Description
Wild Salmon Niçoise Dinner Salad is a vibrant and nutritious meal combining tender, flaky wild salmon with crisp vegetables, tender roasted potatoes, green beans, hard-boiled eggs, olives, and a zesty Dijon vinaigrette. This protein-rich dish offers a fresh and flavorful twist on the classic French Niçoise salad, perfect for a satisfying main course.
Ingredients
Salad
- 4 wild salmon fillets, about 5 ounces each
- 1 pound baby potatoes, halved
- 8 ounces green beans, trimmed
- 4 large eggs
- 4 cups mixed salad greens
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- ½ cucumber, sliced
- ½ small red onion, thinly sliced
- ½ cup Niçoise or Kalamata olives
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Dijon Vinaigrette
- ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 1 small garlic clove, minced
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat Oven and Roast Potatoes: Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Toss the halved baby potatoes with a small amount of olive oil, salt, and black pepper. Spread them out on a baking sheet and roast for 25–30 minutes until they are tender and golden brown.
- Boil Eggs: Place the eggs in a saucepan and cover them with cold water. Bring to a boil, then remove the pan from heat, cover it, and let the eggs sit for 10–12 minutes. After boiling, transfer the eggs to a bowl of ice water to cool. Peel and cut them into halves or quarters.
- Cook Green Beans: Boil or steam the trimmed green beans for 3–4 minutes until they are crisp-tender. Immediately transfer them to ice water to stop the cooking and keep them bright green. Drain well.
- Season and Pan-Sear Salmon: Season the salmon fillets with salt and black pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the salmon and cook for 4–5 minutes on each side, or until the fish flakes easily with a fork and reaches your desired level of doneness.
- Prepare Dijon Vinaigrette: In a small bowl, whisk together the extra-virgin olive oil, red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, honey, minced garlic, salt, and black pepper until well combined and emulsified.
- Assemble the Salad: On serving plates, layer the mixed salad greens, roasted potatoes, green beans, hard-boiled eggs, cherry tomatoes, cucumber slices, red onion, and olives. Place a pan-seared salmon fillet on top of each salad and drizzle generously with the Dijon vinaigrette.
Notes
- The salmon can alternatively be grilled or oven-roasted if preferred.
- Prepare the potatoes, eggs, green beans, and dressing ahead of time to speed up assembly when ready to serve.
- For a more traditional Niçoise flavor, consider adding anchovies and capers.
- Store leftover salad components separately in the refrigerator for up to 3 days to maintain freshness.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Main Course, Salad
- Method: Pan-Seared
- Cuisine: French
