Warm Salmon Salad Niçoise

Name: Warm Salmon Salad Niçoise
Prep time: 45 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 60 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 8 small Yukon Gold or nugget potatoes; 1 tsp table salt (for potatoes); 28 green beans; 1 tsp table salt (for beans); 2 cloves fresh garlic; 2 small shallots; 1 tbsp fresh chives; 2 tbsp fresh basil; 4 oz hearty salad greens; 1 tbsp Dijon mustard; 2 tbsp red wine vinegar; kosher salt (to taste); freshly ground black pepper (to taste); 6 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil; 2 large eggs; 1/2 tsp table salt (for eggs); 2 large tomatoes; 16 Kalamata or Niçoise olives; 1/4 cup olive oil; kosher salt (to taste); freshly ground black pepper (to taste); four 5 oz salmon filets

4.8 out of 5 · 49 ratings

Active time: 45 min

Total time: 60 min

Serves: 4

Inspired by the South of France, the combination of flavors in this Niçoise salad are amazing.

Chef's notes

This basic vinaigrette can be stored in your fridge for weeks, so there’s no need to buy dressing anymore. Use it as a base to make different dressings throughout the week. Rather than adding to the batch, take some out as you need it. This way, the base dressing will last for months. Change up the flavors by adding things like garlic, herbs, or different seasonings. Have fun and experiment! If you want to use a high-quality olive oil for cooking (to add flavor), but are concerned about the smoking point, try blending it with a less expensive neutral oil, such as grapeseed or safflower (1 part olive oil to 3 parts neutral oil).

Steps

Preparing Your Mise en Place

Ingredients

8 small Yukon Gold or nugget potatoes
1 tsp table salt (for potatoes)
28 green beans
1 tsp table salt (for beans)
2 cloves fresh garlic
2 small shallots
1 tbsp fresh chives
2 tbsp fresh basil
4 oz hearty salad greens

Prepare your mise en place by placing the potatoes into cold, salted water and bring to a simmer. While the potatoes cook, bring a second pot of cold water to a boil and clean the beans. Add the salt and cook the beans for about 5-7 minutes. Cool them in an ice bath; drain and set aside. Test the potatoes and once done, drain and set aside. Thinly slice (émincé) the garlic and shallots and chop the chives. Chiffonade the basil. Wash and dry the greens. Cut or tear the larger pieces of lettuce and refrigerate until ready to use.

Making the Vinaigrette

Ingredients

1 tbsp Dijon mustard
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
kosher salt (to taste)
freshly ground black pepper (to taste)
6 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

To make the vinaigrette, place the Dijon mustard, red wine vinegar, salt, pepper, and olive oil into a jar. Shake well and set aside.

Cooking and Serving the Salad

Ingredients

2 large eggs
1/2 tsp table salt (for eggs)
2 large tomatoes
16 Kalamata or Niçoise olives
1/4 cup olive oil
kosher salt (to taste)
freshly ground black pepper (to taste)
four 5 oz salmon filets

To assemble the salad, first bring a pot of cold, salted water to a boil. Gently add the eggs, turn down the heat and let simmer for 8 minutes. Place them into an ice bath to cool. Core the tomatoes and slice into wedges. Fan the tomatoes onto each plate and drizzle with a bit of the vinaigrette. Cut the potatoes in half and peel the eggs; set both aside. Before you start cooking, have your entire mise en place ready. Heat a large fry pan over medium-high heat. Season the top of the salmon with a bit of salt and pepper. Once the pan is hot, add the olive oil, followed by the salmon, presentation-side down. Season the other side. Turn the heat down to medium and let it cook for about 2 minutes, without touching it. Once it has a nice golden crust, flip it over and continue to cook for another 1-2 minutes. Test the salmon for doneness and remove just before it's done to your liking. Drizzle with a bit of the vinaigrette. Drain most of the oil from the pan, turn up the heat to medium-high, and cook the potatoes, cut side down. Once the potatoes are warmed through and lightly golden, turn them over. Add the beans and cook briefly. Season with salt and pepper to taste, and then add the shallots, garlic, olives, and the rest of the vinaigrette. Turn off the heat and gently toss to coat. Add the basil and the warm vegetables to the greens and fold everything together. Cut the eggs in half and portion out the salad between the four plates. Add a piece of salmon and half an egg to each plate. Lastly, garnish with some of the chives et voila c’est toute. Bon appétit!

