This Vegetarian Nicoise Salad has become one of my family’s favorite summertime recipes. With a veggie twist on a classic favorite, you are sure to have some happy eaters on Meatless Monday (or any day)!
Years ago, I lived in Paris and absolutely fell in love with the cuisine. Nicoise Salad, or as the french would say, Salade Niçoise, quickly turned in to one of my most sought after lunch time favorites. The combination of the hard boiled eggs, tomatoes, green beans, potatoes and tuna made my mouth water just at the thought of it, without fail, every single time.
When I met my now Mother in Law (or as I like to call her, Mother in Love), we quickly bonded over our love of this delicious entree. Whenever she’d come in to town, I’d make a huge Nicoise Salad with all of the fixings on it for us to enjoy. My sweet vegetarian son, Kenya, would always look on inquisitively, but with the tuna as a main ingredient, it was out of the question for him. Thus started my quest to come up with the best Vegetarian Nicoise Salad. And dare I say, I think I achieved it.
To add some more texture and healthy fats to this recipe, I chose fresh avocados. The addition of this ingredient was so simple, but a total game changer! The hard boiled eggs already add a healthy amount of protein. And the tomatoes, green beans, potatoes and lettuce make this a meal that’s chock-full of healthy veggies.
Feel free to add in some of your own touches as well. We like to use other variations of veggies like radishes, sliced or quartered, or some delicious sliced cucumber.
More Fresh Salads
Making this salad always makes me feel like summer, so I can guarantee this Vegetarian Nicoise Salad will be in our weekly schedule for as long as I can hold onto that summer sun!
Vegetarian Nicoise Salad
Ingredients
Salad:
- 4 cups little gems, bibb, boston or romaine lettuce, chopped
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 4 hard boiled eggs, halved
- 1 cup green beans, steamed
- 2 avocados, pitted & sliced
- 2 ears of corn, cooked and sliced off the cob
- 1 pound baby potatoes, boiled and halved
Dressing:
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 2 tablespoons shallots, minced
- 3 tablespoons sherry vinegar
- 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon capers, drained and chopped
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 1/2 cup pitted black olives, roughly chopped
Instructions
- In a large bowl, mix together the salad greens, vegetables and other toppings. Toss with the dressing to combine well.
For The Dressing:
- Place all of the ingredients in a mason jar and shake vigorously (this is a fun job for kids) or whisk in a bowl.
2. Dressing can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 9 days.