Sometimes a side dish ends up being the star of the show. This Green Bean Nicoise Salad is just one of those times. Maybe its the crisp and crunchy green beans, the creamy baby potatoes, the juicy, sweet summer tomatoes or the tangy vinaigrette. I can’t seem to put my finger on exactly why something so simple is just so good. Yet here we are once again, with the side dish taking precedence and completely being devoured before the rest of the meal even hits the table. And I’m not even a little upset about it.
Now a classic Nicoise salad, which originated in Nice, France, is not vegan. It began as a raw salad consisting of tomatoes, anchovies and olive oil. Over time, other raw seasonal vegetables were added to the salad and from there additional items like hard-boiled eggs, tuna and cooked vegetables came into the fray. Which ingredients you can or cannot add to this salad is a pretty touchy subject in the food world. I’m a big proponent of not having food rules so to be clear this Green Bean Nicoise Salad is not a traditional Nicoise Salad, but it does take on many of the components while still maintaining it’s vegan integrity. What do you think? What ingredients belong in a Nicoise Salad?
Here are a few more vegetable side dishes you may enjoy…
Chinese Style Garlic Green Beans
Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes
Green Bean Nicoise Salad
Ingredients
- 1 lb green beans
- 1 lb baby potatoes
- 1 bunch radish
- 1 cup grape or cherry tomatoes
- 1/4 cup nicoise olives optional
- large bowl of ice water (to blanch the green beans)
Herby Vinaigrette
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 1 tsp dijon or whole grain mustard
- 1 tsp agave or honey (apple honey for vegan)
- 1/4 tsp dried dill
- salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°. Cut the radish in halves, trimming any extraneous leaves & stems. Place the radish on a baking tray and cook for 15-20 minutes. Remove and set aside.
- While the radish roasts, prepare the potatoes. Bring a pot of water to boil. Add the potatoes, cover & cook for 15-20 minutes until potatoes are fork-tender when pierced. Remove from heat & drain the water. Let the potatoes cool for a few minutes until they are able to be handled. Slice about half of the potatoes in half, leaving some of the smaller ones whole. Set aside.
- Time to multi-task. While the potatoes & radish cook, grab another pot filled with water & bring to a boil. Trim the stem tip off the green beans. Add the green beans to the boiling water & cook for 5-7 minutes. While the green beans cook grab a large bowl & fill it with ice water. Once the green beans have cooked, remove from the boiling water & place them in the ice bath. This will prevent them from continuing to cook, leaving the crisp & bright green. Set aside.
- Slice the tomatoes in half. If using olives feel free to slice into desired size.
- Prepare the vinaigrette by whisking together all the vinaigrette ingredients. Taste and add salt & pepper to your flavor preference.
- Assemble the salad by adding the radish, green beans, potatoes & tomatoes to a large bowl. Pour over half of the dressing & toss to combine. Add the remaining dressing as needed or serve along the side.