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41 Comments

Anastasiia I • December 4, 2007 at 02:24PM

there is one component lacking in text recipe - OLIVES (doesn't mentioned in list of ingredients for step 1) and about this salad itself - I've included this one to my weekly menu - in addition to a great savour, it's also healthy and quite substantial option)

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Anastasiia I • December 4, 2007 at 03:03PM

pardon for my inattention - no olives needed in step 1, they go in step 3 )

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Dawn T • December 22, 2007 at 06:04PM

The olives for this recipe are listed in Step 3. I know we do things a bit differently here at Rouxbe. We list the ingredients as you prepare them. We try and break things up so you can just focus on what you have to do for each individual step. Hope that helps....so glad you like the salad! Yeah!

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Glenda I • January 3, 2008 at 10:19PM

Are you sure we need to blanch the beans that long? I often steam them ahead, for sauteing closer to service and leave them in only 3 minutes. With the addition to the hot potatoe step, are you sure 8 minutes isn't too long? Not that I'm doubting you Dawn, love Rouxbe!!! G

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Kimberley S • Rouxbe Staff • January 4, 2008 at 06:34PM

We suggest in this recipe that the beans be cooked for approximately 5-7 minutes (the eggs are the ones that are simmered for 8 minutes). It all depends on how thick or thin your beans are, but most definitely cook them to your liking. There are no strict rules here. Enjoy this lovely salad!

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Joe D • January 9, 2008 at 07:40PM

I made this recipe for my parents on Christmas Eve as we were having a French-themed Christmas this year and this recipe seemed straight-forward for a novice. We all thought it was wonderful and I found it relatively easy because I was able to break it up into parts. It gave me time to make sure I understood the next step without worrying about overcooking anything. Thanks so much for helping convince my parents I really can cook.

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Kris R • January 29, 2008 at 06:55PM

Enjoyed this dish. Healthy and hearty and delicious. No complaints. Yumm.

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Dee F • February 7, 2008 at 09:01PM

Had this for dinner and it was fantastic! thanks

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Kevin P • February 17, 2008 at 11:15PM

Made this tonight for dinner. It turned out great! Certainly good advice to for the "mise en place". With everything ready to go, it comes together very quickly. Quite a nice dressing (quick and simple). Thanks for such a great recipe (I'm sure we'll be using it again and again).

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Denise P • February 27, 2008 at 09:42AM

hello dawn! i have not made this yet but my mouth is watering and the reviews were great. thanks a bunch.

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Liz S • May 5, 2008 at 12:53AM

I have made this salad 3 times with great success and lavish compliments . But this last time I had viewed "Removing bones from fish" and couldn't believe how easy it became to remove the bones. If I learn nothing else , this was worth the price of membership! Do you have any tips for making it easier to remove the skin from the fillet?:)

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Karen M • July 15, 2008 at 02:17PM

I've never heard of salting the water in which the eggs are boiled. How are the eggs benefitted from this?

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Christophe K • Rouxbe Staff • July 15, 2008 at 04:29PM

The theory is that the eggs having a porous shell, ( that is why they need to be kept protected from unwanted fridge odors and why we place eggs with fresh truffles to impart them the aroma before making a truffle omelette), will absorb some of the salt from the water, but to answer your question they will not benefit a great deal, it is more important to respect the cooking time and shock them in cold water to preserve the colour of the yolk.

