A healthy, satisfying main-course salad, Salmon Niçoise with roasted red pepper vinaigrette makes a quick weeknight dinner. Ready in under 30 minutes, it’s packed with protein, vitamins, and vibrant flavors.
Salmon Niçoise Salad
This Salmon Niçoise is an easy, elegant dinner that comes together with minimal effort. It’s a great way to celebrate warmer weather while keeping prep time short. Instead of the classic tuna, this version features peppered salmon fillets baked in parchment so the fish stays moist and tender.
Baking the salmon in parchment pouches traps the juices and keeps cleanup simple, so you won’t end up with dry fish. The entire meal — from oven to table — takes roughly 25–30 minutes. If you plan ahead, leftovers like roasted potatoes or hard-boiled eggs speed assembly even more.
Every bite balances bright, savory, and briny notes: crisp green beans, creamy potatoes, briny olives, peppery radishes, cool cucumber, and rich egg, all finished with a roasted red pepper vinaigrette that ties the salad together.
How to Make It
- Wrap the fillets and bake. Place each salmon fillet in a parchment pouch, fold to seal, and set on a baking sheet. Bake at 350°F for about 20 minutes, until the salmon flakes easily and stays juicy.
- Blanch the beans. While the salmon bakes, prepare a large bowl of ice water. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil, add the green (and wax) beans for 1 minute, then transfer to the ice water to stop cooking. Drain after 1–2 minutes.
- Arrange the salad. Spread baby arugula on a platter or in a bowl. Top with roasted potatoes, blanched green beans, olives, sliced radishes, tomatoes, cucumber, and halved hard-boiled eggs.
- Make the dressing. In a small bowl, whisk together roasted red pepper, apple cider vinegar, minced garlic, dried thyme, and extra-virgin olive oil. Season with kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste.
- Toss, top, and serve. Dress the salad, remove the salmon from the parchment, and place the fillets on top. Serve immediately.
Flavor variations
- Short on time? Use canned tuna packed in oil for a classic Niçoise twist.
- Add capers if you enjoy extra briny, pickled flavor.
- For crispier potatoes, use smashed and pan-fried or oven-crisped potatoes.
Tips & Tricks
- Don’t overcook the green beans. One minute in boiling water keeps them bright and slightly crunchy.
- Choose bold olives. Kalamata, Castelvetrano, or Niçoise olives add great flavor; black olives are milder.
- Make it vegetarian. Omit the salmon and add an extra egg or extra potatoes for protein and substance.
- Prefer soft-boiled eggs? Cover raw eggs with cold water, bring to a boil, turn off the heat, cover, and leave for 7 minutes, then plunge into an ice bath.
Serving Suggestions
Serve this salad alongside a light, creamy vegetable soup or a bright roasted tomato soup for a balanced meal. For something heartier, pair it with split pea soup with ham or a comforting ham-and-potato soup.
A crusty piece of bread or soft dinner roll completes the plate — buttery brioche rolls are a delicious option when you want something tender and slightly sweet.
FAQs
Can I make this salad ahead?
Yes. You can prepare most components a day ahead: roasted potatoes, blanched green beans, chopped vegetables, hard-boiled eggs, and the dressing. Store each element separately in the refrigerator and assemble just before serving for the freshest texture.
More hearty salads to try
- Thai chicken salad with spicy peanut dressing
- Harvest arugula salad
- Caribbean jerk chicken Cobb salad
- Chopped Greek pasta salad
For more salad inspiration, follow our social channels.
Salmon Niçoise Salad Recipe
Equipment
-
1 baking sheet
Ingredients
- 4 Salmon fillets (about 4 oz each)
- 1 1/2 cups fresh French green beans
- 1 cup fresh wax beans
- 6 cups baby arugula
- 1 1/2 cups roasted potatoes
- 1/2 cup assorted olives
- 1/2 cup thinly sliced radish
- 1 cup thinly sliced English cucumber
- 1 cup grape tomatoes
- 3 hard-boiled eggs, halved
- 1/4 cup finely minced roasted red pepper
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Drizzle each salmon fillet with 1/2 tablespoon olive oil, season both sides with salt and pepper, place in parchment pouches on a baking sheet, and bake 10–20 minutes until the salmon flakes easily.
- Fill a large bowl with ice water and set aside.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, add the beans for 1 minute, then transfer them to the ice bath to stop cooking. Drain and set aside.
- Arrange the arugula on a platter or in a bowl and top with potatoes, green beans, olives, radish, tomatoes, cucumber, and eggs.
- Whisk together roasted red pepper, apple cider vinegar, minced garlic, thyme, and olive oil in a small bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Toss the salad with the dressing, remove salmon from parchment, and place fillets on top.
- Serve immediately.
Notes
You can also grill the salmon: season as directed and grill over medium heat 4–5 minutes per side, until the fish flakes easily.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is an approximation.