Tossed with an herby lemon dressing, this vegetarian take on the classic Nicoise salad makes a healthy weeknight meal for spring or summer. Gluten free.
We were on vacation in Nice around this time last year, and I think I ate a nicoise salad for lunch every day of that trip. Or as Jack has coined it, the “Nizzan” salad, because the Italians call Nice “Nizza” (pronounced like pizza).
We learned this as were running through the Rome airport (we are always running), and the airport desk workers were yelling out “Nizza! Nizza! last call for Nizza!” So that’s what we call it now. The city and the salad.
This is one of my favorite main course salads because it’s so filling yet light and healthy. Feel free to add tuna here, or leave it out as I did in this vegetarian version.
I prefer crispy potatoes to traditional boiled potatoes, so I roasted mine in the oven with garlic and olive oil. You’ll also notice the absence of olives here… Jack and I both hate olives, but by all means include them if you like them.
I have a big bunch of dill growing in my garden so I mixed that into my Dijon dressing. And, well, what goes better with mustard in a summery dish than dill?
Chickpea Nicoise Salad
- 2 medium red potatoes, chopped into 1-inch pieces
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- Sea salt and fresh black pepper
- ½ shallot, finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 3 tablespoons fresh squeezed lemon juice (about ½ a medium lemon)
- ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
- 2 tablespoons chopped dill
- Sea salt and fresh black pepper
- 3 cups mixed baby salad greens
- 1 cup green beans, blanched and chopped
- ½ cup chickpeas, rinsed and drained
- ½ cup cherry tomatoes, sliced
- 2 hard boiled eggs, sliced
- 6 gherkin pickles
- 2 tablespoons capers, rinsed
- Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.
- Arrange the chopped potatoes on a baking sheet. Drizzle with the 1 tablespoon olive oil and toss with the garlic and pinches of salt and pepper. Roast in the oven for 20 minutes, or until golden brown and crunchy on the edges.
- Meanwhile, make the dressing: Whisk together the shallot, Dijon, lemon juice, olive oil, parsley, dill, and pinches of salt and pepper. Taste and adjust seasonings.
- When the potatoes are done, assemble the salads with the greens, green beans, chickpeas, tomatoes, eggs, pickles, capers, and potatoes. Serve the dressing on the side, or toss salad greens together with the dressing, green beans, chickpeas, potatoes, and tomatoes and then top salad with the eggs, gherkins, and capers.
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Not a fan of niçoise salad, but this one is soooo good!! With added tuna, yummy!
I love your site. I love your recipes. My only complaint is that when I hit your print button, I get a font print on the recipe that is so small I can hardly read it. Maybe a font size of 8 or less. Is there anything you can do to help me increase the font size of your recipes. This only happens with your site. Thanks
Hi Diane, we can make it bigger, thank you for the feedback!
Lately when ever I feel like cooking something a little extra special or yummy, I type in a key ingredient in your search box and wahlah! Found this recipe through “green beans” and made it for dinner the other night. Oh my gosh it was amazing and so simple. I had just about everything and picked up what I didn’t have while out and about. I added olives (olive lover here) and omitted dill from the dressing (didn’t have). It was so filling and satisfying! I am so happy I stumbled across your blog last month, it is now my favorite! xoxo
thank you! This is the best comment ever, I’m so glad you’ve been inspired by the recipes 🙂
Looks delicious, lovely photos!
I adore chickpeas, and salads are once again becoming my go to as summer begins. You’ve made something so simple look absolutely stunning! I LOVE the photo of the dressing! It looks so fresh and delicious. YUM.
Jeanine, you have such creative recipe ideas! I love Nicoise salad and I love the idea of putting chickpeas in it. What a refreshing dinner idea for summer. I’ll be making this soon!
I often throw around the word ‘love’ when it comes to various dishes – kind of like the boy who cried wolf, it probably detracts from my credibility. But, I L-O-V-E salad nicoise. Everything about it. The briny olives {I know you don’t like them}, the comforting potatoes, the still-crunchy green beans. The list goes on. But, just when I thought a dish was perfect, you gave it a twist and really elevated it. I love the cornichons and capers as olive subs, and – chickpeas! Yes. Thanks for the inspiration!
Nicoise salad is one of my favorites–especially for summer! Using chickpeas for protein in place of the tuna is a perfect plan. 🙂
Such a refreshing plateful of salad..could eat it for my all the three meals..love the chickpeas added in it.
Sounds amazing! Nicoise salads are my absolute favorite, but I never considered adding chickpeas–what a great addition!
Yum! That’s all I have to say!
And I can’t get enough of this blog!
aw, thank you!
This sounds sooo fabulous!
Mmmm I love a good nicoise salad. Although I haven’t had one since going veg two years ago. I’ll have to give this a try 😀