Niçoise Salad

Yield 6 hearty tasting portions

Pillar of Nutrition Eat the Rainbow, Lean on Protein

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Nicoise Salad

This classic salad, adapted from The New York Times, is a terrific source of protein and comes together quickly. Our students love the hearty yet fresh flavors and textures.

Ingredients

Nicoise Salad

• ¼ pound baby red potatoes
• 3 eggs
• ½ pound green beans
• 8 radishes, cut into wedges
• 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
• 2 (6 or 7-ounce) cans tuna packed in olive oil, drained
• ½ cup pitted kalamata olives, halved
• Black pepper, for serving

Dressing

• 1 large garlic clove, minced
• ¼ teaspoon salt, more as needed
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• ¾ teaspoon grated lemon zest
• ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
• ⅓ cup olive oil

Directions

Nicoise Salad

1. Place potatoes and eggs in a medium pot and cover them with 2 or 3 inches of cold water.
2. Salt the water and bring to a boil. When water comes to a boil, continue cooking until potatoes are fork tender, 10 to 15 minutes more.
3. Add green beans during the last 2-3 minutes of cooking.
4. Prep the vegetables and tuna: cut the radishes into wedges, halve the cherry tomatoes, drain the tuna and halve the olives.
5. When the potatoes, eggs and beans are cooked, drain and rinse under cold water until cool enough to handle but still quite warm.
6. Halve potatoes, transfer to a small bowl along with the green beans and dress everything to coat with some (but not all) of the vinaigrette.
7. Peel the eggs and halve them.
8. On individual plates, arrange potatoes and green beans, radishes, tomatoes, tuna and hard-boiled eggs.
9. Scatter olives over the top and drizzle with remaining vinaigrette.
10. Serve garnished with black pepper.

Dressing

1. Using the flat side of a knife, smash garlic clove and salt into a paste.
2. Transfer to a small bowl and stir in lemon juice, zest and mustard.
3. Using a whisk, slowly pour in olive oil while stirring constantly.
4. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.

Notes

Variations and substitutions:

1. Use cucumbers sliced instead of radishes
2. If green beans aren't in season, use asparagus or broccoli florets
3. Substitute tuna in water for tuna in olive oil

Something to chew on:

1. Where did this salad originate?
2. What are the protein sources?