I’m 12 days away from turning 30.
I despise public speaking, but sometimes, I do it anyway.
Summer is my favorite.
My hair is short, but I wish it were long.
Life is still good.
My husband is the best.
I wake up every morning in our new house pinching myself over how beautiful it is.
I miss my mom and my dad.
Watermelon is my favorite.
Farmers markets are life.
This salad? Also life. Shall we?
Origin of Nicoise Salad
Like many dishes, the origin of the nicoise salad is a topic of debate. But most historians believe it originated in Provence, which is a region in southeastern France. It’s thought that it was then introduced to the US by Julia Child and has been adapted by many over time. The following is our inspired take on this delicious salad!
How to Make a Vegan Nicoise Salad
You guys know that turning dishes plant-based is my jam, so this salad has been a long time coming.
This salad was inspired by one I had a while back when we were in France. We’d stopped at a cafe in Nimes and I ordered a Nicoise salad that was quite possibly the best I’d ever had – and probably ever will have – in my life. Nicoise salads are named for the Nicoise olives that adorn them, which can be found at most grocery stores (check the olive bar). Truth be told, any quality olive will do – especially green and kalamata.
Simple perks? You betcha. Just 30 minutes required with a little fancy pants multi-tasking.
Blanch green beans while boiling potatoes. Mash chickpeas then make dressing. A little of this, a little of that.
Before you know it, you have a delicious plant-based powerhouse on your hands with more than 16 grams of protein and fiber each per serving. That’s a lot of plant power.
I hope you guys love this salad. It’s my new favorite. It’s:
Hearty
Fresh
A mix of flavors and textures
Savory
Easy to make
& Delicious
This would make the perfect lunchtime salad or one to enjoy as dinner when you’re craving something on the lighter side that still satisfies.
If you try it, let us know! We love your comments, ratings, and especially your #minimalistbaker hashtags on Instagram. Cheers, friends!
Vegan Nicoise Salad (30 minutes!)
A plant-based version of classic Nicoise Salad with smashed chickpea salad in place of tuna. Fresh, satisfying, and ready in 30 minutes. Print SAVE SAVED
from votes Prep Time 15 minutes Cook Time 15 minutes Total Time 30 minutes Servings 2Course EntreeCuisine French-Inspired, Gluten-Free, VeganFreezer Friendly NoDoes it keep? 2 Days
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Ingredients
US Customary – Metric
SALAD
6 small red or yellow potatoes1 cup green beans or haricot verts (trimmed)1 head lettuce (chopped // such as butter, green or romaine)1/2 cup pitted Nicoise, green, or kalamata olives1/2 cup sliced tomato1/2 medium red beet (optional // finely grated or sliced)
CHICKPEAS
1 15-ounce can chickpeas (1 15-ounce can equals ~1 1/4 cups cooked beans)1 tsp dijon mustard1 tsp maple syrup (or stevia to taste)1 tsp dried dill (or sub 2 tsp fresh dill per 1 tsp dried)1 pinch sea salt1 Tbsp roasted unsalted sunflower seeds
DRESSING
3 Tbsp minced shallot1 heaping tsp dijon mustard1 tsp chopped fresh thyme (or sub 1/2 tsp dried thyme per 1 tsp fresh)1/3 cup white or red wine vinegar1/4 tsp each salt and pepper1/4 cup olive oil
Instructions
Add potatoes to a small saucepan and add warm water until just covered. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat slightly to medium / medium-high until the water is at a low boil. Cook uncovered for 10-12 minutes, or until completely tender and when picked up with a knife they slide off easily. Then drain thoroughly and let cool on a cutting board. Once slightly cooled, slice into 1/4-inch slices. Set aside.While potatoes are cooking, fill a medium saucepan halfway with water and bring to a boil. Then add green beans or haricot verts and boil for 2-4 minutes, or until bright green in color and only slightly tender – they should still have slight crunch when bitten. While they’re cooking, fill a large mixing bowl with ice water. Once the green beans are done cooking, drain thoroughly and immediately add to the ice water to stop the cooking process. Drain and pat dry – set aside.Add drained, rinsed chickpeas to a small mixing bowl, along with sea salt, mustard, maple syrup, dill, and sunflower seeds. Stir to combine and mash a few chickpeas to create texture. Set aside.Add dressing ingredients to a mason jar (or whisk in a small mixing bowl) and shake vigorously to combine. Set aside.To serve, divide lettuce between two large serving bowls (amount as original recipe is written // adjust if altering batch size) or plates and top with chickpeas, green beans, potatoes, olives, tomato and beets (optional). Serve with dressing. Best when fresh, though leftovers pack/keep well up to 2 days when the dressing is stored separately. Store extra dressing (well-sealed) at room temperature in a dark place up to 2-3 days.
Notes
*Salad + dressing adapted from Food Network. Chickpea mash inspired by my Chickpea Sunflower Sandwich.
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate.
Nutrition (1 of 2 servings)
Serving: 1 serving Calories: 713 Carbohydrates: 88.8 g Protein: 16.2 g Fat: 35.8 g Saturated Fat: 4.9 g Trans Fat: 0 g Cholesterol: 0 mg Sodium: 628 mg Fiber: 16.1 g Sugar: 13.9 g