Veggie Niçoise Salad
Veggie Niçoise Salad is a spin on the traditional salad which has tuna. A filling, refreshing and colourful salad, one can enjoy is as a light meal or as a side. Take it along for picnics or garden parties.
Ingredients
FOR THE SALAD:
- 3-4 eggs boiled
- 100 g green beans or a handful
- 1 cup red/white beans cooked
- 1 cup cucumber slices
- 2 cups baby potatoes boiled in salted water
- ¼ cup olives
- 1 cup baby tomatoes
- 1-2 sprigs fresh herbs
- handful salad leaves/baby spinach optional
FOR THE LEMON VINAIGRETTE:
- ¼ cup olive oil
- ¼ cup lemon juice
- 1 tsp coarsely crushed mustard or dijon mustard
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp balck pepper powder
- 1 tbsp honey/maple syrup optional
Instructions
- PREPARATION OF VEGGIE NICOISE SALAD
- Boil the eggs in simmering water the way you want them, hard or semi soft.
- Peel and cut them into halves.
- Boil the potatoes in salted water till done.
- As I used baby potatoes I did not peel them.
- Cut the potatoes into halves.
- Add Green Beans/French Beans to boiling water. Blanch for 2-3 minutes.
- Remove the beans with slotted spoon or strainer. Immediately add them to ice cold water. After 5 minutes remove the beans from the water.
- Leaves the baby tomatoes whole or cut them into halves. If you are using normal tomatoes then cut them into chunks.
- Cut the cucumber into slices or thick quarters.
- Layer a plate with the salad leaves or spinach.
- Arrange the boiled eggs, green beans, red/white beans, olives, tomatoes, potatoes, cucumber over the leaves.
- Add fresh herbs.
PREPARATION OF LEMON VINAIGRETTE
- Add all the vinaigrette ingredients in a bowl and whisk to blend.
- I like to add the ingredients in a jar with an airtight lid. Close the jar properly and give it a good shake. So much easier than whisking it.
Notes
- Add vegetables like radish, carrots if you want for that extra crunch.
- Add pickled vegetables like capers, artichoke hearts, gherkins, etc.
- Use salad leaves of your choice.
- Add extra protein of your choice. Some recommendations are quinoa, feta, hard cheese, lentils. Go ahead and add meat, tuna, anchovies for that traditional salad.