Green Bean Nicoise Salad
on Aug 28, 2019, Updated Jul 19, 2023
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Capers, shallots, Dijon, olives, sherry vinegar, fresh herbs -ย itโs really a vinaigrette on steroids.
Salad Nicoise is a Provencal style salad that features bites of tuna (fresh tuna seared and sliced, or good old tuna from a can), hard-boiled eggs, green beans, black olives, tomatoes, onions, potatoes, and an olive oil-based vinaigrette, often involving capers. It’s bright and textural and sexy and it should be as much of a go-to main course salad as its American Cobb Salad cousin.
A great Nicoise salad is hard to beat, but it doesn’t have the ubiquitous popularity of some other salads in the US., like Caesar or Greek or Chef’s Salads. And that’s a shame because a good Nicoise salad is immensely satisfying, terrifically flavorful, and not too hard on the eyes either.
Nicoise Green Beans
This is essentially like you pulled the dressed green beans from a Nicoise salad, without the rest of the Nicoise salad. And while I do love a good Nicoise salad, and am now thinking that might be coming up soon on this site, I was just looking for a nice summer side vs. a main dish salad.
Love these flavors—capers, shallots, Dijon, olives, sherry vinegar, fresh herbs. It’s really a vinaigrette on steroids. And while usually steroids are bad (not always), in this case, I mean that in a highly complimentary way.
This Green Bean Nicoise Salad would be perfect to bring along on a picnic, perfect to bring to a potluck. But while something about them seems summery, and that’s when you can grab fresh green beans from the farmer’s market or your neighbor’s garden (I have given up on growing anything at this moment in time), they would be great all year round.
Green Bean Nicoise Salad: Capers, shallots, Dijon, olives, sherry vinegar, fresh herbs—it’s really a vinaigrette on steroids.
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In this photo, you’ll see a little assort of vegetable sides. Yeah, they’re not all based on the same seasons, but don’t they look nice together? That’s Roasted Cauliflower and Carrots with Olive Drizzle and Asparagus with Spinach-Parsley Pesto Creme Fraiche flanking this dish. Pick and choose.
Serve these green beans up with anything from grilled chicken to roast turkey breast.
What to Serve with Green Bean Niçoise Salad
- Grilled Chicken Breasts with Lime, Roasted Garlic, and Fresh Herb Marinade and Mediterranean Couscous, Swiss Chard, and Peppers
- Simple Herbed Grilled Chicken and Sesame-Honey Quinoa and Carrot Salad with Sliced Avocado
- Simple Lemon-Garlic Roasted Turkey Breast and Herb Roasted Fingerling Potatoes
- Loin Lamb Chops with Roasted Tomato and Garlic Sauce and mashed potatoes
- Honey-Hoisin Salmon and Perfect Rice
Other Green Bean Recipes
- Honey Mustard Green Beans
- Sautéed Haricot Verts with Red Onions and Shallots
- Green Beans with Chervil Vinaigrette
- Sautéed Green Beans and Oyster Mushrooms
- Air Fryer Green Beans
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Green Bean Nicoise Salad
Ingredients
- Kosher salt to taste
- 1 pound haricot vert or green beans (trimmed)
- ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons minced shallots
- 2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon capers (drained and chopped)
- 1 teaspoon honey
- Freshly ground pepper to taste
- ½ cup pitted black olives (roughly chopped)
- 2 tablespoons thinly sliced fresh basil leaves
- 1 tablespoon chopped dill
Instructions
- Bring a large saucepan of salted water to a boil. Have a large bowl of ice water nearby. Add the green beans to the pot and cook for 2 minutes for haricot vert, 3 minutes for regular green beans. Drain, then immediately plunge the beans into the bowl of ice water to stop the cooking. When cool, drain and shake off as much excess water as possible.
- In a large bowl combine the olive oil, shallots, sherry vinegar, Dijon, capers, honey, salt and pepper, olives, basil and dill. Add the beans and toss to coat with the dressing. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed. Serve at room temperature.
Oops, I just realized I forgot to actually rate the recipe, lol. Definitely 5 stars, when served Marinated and cold (see my review).
I wish I could give this two different ratings: As written, it’s 4 stars. Good, but not spectacular. HOWEVER. if the whole thing is left to marinate a few days (the beans in the dressing), then served cold, this becomes 6 stars (if I could give 6 stars, hahaha!). Truly SPECTACULAR!!! The only change I made was to use Kalamata olives. Also, it is essential to use fresh herbs!!! Don’t cut corners on this one. I don’t even like green beans that much, and I couldn’t stop eating this!!! This recipe is just brilliant!
Can you make this a day in advance…I would like to make this for thanksgiving and make the day before…thoughts?
Ye! I would make the dressing and cook the green beans, and keep them separate and toss them about an hour before serving so the beans hold their green color. Definitely do the ice bath part after cooking the green beans.