Jazzy Salad Niçoise with Lemon-Dijon Dressing

Jazzy Salad Niçoise with Lemon-Dijon Dressing

With a tasty and tangy dressing, tender tiny potatoes, colorful green beans, savory baked tofu, creamy chickpeas, fresh tomatoes and salty olives, this satisfying dish is reminiscent of the French classic. Hearty and filling, it’s the perfect salad to serve for a supper entrée or as a first course for a fancy soirée.

Course Main Course, Salad

Cuisine French

Keyword chickpea, green beans, kalamata, nicoise, olives, potatoes, radishes, romaine, salad, tofu, tomato, vegan, viniagrette

Author Laura Theodore

Ingredients

Lemon Dijon Dressing

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil plus more to taste
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1½ tablespoons maple syrup
1½ heaping tablespoons Dijon or spicy brown mustard
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
¼ teaspoon sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 heaping tablespoon thinly sliced scallions white and light green parts, plus more for garnish

Salad

2½ cups baby red and/or white potatoes cut in half
2½ to 3 cups green beans trimmed and left whole
10 to 12 romaine lettuce leaves
3 Campari tomatoes quartered or 12 cherry tomatoes, cut in half
8 ounces cold Maple Baked Tofu or store-bought baked tofu cubed (see note)
1 cup cooked chickpeas garbanzo beans, see note
4 to 6 large radishes sliced
6 to 9 queen green olives with pimento
8 to 12 pitted Kalamata olives
Sea salt to taste
Several grinds freshly ground black pepper to taste

Instructions

Lemon-Dijon Dressing

To make the dressing, put all of the dressing ingredients into a small bowl and briskly whisk until well combined. Taste and add 1 more tablespoon olive oil, if desired

For The Salad

To make the salad, fit a steamer basket into a large pot with a tight-fitting lid. Add 2 to 3 inches of cold water. Add the potatoes. Cover, bring to a boil and steam 18 to 20 minutes or until fork tender. Transfer the potatoes to a medium-sized bowl and let cool 15 minutes. Toss the potatoes with a scant 2 tablespoons of the dressing, cover and refrigerate until you are ready to assemble the salad.
Fit the same steamer basket back into the pot. Add 2 to 3 inches of cold water. Add the green beans. Cover, bring to a boil and steam 5 to 8 minutes or until crisp tender. Transfer the beans to a medium-sized bowl and let cool 15 minutes. Toss the beans with a scant 2 tablespoons of the dressing, cover and refrigerate until you are ready to assemble the salad.
To assemble the salad for a main dish entrée, put 3 large romaine lettuce leaves on each of two to three large dinner plates (see note). Arrange the potatoes and green beans in separate rows on the plate. Add the tomatoes, cubed tofu, chickpeas, radish slices, queen green olives and Kalamata olives, all arranged in separate rows on the plate (see photo). At this point the salads may be covered and refrigerated for up to 2 hours. Right before serving, drizzle about 1½ tablespoons of dressing over each of the salads. Top with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste, and serve.
Chef’s note: For a gluten-free and soy-free option, substitute an additional 1 cup of the cooked chickpeas in place of the baked tofu.

Notes

Chef’s note: To serve this salad as a first course or side dish, divide and arrange the ingredients on six to eight pretty salad plates.

Chef’s note: If desired, you may substitute about 16 ounces of your favorite hummus in place of the tofu and the chickpeas.