style of tuna, canned or fresh, capers, potatoes, boiled egg, etc.
So, for a Nicoise local, lc-frenchie says sooth. In the 70s, I went to College de Nice, as well as up in Grenoble, worked in Paris, ate this often, and the salad was transitioning to what you so well describe above.
The wiki has a lot of good references: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salade_ni%C3%A7oise
Cynthia says
thank you for that clarification Scott. I went to culinary school in the early 80’s. It was classical French training of 16 months. This is the recipe I was taught. I’m sure the recipes changed and adapted quite a bit over time. I rely on Le Guide Culinaire by Escoffier and other culinary text and reference books. Here’s a quote from the guide, originally published in 1907: “Take equal quantities of diced French green beans, diced potato and quarters of tomatoes. Decorate with capers, olives and anchovy filets. Dressing, oil and vinegar.” Julia Child’s Mastering the Art of French Cooking (1970) includes tuna and hard boiled eggs. The bibb you see is to line the platter and so that it will photograph better. Yes, I did take license with the tuna and substituted salmon which I noted. Again, the beauty of a Salade Composee is that if you’re not fond of one or more of the ingredients, you’re free to skip them.