This Easy Salmon Niçoise Salad is a simplified take on the classic French dish. Made with new potatoes, fresh green beans, tomatoes, fresh greens, flaky salmon, olives, herbs, and capers, it’s tossed with a zesty Dijon vinaigrette for a hearty main course or appetizer.
I first tried Salade Niçoise while traveling abroad, including time spent in France, and I still remember being amazed by how fresh and flavorful it was. The French have a way of turning simple ingredients into something truly memorable, and this salad is a perfect example.
While the classic version is often made with tuna, I wanted to create a salmon version that feels a little more approachable for everyday cooking. During pregnancy, salmon became my preferred choice for omega fatty acids, and roasting it adds wonderful flavor without the extra effort or expense of preparing fresh tuna.
This isn’t intended to be a perfectly traditional Salade Niçoise. Think of it as my simplified, salmon-inspired version that captures the same fresh flavors and beautiful presentation while using ingredients that are easy to find and prepare at home.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Please be sure to scroll down to the recipe card for the complete details!
- Dijon Vinaigrette – I skip store-bought options and make a simple homemade vinaigrette combining red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, salt, black pepper, extra virgin olive oil, and dried herbs.
- Veggies – New potatoes, green beans (Use French green beans a.k.a. haricots verts if you can find them), Boston lettuce, and tomatoes form the bulk of the salad.
Ingredient Swap: Frozen green beans may be used in place of fresh. Thaw them completely, cook until tender-crisp, and season lightly before adding them to the salad.
- Eggs – Use hard-boiled or soft-boiled eggs, depending on preference. I like to use hard-boiled eggs and make extras to prepare my Mexican avocado egg salad, too!
Note: Soft-boiled eggs give the salad a creamier texture, while hard-boiled eggs are ideal for meal prep.
- Salmon – Feel free to use canned salmon to keep things easy, or cooked and flaked fresh salmon. To utilize leftovers, I like to use leftover air fryer salmon. Check the recipe card below for instructions on how to bake fresh salmon filets.
- Olives – Niçoise olives or Kalamata olives add a tangy, salty, briny flavor that niçoise salad is known for.
- Fresh Parsley – This adds a pop of bright, peppery flavor.
- Capers and Anchovy Fillets – Found in traditional recipes, these add more savory, salty flavor. Feel free to omit them if you aren’t a fan.
How to Make a Salmon Niçoise Salad
Prep Tip – If using freshly baked salmon, bake it before cooking the potatoes or while the potatoes and green beans are cooking.
- Boil the potatoes. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, and cook the potatoes just until they’re fork-tender. Be careful not to overcook, or the potatoes will be mushy! Remove the potatoes with a slotted spoon, and set them aside to cool.
- Blanch the green beans. In the same pot of boiling water, add the green beans, and cook until they’re bright green and crisp-tender. Then, transfer them to a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking process and preserve the color. Drain the water well to prevent the salad from becoming soggy.
- Dress the potatoes and green beans. Slice the cooled potatoes into pieces, and add them to a large bowl with the green beans.
- Make the dressing. Whisk the dressing ingredients in a small bowl or jar, and drizzle part of the dressing over the potatoes and green beans, tossing to combine and coat.
Pro-Tip: Dressing the potatoes and green beans while they’re still slightly warm helps them absorb more flavor from the vinaigrette.
- Assemble the salad. Arrange the Boston lettuce leaves on a large serving platter or shallow bowl. Top the greens with the tomatoes, dressed potatoes, and green beans. Arrange the eggs and salmon over the salad, and drizzle the remaining dressing on top.
- Serve. Finish with olives, parsley, capers, and anchovies if using, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Enjoy chilled or at room temperature!
Pro-Tip: For extra brightness, finish with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice just and lemon zest before serving.
Possible Variations
Traditional Salade Niçoise has many variations, so feel free to make it your own. Some possible variations include:
- Use tuna instead of salmon. For a more traditional Salade Niçoise, swap the salmon for high-quality canned tuna packed in olive oil.
- Add more vegetables. Include sliced cucumbers, red onion, radishes, roasted red peppers, artichoke hearts, or thinly sliced fennel for extra color, texture, and nutrients.
- Use different greens. Swap the Boston lettuce for butter lettuce, Bibb lettuce, mixed greens, arugula, baby spinach, or chopped romaine.
- Add fresh herbs. Fresh dill, basil, chives, tarragon, or chervil add extra flavor and complement the salmon nicely.
- Mediterranean style. Add crumbled feta cheese, cucumber, and extra olives for a Mediterranean-inspired twist.
- Use a lemon vinaigrette. Replace the red wine vinegar with fresh lemon juice for a brighter, lighter dressing.
- Turn it into a grain bowl. Serve the salad over cooked quinoa or rice for a heartier meal.