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Jenn S • August 19, 2008 at 07:28PM

I just made this last night for the first time, though I've been meaning to try it ever since I first edited the recipe about year ago. It has such beautiful colors and presentation, it's one of my favorite looking Rouxbe recipes. I've had Nicoise salads in many restaurants, and I've even had a couple in Nice! But this is BY FAR the best one I've ever had. We couldn't believe how delicious it was. The way all the ingredients come together in the warm dressing... It tastes even better than it looks. Because it can almost all be made in advance, I'm going to make this my next dinner party meal, so I can relax with my guests then dazzle them by whipping up this mouth watering salad in minutes. Better do it soon while sweet juicy heirloom tomatoes are still in season at the farmers markets... We had it with a 2004 BC Pinot Noir, which was a nice light compliment, if looking for a red wine to sip alongside. Thanks for an amazing recipe Christophe!

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Patricia W • October 8, 2008 at 06:16AM

I made this last night was so goooooood,my husband love it,we will enjoyed its healthy,beautiful and delicioussss . thanks for an amazing recipe!!!!!!!

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Dara M • July 26, 2009 at 03:19AM

I watched this video from beginning to end and was so reminded how a beautiful dish can come out of simple, well-executed techniques. I am really forward to trying this.

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Miranda H • July 27, 2009 at 05:10PM

This looks unbelievable...My mouth is watering...

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Linda C • August 10, 2009 at 10:51PM

This was great. My plates didn't look quite as pretty as yours, but it sure tasted good. And, I came away feeling like I actually ate a quite healthy meal. Thank you again for all you do.

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Everton L • February 27, 2010 at 08:38PM

This dish is great, I had a nice time preparing it and a wonderful lunch. My doubt is about pan frying the salmon in olive oil. It is not recommended to heat olive oil, is it? So why isn't another oil used in this recipe?

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Dawn T • February 27, 2010 at 11:45PM

In the Mediterranean they cook with olive oil because it's abundant, and traditionally any dish from the very south Mediterranean will always have olive oil. It's a cultural thing. You can definitely control which oil you wish to use. That's the beauty of cooking, you can substitute things to your liking, even if traditionally it goes outside the box. Cheers!

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Colleen S • April 1, 2010 at 04:02AM

The salmon is supposed to be warm when served? Won't it get cold while you're finishing the base for the salad?

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Dawn T • April 1, 2010 at 04:17AM

If you have all of your mise en place done and ready, the salmon should stay warm until you are finished plating. If you are feeling like you are running behind you could always place the salmon into a warm oven until you are ready to serve. Just be sure you do not over cook it. Honestly though, you should be okay doing it as per the recipe. Cheers!

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Colleen S • April 2, 2010 at 04:48AM

So, if the salmon doesn't release on its own from the pan after 2 minutes, what are you supposed to do? And what would cause that to happen? Could it be that the pan wasn't quite hot enough? (I didn't use the water test, but the oil formed legs and the sound of the sizzle seemed correct to me...). Or could it be that it just needed a bit longer to stop sticking and I messed it up by trying to check it after 2 minutes?

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Dawn T • April 2, 2010 at 05:00AM

Sounds like you just needed to trust yourself...it could have been either of those factors really. Hard to say exactly as I was not there, but I would say, next time do the water test and then don't touch the salmon right away. If the pan is properly heated the salmon should release on its own. You are picking up the key points though, so trust yourself and learn from this experience. Hope this helps Colleen. Cheers!

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Ed B • August 2, 2010 at 12:06AM

Made this this afternoon. It was fantastic. We burned the salmon *tear*. Never thought it was possible to get my apartment that smokey. Any tips on not burning the salmon when pan frying? Apart from that this meal was amazing. Thanks Rouxbe!

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Dawn T • August 2, 2010 at 12:45AM

So glad that you enjoyed the recipe Ed. As for tips on not burning salmon when pan frying I indeed have a few tips. So many in fact that we made an entire lesson called "How to Pan Fry Fish". Another lesson you may want to check out is called Pan Frying (this covers pan frying in general). I also encourage you to watch the lesson on "Cooking Fish Fundamentals". Hope this helps helps to shed some light on the "smokey apartment fish". Cheers!

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Kariman H • September 24, 2010 at 11:14AM

Can I use tuna instead in this recipe?

