Salmon Cake Niçoise Salad

Add salmon to the classic French niçoise salad for a fun take on the beloved dish. This ZK version of the niçoise salad is fresh, healthy and perfect for weeknights!

I love, love, love a good niçoise salad. The variety of textures and flavors make this main-dish salad a hearty and satisfying option. A lettuce-less salad, the niçoise is anything but boring. Featuring briny olives, savory salmon, soft boiled eggs, and tons of fresh veggies— the harmony of flavors and textures is pure delight. 

What is niçoise salad?

Literally meaning “as prepared in Nice,” the niçoise salad exemplifies the type of cuisine found in and around the city of Nice. That type of cuisine is one that values both hot and cold dishes and relies heavily on tomatoes, black olives and anchovies. 

French green beans, onions, tuna, hard-cooked eggs, and herbs are the basic components of the niçoise salad. As you can see, this salmon niçoise salad has many similarities to the classic French version, while also standing firm in its differences.

Components of a salmon niçoise salad

• Easy salmon cakes (or pan seared salmon)
• Green beans (or haricot verts)
• Baby gold potatoes 
• Castelvetrano olives (or green olives)
• Radishes 
• 6-minute boiled eggs 
• Classic vinaigrette (or try this creamy horseradish dressing)

How to make a salmon niçoise salad 

Making a niçoise salad is a bit of a dance. It’s an easy dance, but a dance nonetheless. With a variety of components that need to get cooked, making the process efficient and timely is essential. Here’s how I do that (keep an eye on how I make pans work double duty): 

1. Add potatoes to a large sauté pan and cover with at least 2 inches of water, cook as directed. 
2. Fill a large saucepan with water and bring to a boil. Gently lower eggs into water and cook as directed.
3. Prepare an ice water bath. 
4. Transfer eggs to ice water bath. 
5. Dump green beans into now-empty saucepan of boiling water; cook as directed.
6. Transfer green beans to ice water bath with eggs.
7. Drain eggs, green beans and potatoes; peel eggs.
8. Cook salmon cakes (or pan seared salmon) as directed. 
9. Trim and wash radishes. 
10. Drain olives.
11. Assemble salad and make vinaigrette. 

Make ahead tips: 

Every single component of this salad can be made ahead of time. Although I prefer to make the salmon cakes right before serving, they too can be made ahead.

Up to 1 week ahead: 

The classic vinaigrette can be made up to 1 week ahead; store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. 

Up to 3 days ahead: 

Cook the potatoes, green beans and eggs up to 3 days ahead. To avoid any yolk-y mess, and to make storing easier, save the peeling of the eggs until right before serving.

The salmon cakes can be made up to 3 days ahead, but they are best when cooked fresh and served immediately. If you do choose to make them ahead of time, store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator. When ready to serve, allow them to come to room temperature for 10 minutes, then reheat in a nonstick skillet coated with nonstick spray over medium heat until crisp and heated through. 

Make sure to tag me @ZESTFULKITCHEN ON INSTAGRAM or comment below if you make these pan seared salmon!

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