The Best Ina Garten Salmon Salad Nicoise Recipe Ever Made

Salmon salad nicoise transforms ordinary ingredients into an extraordinary culinary experience that celebrates coastal French cuisine.

Mediterranean-inspired dishes often bring vibrant colors and bold flavors to our dining tables.

Fresh fish serves as the protein cornerstone of this elegant composition.

Complex textures and bright ingredients dance together in perfect harmony, creating a symphony of taste.

Traditional techniques merge with contemporary presentation, making this salad both classic and modern.

Each carefully selected component contributes its unique character to the overall balance of the dish.

Friends and family will appreciate the sophisticated yet approachable nature of this remarkable salad: gather your ingredients and let the magic begin.

Why Salmon Salad Nicoise Is a Showstopper

• Savor Effortless Gourmet Flavors: Ina Garten's salmon niçoise elevates a simple salad into a restaurant-quality dish with minimal cooking skills required.
• Enjoy Perfectly Layered Textures: The recipe combines crisp haricots verts, tender salmon, creamy potatoes, and soft eggs, creating a delightful mouthfeel in every bite.
• Master Foolproof Cooking Techniques: The step-by-step method ensures perfectly cooked salmon and vegetables through precise timing and temperature control, making it ideal for home cooks wanting professional results.
• Celebrate Versatile Meal Potential: This salad works brilliantly as a light lunch, elegant dinner party starter, or sophisticated picnic dish that impresses without complicated preparation.

Everything You Need for This French Classic

• Salmon: Fresh, wild-caught salmon ensures rich flavor and best texture for this classic French-style salad.
• Eggs: Hard-boiled eggs add protein and creamy texture to the salad.
• Anchovies: Optional salty ingredient that provides traditional nicoise flavor profile.

• Potatoes: Waxy variety like Yukon Gold works best for holding shape after boiling.
• Haricots Verts: Thin French green beans with tender, delicate character.
• Tomatoes: Ripe, fresh cherry or vine tomatoes bring bright color and sweet taste.
• Watercress: Peppery, fresh green that adds crisp texture and light spiciness.
• Olives: Kalamata or Nicoise olives contribute authentic Mediterranean flavor.

• Lemon Juice, Lemon Zest: Provides bright, citrusy acidity and aromatic freshness.
• Olive Oil: High-quality extra virgin olive oil for rich, smooth dressing.
• Mustard: Adds tangy depth and helps emulsify vinaigrette.
• Garlic: Provides aromatic, sharp undertone to marinade.
• Vinegar: Balances and brightens overall salad flavor.
• Salt, Black Pepper: Essential seasonings for enhancing overall taste.

How to Make Ina Garten’s Salmon Salad Nicoise

Step 1: Prepare The Fiery Oven

Crank up your oven to a blazing 500°F, getting ready for culinary magic.

Step 2: Craft The Zesty Marinade

• Fresh lemon juice
• Bright lemon zest
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Dijon mustard
• Crushed garlic
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper

Set this liquid gold aside.

Step 3: Marinate The Salmon

Lay out the salmon on a foil-lined baking sheet and lavishly drench with the marinade. Let it soak up the flavors for 15 minutes.

Step 4: Prepare The Creamy Potatoes

Fill a large pot with water and add salt. Gently cook potatoes until they’re fork-tender (10-15 minutes). Drain and let them steam and cool, then slice into hearty chunks.

Step 5: Roast The Salmon To Perfection

Slide the salmon into the scorching oven for 12-15 minutes. Once done, let it rest and cool. Tenderly remove the skin and break into rustic pieces.

Step 6: Blanch The Crisp Green Beans

Quickly dunk haricots verts in boiling salted water for 90 seconds. Shock in ice water to preserve their vibrant color and crunch.

Step 7: Whip Up The Silky Vinaigrette

• White wine vinegar
• Robust mustard
• Sea salt
• Cracked pepper

Slowly stream in olive oil while whisking to create a smooth, glossy dressing.

