This salmon Niçoise salad is a little less than traditional, but like the original it is a fantastically tasty and a terrific summer salad. Okay, I did retain a detail or two. There are boiled potatoes and green beans. And instead of tomatoes and hard-boiled eggs, I decided to use green asparagus. And a final detail. My Niçoise salad is made with warm smoked salmon instead of oil-packed tuna. Although I love adding finely chopped anchovy fillets to a traditional Niçoise salad, this time I didn’t dare. Smoked salmon has plenty of flavor on it’s own. Let’s not overdue it!
Market fresh produce makes the best Niçoise salad
It’s such a simple salad, so quality ingredients really makes a difference. And I guess that’s what inspired me to make yet another version of this salad. Summer vacation in France. All the fresh produce markets and everywhere I look there is a table bound to have someone enjoying a traditional Niçoise salad. So rather than sharing with you what you have already enjoyed yourself a hundred times, here I a sharing my recipe for a warm smoked salmon Niçoise salad.
A smoked salmon Niçoise salad with warm, flaky salmon
A little side note…I prefer my smoked salmon cooked pretty much always (just like I do Prosciutto di Parma). I love that there are flaky pieces of smokey, salty salmon throughout the salad. Of course, if you prefer the smoked salmon pure and unadulterated then by all means enjoy it as it is.
Looking for other smoked salmon recipes?
Here are a few other of my favorite recipes with warm smoked salmon:
- Smoked Salmon and Lemon Risotto
- Pan-fried Potatoes with Smoked Salmon
- Creamy Smoked Salmon Pasta with Peas
Warm Smoked Salmon Niçoise Salad
Ingredients
For the dressing:
- Freshly squeezed juice from 1 lemon
- 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon grainy Dijon mustard
- 1 large cloves garlic, minced
- 1 small shallot, finely chopped
- Sea salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
For the salad:
- 200 g green beans
- 300-400 g green asparagus (see tips below)
- 400 g new potatoes, scrubbed clean
- 100 g smoked salmon, coarsely chopped
- 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
- 50 g Kalamata or Niçoise olives, pitted and halved
- 1 tablespoon capers (in brine), drained
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
- 4 handfuls chopped salad greens of choice (I like romaine hearts or arugula or a mix)
Method
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In a large bowl, whisk together the dressing ingredients.
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Place potatoes in a large pot and of cold water. Bring to a boil, season with salt, and cook until fork-tender, about 15 minutes (depending on size). Transfer potatoes to a cutting board with a slotted spoon. Cut the potatoes in half and add the hot potatoes to the bowl with the dressing until well-coated.
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Meanwhile, heat a small non-stick skillet over medium to medium-high heat. Add the smoked salmon and sauté, breaking up with a wooden spoon, until cooked and flaky (1-2 minutes).
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Return the pot of water to a boil and blanch the green beans and asparagus until crisp-tender and bright green, about 2 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a bowl of ice water. Chill until cold, about 3-4 minutes. Drain, transfer to a clean kitchen towel and pat dry.
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Add the green beans, asparagus, flaked salmon, red onion, olives, capers, fresh dill and salad greens. Serve the warm or at room temperature. Enjoy!
Notes
- If you are unable find green asparagus, then I suggest adding a handful of sweet vine-ripened tomatoes.
- For this salad I chose to make a mustardy dressing. I also make this salad without the salmon using my go-to French vinaigrette dressing.
- Be sure to toss the potatoes in at least half the dressing while they are hot, as they soak up the flavor. Whether you peel them or not I will leave up to you to decide.
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