Sun, glorious sun!! Ahh how wonderful the turn of the seasons is. Tulips popping up, sunlight into the evening, and best of all, perky spring veggies at the store! It’s only March, and in Ohio that means we’re totally not out of the woods (or the cold) yet. BUT, I’m feeling optimistic! I couldn’t resist these juicy green beans at Lucky’s, and a Vegan Nicoise Salad was the perfect was to showcase them!
Neee-swawww. Nicoise. If you’re unfamiliar with this odd French word, it comes from a particular olive-curing method. And a salad nicoise is a composed salad of tomatoes, tuna, hard-boiled eggs, (aforementioned) Niçoise olives, and anchovies, dressed with a vinaigrette. Green beans and potatoes aren’t part of the classic French preparation, but they’ve long been associated with the crunchy veggie entrée and wild variations are more the norm than the classic these days.
Just because 3 of this classic’s main ingredients are no-no’s for me, sure didn’t stop me from creating my own version! When cruising Pinterest for inspiration, I was blown away by the plethora of colorful toppings people piled on top of this salad.
What’s even cooler, you can make this salad with or without a bed of greens underneath. Lettuce think about that… Personally, I’m of the mo’ greens the betta’ mindset, but you’re totally free to do your dang thing here.
I’ve most frequently seen this salad with boiled potatoes but as a texture snob, I just HAD to roast them. All about that crunchy skin. Yum!!
Oh and if you hate all these toppings, don’t like salads [boo], and aren’t interested in making this recipe, make. this. dressing. It’s classic French, refreshingly bright, and delightfully addicting. Then pour it on all the things. Because vegetables are basically just vessels for dressing, right…?
A classic French salad, with an animal-free twist! Vegan Nicoise Salad is amazingly satisfying and perfect for spring!
Ingredients
- 1 head leaf lettuce, washed & torn
- 1 lb. fresh green beans, snipped
- 1 lb. fingerling potatoes
- ½ large cucumber, thinly sliced
- 4-5 radishes, thinly sliced
- 1 can chickpeas, rinsed & drained
- 1 avocado, thinly sliced
- Dry-cured, kalamata, or other olives
- Fresh alfalfa sprouts
- 1 shallot, minced
- 2 Tbs. white wine vinegar
- 1½ Tbs. Dijon mustard
- ¼ cup olive oil
- ¼ cup water
- ½ tsp. each, dried oregano & thyme
- 2 Tbs. fresh dill, minced (or ½ tsp. dry)
- ½ tsp. salt
- ¼ tsp. pepper
Instructions
- Make the dressing: combine all ingredients in a jar and shake vigorously to combine.
- Prepare the veggies: preheat oven to 450 F. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil, add potatoes, and cook for 8 minutes. Drain in a colander and allow to cool and dry well.
- Toss the potatoes with a small amount of olive oil and a healthy amount of salt and pepper. Roast for 15 minutes, until slightly browned.
- Meanwhile, refill the pot with salted water, bring to a boil, and blanch the green beans for 2 minutes. Drain over a colander and rinse immediately with cold water.
- Assemble the salad by tossing the lettuce with dressing, then layering on toppings. Drizzle a bit more dressing, if desired. Enjoy!