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Dawn T • September 24, 2010 at 02:17PM

Indeed you can use tuna instead of salmon. In fact, tuna is what is classically used. Know that when it comes to recipes many things can be substituted for other ingredients. At Rouxbe we are trying more specifically to teach people how to cook the food so that anyone has the freedom and confidence to make changes and tweaks to recipes as they feel necessary. Cheers!

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Kariman H • September 25, 2010 at 10:13AM

Thank you so much :)

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Ferida O • November 27, 2010 at 10:23AM

My son grade me 9 for this food. He surprised how beautiful I plate the dish (thanks to Rouxbe) and the potatoes are great. This is my first time cook fish this way, usually we deep fry or grill the fish. I'm so happy for a new technique I learned.

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Judy S • March 2, 2011 at 01:24AM

This is my very first time here, I watched the video, looks mouth watering! My husband and I are just recently retired and HE believes he can cook all of a sudden. Hummm... however, to the grocery store WE go tomorrow to purchase necessary items (Salmon has never been my favorite, but he likes it and this one looks so good, I am willing to try) I will report back after WE (together in the same kitchen!) prepare this recipe.

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Dawn T • March 2, 2011 at 01:29AM

Good luck Judy. This is a good one to start with as it is delicious and full of flavor. Just remember to set yourself up well with your mise en place before you start cooking the fish...but most importantly, remember to have fun. Cheers!.

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Carol M • June 9, 2011 at 01:44AM

I often offer guests their choice of grilled salmon and grilled sushi grade tuna to top their salads. I put the grilled fish on separate platters next to the already preped salad plates. Each is wonderful with this recipe - which by the way I have made to many accolades. This way guests can choose the seafood of their choice.

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Susan L • June 27, 2011 at 09:41PM

I am so excited to try this tonite. So far I have done 5 recipes and my husband and family just loved them. I am sure they will love this one also.

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Cory B • December 17, 2011 at 06:50PM

I love that oval pan.. Where can I get one? I must be looking in all the wrong places, I never find any eclectic pans, platters etc.

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Dawn T • December 17, 2011 at 08:11PM

Yes indeed, this is a very nice pan. Here is a link to it in the Rouxbe store. Cheers!

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Graham M • January 29, 2016 at 01:32PM

I made this last night for my wife and I. Turned out wonderfully. G

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Sunnie S • June 29, 2020 at 02:09AM

Wow! What an adventure putting this one together! Lots of cooking methods and techniques from my previous lessons in the pro cook course! With all the mise en place, the recipe took me a little over 2 hours to complete. It was great practice of everything I have learned so far. I boiled my beans for 5 minutes (and they were perfectly cooked to my liking), however, I forgot to take into account that they would be put back into a hot pan later on, so by the time I served this salad, they were too soft. I need to remember to par cook them next time to ensure they are cooked correctly in the final dish. I also found that I did not personally like incorporating the hot potatoes & beans into the greens. They wilted the greens too much for my liking. Next time, I think I'll dress the greens separately, place them down the center of the plate with the salmon on top and place the potato/bean mixture where the salmon is plated in this video. The salmon was cooked perfectly after about 3 minutes on the first side (took a little longer to release from pan) and only about 30 seconds on the 2nd side. I love a runny yolk so I cooked my eggs for 6 1/2 minutes and they were perfect (soft yolk, fully cooked white). Overall, a fantastic entree salad. I'm so excited to have this in my repertoire!

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Narda G • March 1, 2026 at 02:27AM

I've had this recipe of yours for years. My husband insists there were capers in the original recipe. Were there capers?

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Eric W • Rouxbe Staff • March 2, 2026 at 05:43PM

Hello Narda, I am not familiar with capers in the recipe. But, feel free to add capers! The addition sounds good. ~Eric

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Abby D • March 15, 2026 at 11:30PM

I made this recipe for my family this evening, and we gobbled it up! It was delicious! It was also really easy to throw together. I did make extra dressing for salads for lunches.

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The First 3 Are On Us

41 Comments

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