A healthy but filling main course salad, Salmon Nicoise Salad with roasted red pepper vinaigrette makes the best quick dinner. It’s ready in under half an hour and is loaded with protein, vitamins, and a whole rainbow of flavor!

Salmon Nicoise Salad on a dinner plate with salt and pepper in the background.


Salmon Nicoise Salad 

This Salmon Nicoise Salad makes a simply amazing dinner with minimal effort. It’s the perfect way to usher in the summer months while saving your precious time. This version with a roasted red pepper vinaigrette is similar to a tuna nicoise salad. Instead, it’s made with a peppered salmon filet that’s juicy and tender. 

The salmon is a cinch to make and clean up, since it gets baked in a parchment paper pouch in the oven. The parchment helps keep the juices locked in for maximum moisture and flavor, so no dry fish is going on this dish! Best of all, this satisfying salad can be ready in about 25 minutes. 

With some planning, you could even use leftovers from prior dinners to speed up this meal. These roasted potatoes and hard-boiled eggs are easy to use in this recipe. You could throw in some extra green beans from this easy side dish, too. Combined with a vinaigrette that comes together in no time flat, you’ll love how easy the Salmon Nicoise Salad is to toss together. 

Every single bite of this salad bursts with flavor from good-for-you ingredients. Between the briny olives, filling potatoes and proteins, fresh veggies, and peppery radishes, even the pickiest eaters will be asking for seconds. 

Ingredients for Salmon Nicoise Salad on a gray background.
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How to Make It

  1. Wrap the filets and bake. Unwrap each salmon filet completely and place in a parchment pouch. Seal the pouch by folding the open end under and placing it on a baking sheet. Bake in a 350°F oven for 20 minutes. 
  2. Prepare ice water and boil the beans. While the fish is cooking, fill a large bowl with ice water and set it aside. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the beans and cook for 1 minute. Drain them and place them in the bowl of ice water to chill. Drain the beans once they’re no longer warm, about 1-2 minutes.
  3. Prepare the salad mix. Spread the arugula on a large platter or in a salad bowl. Top with the potatoes, green beans, olives, radishes, tomatoes, cucumber, and egg. Set aside. 
  4. Make the dressing. Whisk together the olive oil, cider vinegar, roasted red pepper, garlic, and thyme in a small bowl. Season the dressing with salt and pepper to taste. 
  5. Toss, top, and serve. Toss the salad with the dressing, then remove the salmon from its pouches and place atop the salad. Serve immediately. 
Dressing being poured over salmon Nicoise salad on a white platter.

Flavor variations

  • Don’t have time for salmon? No worries! Feel free to use canned tuna in oil. 
  • Add capers for extra salty, pickled flavor. 
  • For crunchier potatoes, try my Crispy Smashed Skillet Potatoes instead. 

Tips & Tricks

  • Make sure your green beans are only cooked for about a minute. They should still be bright green and a little crunchy.
  • Try highly flavorful olive varieties in this salad. Some bold types of olives to try include kalamatas, Castelvetrano olives, and Nicoise olives. You can use black olives too, but they don’t have as much zing as other varieties.
  • Make this salad vegetarian by omitting the salmon. It will still be plenty filling, and you could add extra egg to replace the fish protein. 
  • Make soft-boiled eggs instead. Place eggs in a pot and cover with cold water. Bring the pot to a boil, then cover it and turn the heat off. Leave covered for 7 minutes before placing the eggs in an ice bath. 
Two dinner plates with salmon Nicoise salad on them with a bowl of olives and two forks.

Serving Suggestions

Keep this dinner light with a creamy vegetable soup like Cream of Asparagus Soup. For a soup with a bright but earthy flavor, you’ll love Roasted Tomato Soup.

If you’d like a heartier soup to go with your Nicoise Salad, try my Slow Cooker Split Pea Soup or starchy Ham and Potato Soup. 

Finally, salad always goes along with a nice hunk of bread. My Easy Brioche Rolls are tender, buttery, and easy to whip up for the family. 

FAQs

Can I make this salad ahead of time? 

Most of this salad can be prepared a day ahead of time, along with the dressing. This includes the potatoes, green beans, chopped vegetables, and hard-boiled eggs. Store each item separately, covered, in the fridge until you’re ready to assemble the salad. 

Side view of salmon Nicoise salad with hard boiled eggs, green beans and a roasted red pepper dressing.

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Grilled Salmon on a platter with Nicoise Salad

Get the Recipe: Salmon Nicoise Salad Recipe

Yield: 4 servings
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
This simple to make Salmon Nicoise Salad is fantastic for a light dinner or lunch. Loaded with fresh veggies and oven roasted salmon.
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Ingredients

  • 4 Salmon Filets, approximately 4 ounces each
  • 1 1/2 cups fresh french green beans
  • 1 cup fresh wax beans
  • 6 cups baby arugula
  • 1 1/2 cups roasted potatoes
  • 1/2 cup assorted olives
  • 1/2 cup thinly sliced radish
  • 1 cup thinly sliced English cucumber
  • 1 cup grape tomatoes
  • 3 hard boiled eggs, cut in half
  • 1/4 cup finely minced roasted red pepper
  • 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon minced garlic
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper

Equipment

  • 1 baking sheet

Instructions 

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  • Drizzle each salmon filet with 1/2 tablespoon olive oil and season with salt and pepper on both sides. Arrange on a baking sheet lined with parchment .Transfer the baking sheet to the oven and bake for 10-15 minutes or until the salmon flakes easily with a fork.
  • Fill a large bowl with ice water and set aside.
  • While the fish is cooking, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the beans and cook for 1 minute. Immediately remove to the bowl filled with ice water to stop the cooking process. Drain the beans and set aside.
  • Spread the arugula on a large platter or place in a salad bowl. Top with the potatoes, green beans, olives, radish, tomatoes,cucumber and egg. Set aside.
  • In a small bowl, whisk together the roasted red pepper, cider vinegar, garlic, thyme and olive oil. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
  • Toss the salad with the dressing.
  • Remove the salmon from the parchment pouches and place on top of the salad.
  • Serve immediately.

Notes

Salmon can be roasted up to 24 hours in advance. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator until ready to use. Heat in the oven or serve at room temperature. 
Salmon can also be grilled for the salad. Simple season as directed and grill over medium heat for 4-5 minutes. Carefully flip the salmon over and grill for an additional 4-5 minutes or until the salmon is easily flaked with a fork.
Serving: 1g, Calories: 383kcal, Carbohydrates: 13g, Protein: 42g, Fat: 18g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g, Monounsaturated Fat: 7g, Cholesterol: 233mg, Sodium: 527mg, Potassium: 1391mg, Fiber: 4g, Sugar: 4g, Vitamin A: 1715IU, Vitamin C: 34mg, Calcium: 157mg, Iron: 4mg
Author: Kellie
Course: Dinner, lunch, Salad
Cuisine: French