summer niçoise salad

This southern french salad, originating from Nice, France, traditionally consists of tomatoes, hard-boiled eggs, olives, and anchovies or tuna, dress with olive oil. I wanted to make a more summery version of this salad, so I made a few variations...

First, make the dressing.

I kept it simple and just used olive oil, lemon juice, and garlic, with a pinch of salt and pepper for the dressing.

Start preparing the salad.

Boil the potatoes, grill the asparagus and corn, and then toss the warm veggies with the dressing. By tossing the veggies while they are still warm with the dressing, this ensures that the veggies soak up all the flavors.

Grill the shrimp.

Using a large plastic bag, toss together the shrimp, Montreal seasoning, and paprika with a pinch of salt and pepper. Skewer the shrimp and grill until plump and pink, about 4 minutes per side.

Gather the rest of the ingredients.

Assemble the cherry tomatoes, radishes, arugula, herbs, and olives, and then assemble. A classic Niçoise salad is assembled kind of similar to how you might assemble a cheese board, like the one in the picture below!

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If you make this summer Niçoise salad, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! And of course, if you do make this recipe, don't forget to also tag me on Instagram!

THE RECIPE

summer niçoise salad

INGREDIENTS

DRESSING

• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus more as needed

• 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (about 1 lemon)

• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

• 1 large garlic clove, grated

SALAD

• 1 pound mixed baby potatoes

• 1 bunch asparagus, ends trimmed

• 4 ears corn on the cob, grilled

• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

• 4 cups fresh arugula

• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved if large

• 1/2 cup Greek Kalamata olives, pitted

• 6 radishes, thinly sliced

• 1/2 cup fresh basil or parsley

• 3-4 tablespoons capers

• 2 teaspoons Montreal chicken seasoning

• 2 teaspoons paprika

• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Make the dressing. Combine the olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, salt and pepper in a lidded mason jar and shake until well combined.

2. Make the salad. Place the potatoes and a tablespoon of salt in a large pot and fill with water. Bring to a boil over high heat and then reduce the to heat to medium, simmer 10-15 minutes or until the potatoes are just fork tender. Drain. Place the potatoes back in the hot pot. Cover the pot and let the potatoes steam for another 10 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, preheat the grill to medium high heat. Toss the asparagus with olive oil and a pinch each of salt and pepper. Grill the asparagus for 3-5 minutes, turning 1-2 times throughout cooking, until light char marks appear. At the same time, grill the corn until charred all over, 5-8 minutes, turning 1-2 times throughout cooking. Once the corn s cool enough to handle, remove the kernels from the cob.

4. Using a large plastic bag, toss together the shrimp, Montreal seasoning, and paprika with a pinch of salt and pepper. Skewer the shrimp and grill until plump and pink, about 4 minutes per side.

5. While still warm, cut the potatoes in half and add to a large serving platter, tossing them with half of the dressing. On the serving platter, assemble the arugula, grilled asparagus, corn, tomatoes, olives, radishes, olives, and grilled shrimp. Drizzle the remaining dressing over the salad. Top with fresh herbs and capers, if using. Serve slightly warm or at room temp. Enjoy!