This Vegan Nicoise Salad is a plant-based version of classic French dish. With yellow potatoes, fresh vegetables, and a bright vinaigrette. A beautiful salad perfect for spring. Great for brunch, Mother's Day, or Easter!
This is one of those salads that isn't really a salad. Yes, it's got veggies, but it isn't full of greens. And sometimes these lettuce-less salads are the best salads!
A Nicoise salad is a French recipe. (Nicoise meaning 'of Nice.') And it typically has tomatoes, hard-boiled eggs, Niçoise olives, and tuna. Usually along with potatoes and green beans.
I've replaced a few of the non-vegan items with some vegan swaps, and created a vegan version of the classic nicoise!
My vegan nicoise salad has white beans for some protein, and like in my vegan cobb salad, I swapped in avocado for hard boiled eggs. The rest of the veggies are similar to the traditional version: potatoes, green beans, tomatoes; along with some radishes, artichokes, and olives!
I used a version of my oil-free vinaigrette to dress the salad, but it works great with oil too - whatever your preference.
This salad is beautiful and I think it would make a great hearty side dish for Easter, Mother's day, brunch, or any Sunday dinner.
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Why You'll Love This Vegan Nicoise Salad
- Beautiful salad - such a pretty dish! It's perfect for brunch, Mother's Day, or Easter!
- Elegant but easy - Impressive presentation with simple prep. Boil potatoes, blanch green beans, and a bit of chopping!
- Meal Prep Friendly - Components can be prepped ahead
- Vegan - A fully plant-based take on the classic recipe
Ingredient Notes & Substitutions
- Petite Yellow Potatoes: you can also get some small yukon gold potatoes. They may take a few minutes longer to cook
- Green Beans
- Cannellini Beans: a protein instead of tuna
- Avocado: this replaces the traditional hard boiled eggs
- Artichoke Hearts: I bought a jar of quartered artichokes, you can also buy whole and cut them
- Radishes
- Cucumber: I used baby cucumber. Feel free to use part of an English cucumber or a regular
- Cherry Tomatoes
- Pickled Red Onions
- Niçoise or Kalamata Olives: Niçoise are more traditional for the salad, but if you can't find them, use Kalamata
- Butter/Boston Lettuce: to line the plate
Dressing Ingredients
- Water or Oil: I use water to keep the dressing oil-free, but feel free to use oil for a traditional vinaigrette
- Dijon Mustard
- White Wine Vinegar: you can also use apple cider vinegar
- Agave or Maple Syrup: feel free to use any liquid sweetener
- Garlic
- Salt & Pepper
Step-By-Step Instructions
Step 1. Add the potatoes to a pot and fill with water. Bring to a boil and cook for 10-13 minutes until fork tender. Drain and rinse with cold water. When cool enough to handle, slice into quarters.
Step 2. Bring a small pot of water to a boil. Add the green beans and cook for 2-4 minutes. Immediately transfer to a bowl of ice water to cool.
Step 3. In a small bowl whisk together the dressing ingredients.
Step 4. Assemble the salad. If desired, a bed of lettuce on a large platter. Arrange the salad ingredients in groups around the platter. Drizzle with the dressing.
FAQ & Expert Tips
It's a French composed salad typically made with tuna, eggs, potatoes, green beans, olives, and a vinaigrette.
Yes! This salad is served cold, so all components can be prepped ahead and assembled just before serving. Don't cut the avocado until serving to prevent browning.
Feel free to toss all the ingredients together. The groups of ingredients is the more traditional look.
Recipe Prayer
Thank you God for this salad. Thank you for foods from other cultures and countries that we can enjoy. Amen.
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📖 Recipe
Vegan Nicoise Salad
Ingredients
- 16 Ounces Petite Yellow Potatoes
- 6 Ounces Fresh Green Beans trimmed
- 1 15 Ounce Can Cannellini Beans drained and rinsed
- 2 Medium Avocados peeled and thinly sliced
- 8 Artichoke Heart Quarters drained
- 1 Cup Quartered Radishes
- 1 Baby Cucumber sliced
- 1 Cup Cherry Tomatoes halved
- ½ Cup Pickled Red Onions
- ¼ Cup Niçoise or Kalamata Olives
- Butter/Boston Lettuce to line the plate, optional
Dressing
- ¼ Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil or Water
- 3 Tablespoons Dijon Mustard
- 3 Tablespoons White Wine Vinegar
- 1 Tablespoon Agave or Maple Syrup
- 1 Clove Garlic minced
- 1 Teaspoon Salt
- ½ Teaspoon Pepper
Instructions
- Add the potatoes to a pot and fill with water. Bring to a boil and cook for 10-13 minutes until fork tender. Drain and rinse with cold water. When cool enough to handle, slice into quarters.
- Bring a small pot of water to a boil. Add the green beans and cook for 2-4 minutes. Immediately transfer to a bowl of ice water to cool.
- In a small bowl whisk together the dressing ingredients.
- Assemble the salad. If desired, a bed of lettuce on a large platter. Arrange the salad ingredients in groups around the platter. Drizzle with the dressing.
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition information is an estimate.
GS Paul
This looks delicious! How do you suggest serving it to company?
Elizabeth
For best presentation I'd recommend serving on a platter like I have in the photos, and guests can serve themselves a few bites from each section. Or, you can spread the ingredients more evenly across the platter, so any spoonful would have a combination of ingredients.