Vegan Niçoise Salad
A colourful, abundant salad inspired by the shores of the French Riviera — a generous platter piled high with tender golden potatoes, crisp green beans, juicy ripe tomatoes, crisp lettuce, refreshing cucumber, briny black olives, and capers, all brought together with a bright, zesty herb vinaigrette. This fully vegan version replaces the traditional tuna and eggs with extra fresh vegetables and savoury flavours, keeping every bit of the sunshine‑bright appeal, satisfying texture, and wonderful balance of salty, tangy, and fresh that makes this salad so beloved!
Shared by jessy
Time
35 min
Serves
4
Difficulty
easy
🛒 Ingredients
- #For the Salad;
- 400 g baby potatoes, small and evenly sized
- 250 g green beans or flat romano beans, trimmed
- 4 large ripe tomatoes, cut into wedges
- 200 g cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 small cucumber, sliced into half‑moons
- 150 g mixed black and green olives, pitted
- 2 tbsp capers, drained and rinsed
- 1 small head crisp lettuce (romaine or butter lettuce), leaves separated
- ½ small fennel bulb, very thinly sliced (optional)
- Fresh basil, parsley, or mint leaves for garnish
- #For the Zesty Vinaigrette Dressing;
- 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil.. 1½ tbsp lemon juice or white wine vinegar
- 1 clove garlic, very finely minced.. 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- ½ tsp dried thyme or herbes de Provence.. Salt and black pepper to taste
- ½ tsp maple syrup or agave nectar (balances acidity, optional)
👩🍳 Instructions
- 1
Start by preparing the potatoes: place them in a pot of lightly salted cold water, bring to a boil, and simmer for 12–15 minutes until just tender when pierced with a knife — take care not to overcook them. Drain and set aside to cool slightly, then slice them in half or quarters once cool enough to handle. While the potatoes cook, prepare the green beans: steam or blanch them in boiling salted water for 3–4 minutes until crisp‑tender, then immediately plunge them into cold water to stop the cooking and lock in their bright green colour and crunch; drain well and pat dry.
- 2
Next, make the dressing by whisking together the olive oil, lemon juice or vinegar, minced garlic, Dijon mustard, herbs, a pinch of salt, plenty of black pepper, and the optional sweetener until smooth and creamy. Taste and adjust seasoning — it should be bright, tangy, and well balanced.
- 3
Now assemble the salad on a large platter or individual plates: arrange the lettuce leaves as a base, then place the warm or room‑temperature potatoes, green beans, tomato wedges, cherry tomatoes, cucumber slices, and fennel in generous sections or colourful rows across the platter. Scatter the olives and capers evenly over the top, then drizzle the entire salad generously with the prepared vinaigrette. Finish with fresh herb leaves, a final crack of black pepper, and serve — either as a light, refreshing main meal or a beautiful shared side dish.