Classic Nicoise Salad Recipe with Mustard and Lemon Vinaigrette

At least once a week we indulge in an all-out vegetable fest and this Classic Nicoise Salad Recipe hit the nail on the head!  I make so many rich, delicious foods and desserts that a few times a week we just crave nutrients from vegetables so I try to get all vegetarian, or in this case pescatarian, and create something amazing.  I have always been a sucker for Nicoise Salad, in fact I did one some years back but roasted every single ingredient on the grill including the romaine lettuce.  This time around I wanted to use up the new kitchen goodies so I parked it inside for this one.

Many people have asked me what my favorite thing is in the entire kitchen.  My answer usually leaves the questioner with a blank stare on their face when I say, “My Franke Pot Filler Faucet.”  What about the Wolf Stove or your prep table??  Nope, it’s all about that pot filler.  It just makes things so convenient and puts less pressure on my back to be carrying all these heavy pots of water across my kitchen.  It’s seriously the greatest invention of all time!

If you’ve never made a Nicoise Salad, get that knife sharpened up because there is some vegetable prep in store.  I also want to say that you don’t have to follow this recipe verbatim.  You can absolutely take out or add in vegetables that you like, or even use something you may find on sale, like chickpeas.  However, this recipe would definitely fall under more of a “classic” ingredient format.  Start by parboiling some fresh picked green beans, fingerling potatoes and eggs.  P.S. be sure to cook the eggs though J.  Once the vegetables are al dente and the eggs are cooked through immediately strain them and chill them in some ice water.  Once the cool, cut the potatoes in half short ways and cut the hardboiled eggs in half long ways.  Be sure to keep them cook before serving.

For the salad I used a combination of Romaine lettuce and spring mix.  It’s a simple combinations of greens but it’s always my go to for the family because it’s so easy to prep.  I’m in love with our Franke Farmhouse Sink because it’s nice and deep compared to our old sink which seemed so shallow that things would just splash all over our granite.  Not the case in this beauty.  There are so many yummy vegetables in this Classic Nicoise Salad Recipe and you can see just how beautiful all of the colors are.  If you want to save some time prepping just buy the pitted olives, I promise you’ll thank me for it!

I decided to go with fresh Ahi Tuna instead of the canned because there is obviously a huge difference in quality and flavor.  Simply sear it until it’s cooked through in a little salt and pepper and olive oil over medium high heat, and then chill it.

What would a delicious salad be without dressing?  Keeping in line with the French I went ahead and whipped up a mustard vinaigrette using only fresh lemon juice, white wine vinegar, grainy mustard, Dijon mustard, olive oil and sugar.  It’s super simple and incredibly delicious.

To show this salad off put it on a large platter and fan out all of those tasty fresh vegetables around the outside with the lettuce greens underneath.

I garnished with some fresh kale microgreens for no reason at all other than I am obsessed with garnishing things with microgreens.

The vibrant colors are certainly something to show off so this Classic Nicoise Salad Recipe may be something you want to show off to some friends at your next get together.

If you’re anything like me and crave vegetables a few times a week, then this recipe is sure to satisfy!

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Classic Nicoise Salad Recipe

Vegetables, Ahi Tuna, Mustard Vinaigrette, this Classic Nicoise Salad Recipe is loaded with delicious flavors and nutrients!

Course Salad

Author Chef Billy Parisi

Ingredients

For the Salad:

• 1 head of cut Romaine Lettuce rinsed and drained
• 4 cups of packed spring mix lettuce rinsed and drained
• 1/2 pound of parboiled and cooled picked green beans
• 1 pound of parboiled and cooled tri colored fingerling potatoes cut in half short ways
• 5 cooked and cooled hardboiled eggs shelled and cut in half long ways
• 1 cup of assorted cherry tomatoes cut in half
• ½ julienne red onion
• ½ sliced cucumber
• 1 can of drained and quartered artichoke hearts
• ½ cup each Spanish Kalamata and nicoise olives
• 3 thinly sliced radishes
• 1 pound of fully cooked cooled and roughly chopped ahi tuna
• Kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste
• kale microgreens for garnish

For the Dressing:

• Juice of 1 lemon
• 3 tablespoons of white wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon of grainy mustard
• 1 tablespoon of Dijon mustard
• ½ cup of olive oil
• 1 teaspoon of sugar
• Kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste

Instructions

1. For the Salad: Mix together the lettuces and place on a large platter. Evenly fan out the remaining ingredients next to one another on top of the lettuces. Garnish with the microgreens and season with salt and pepper.
2. Dressing: Combine all of the ingredients in a medium size bowl and whisk until emulsified. Serve alongside of the salad.