Make Ahead and Storage
This salad is best served right away while the ingredients are fresh. However, if needed, you can store the assembled salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
For the best results, I recommend storing the salad components separately. The potatoes and green beans can be cooked up to 2 days ahead and refrigerated until ready to assemble. Cooked salmon will keep fresh in a separate container for 2-3 days, and the dressing can be refrigerated for up to 1 week. Then, all you have to do is assemble the salad to serve!
My Favorite Pairings
I typically serve this salmon niçoise salad as a main course with a side of grain-free Paleo bread. It’s also fab as a soup and salad situation with a bowl of creamy mushroom soup or roasted red pepper soup.
And of course, you can’t forget an easy paloma cocktail or berry frosé. It’s the perfect warm weather meal for dining outdoors with friends!
More of Our Favorite
Easy Gluten-Free Salad Recipes
Salmon Salade Niçoise
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 4 to 6 servings 1x
- Diet: Dairy-Free, Gluten-Free, Paleo, Pescatarian
Description
A fresh and satisfying French-inspired salad made with tender potatoes, crisp green beans, tomatoes, eggs, olives, and salmon tossed with a simple Dijon vinaigrette. This version is naturally gluten-free and works well with either canned salmon or fresh baked salmon fillets.
Ingredients
Dijon Vinaigrette
- 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- Sea salt and black pepper, to taste
- 6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- Pinch dried herbs such as Herbs de Provence, tarragon, or basil (optional)
Salad
- 6 small new potatoes
- 1 lb green beans, trimmed
- 1 head Boston lettuce, leaves separated
- 2 large tomatoes, cut into wedges
- 5 hard-boiled or soft-boiled eggs, peeled and halved
- 6 to 8 oz canned chunk salmon, drained and flaked
OR 8 to 10 oz fresh salmon fillet, cooked and flaked (see Notes for prep) - ½ cup Niçoise olives or Kalamata olives, whole or pitted
- ¼ cup minced fresh parsley
- 2 tablespoons drained capers
- 2 to 4 anchovy fillets, rinsed and patted dry (optional)
- Sea salt and black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the potatoes and cook until fork tender, about 18 to 20 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and let cool slightly.
- In the same pot of boiling water, add the green beans and cook until bright green and crisp-tender, about 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer immediately to an ice bath to stop the cooking, then drain well.
- Slice the potatoes into ½-inch pieces and place them in a large bowl with the green beans.
- In a small bowl or jar, whisk together the red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, salt, pepper, and optional dried herbs. Slowly drizzle in the olive oil while whisking until fully emulsified.
- Drizzle about one-quarter of the dressing over the potatoes and green beans. Toss gently to coat.
- Arrange the Boston lettuce leaves on a large serving platter or shallow bowl. Top with the tomatoes, dressed potatoes, and green beans.
- Arrange the eggs and salmon over the salad.
- Drizzle with the remaining dressing, then finish with olives, parsley, capers, and anchovies if using.
- Season with additional salt and black pepper to taste before serving. Best enjoyed slightly chilled or at cool room temperature.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
Notes
Directions for cooking fresh salmon fillet– Preheat the oven to 400°F. Pat the salmon dry, then brush lightly with olive oil and season with sea salt, black pepper, and a pinch of garlic powder or dried herbs such as tarragon or dill, if desired. Finish with a small squeeze of fresh lemon juice. Place the salmon on a parchment-lined baking sheet, skin side down if using skin-on fillets. Bake for 8–12 minutes, depending on thickness, or until the salmon flakes easily with a fork. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part should register 135°F to 145°F. Let rest for 5 minutes before flaking into pieces and adding to the salad
Substitutions + Tips
- Traditional Salade Niçoise has many variations, so feel free to make it your own. Extra vegetables, different olives, or leftover cooked salmon all work beautifully. For a more traditional Salade Niçoise, use butter lettuce or Bibb lettuce. But Romaine is a great alternative if you prefer a crunchier texture.
- Frozen green beans may be used in place of fresh. Thaw completely, cook until tender-crisp, and season lightly before adding to the salad.
- Leftover cooked potatoes are a great shortcut and help this recipe come together even faster.
Make Ahead Tips- The potatoes and green beans can be cooked up to 2 days ahead and refrigerated until ready to assemble. Store the dressing separately and assemble the salad just before serving for the freshest texture.
**Values are estimates and will vary depending on the size of the potatoes, salmon variety, and amount of dressing used.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Main Meal and Salad
- Method: Stove Top
- Cuisine: American, French
Nutrition
- Serving Size: ⅙ recipe
- Calories: 360-400
- Sugar: Sugar 5g
- Sodium: 320 -400mg
- Fat: 21 -25 g
- Saturated Fat: 4-5g
- Carbohydrates: 15-20g
- Fiber: 4 -5 g
- Protein: 18-23g
- Cholesterol: 170-180mg
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