Step 8: Assemble The Spectacular Salad

• Flaked salmon
• Potato chunks
• Blanched green beans
• Ripe cherry tomatoes
• Perfectly cooked eggs
• Peppery watercress
• Briny olives
• Optional anchovy fillets

Drizzle with vinaigrette and serve additional dressing on the side. Enjoy your restaurant-worthy dish!

Smart Ideas for Salmon Salad Nicoise

• Perfect Potato Tenderness: Boil small potatoes just until a fork slides in easily to maintain their creamy, firm texture.
• Quick Vegetable Blanching: Plunge haricots verts into ice water immediately after boiling to lock in vibrant green color and crisp snap.
• Smart Ingredient Swaps: Mix up the salad with peppery arugula or sweet cherry tomatoes for a personalized flavor twist.
• Customize Your Heat: Sprinkle red pepper flakes into the vinaigrette for a spicy kick that elevates the entire dish.
• Master Salmon Cooking: Watch the fish closely and remove from heat at 12 minutes to ensure a perfectly tender, flaky result that melts in your mouth.

Keeping Salmon Salad Nicoise Fresh

• Vacuum Seal Method: Extract air completely from a specialized bag, protecting salmon salad's delicate ingredients from oxidation and freezer burn. Prevents moisture loss and maintains original texture for 1-2 weeks when stored between 32-40°F.
• Glass Container Method: Transfer salmon salad into a clean, transparent glass container with a tight-sealing lid. Arrange ingredients in separate compartments to prevent soggy textures and preserve individual ingredient quality. Refrigerate immediately after preparation.
• Layer Protection Method: Create a barrier between wet and dry ingredients using parchment paper or plastic wrap. Place hardier components like potatoes and green beans at the bottom, then delicate items like eggs and salmon on top. Minimizes ingredient breakdown and maintains crisp textures during storage.

Creative Twists for Salmon Salad Nicoise

• Mediterranean Herb Salmon Salad: Replace lemon marinade with fresh dill, mint, and oregano. Add crumbled feta cheese and swap anchovies for kalamata olives to enhance Mediterranean flavors.
• Spicy Asian Salmon Nicoise: Infuse marinade with ginger, soy sauce, and sriracha. Include edamame instead of haricots verts and garnish with sesame seeds and scallions for an Asian-inspired profile.
• Smoked Salmon Summer Version: Use cold-smoked salmon instead of baked salmon. Add cucumber slices, fresh dill, and swap vinaigrette with a light yogurt-based dressing for a refreshing summer alternative.
• Roasted Vegetable Salmon Nicoise: Incorporate roasted bell peppers, zucchini, and red onions alongside traditional ingredients. Use a lighter herb-infused olive oil dressing to complement the roasted vegetable complexity.

Bringing It All Together on Salmon Salad Nicoise

Mediterranean elegance meets coastal charm in Ina Garten’s salmon salad nicoise.

Layers of fresh ingredients create a symphony of flavors dancing across your plate.

Salmon transforms from simple protein to star performer with her carefully crafted marinade.

Potatoes, haricots verts, and perfectly cooked eggs complement the fish’s rich profile.

Classic French coastal traditions shine through each carefully composed bite.

Savor this culinary masterpiece – snap a photo, share with friends, tag Ina, and let the deliciousness inspire your next kitchen adventure.

Ina Garten Salmon Salad Nicoise Recipe

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4.9 from 10 reviews

• Total Time: 30 minutes
• Yield: 6 1x

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Description

Ina Garten’s salmon salad nicoise brings Mediterranean elegance to your table with fresh ingredients and classic French flavors. Crisp green beans, tender salmon, and briny olives create a perfect harmony that delights palates and transports diners to coastal France.

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

Protein:

• 6 pounds (2.7 kg) skin-on fresh salmon fillets
• 12 hard-cooked eggs, peeled and cut in ½
• 1 can anchovies, optional

Vegetables and Aromatics:

• 3 pounds (1.4 kg) small Yukon gold potatoes
• 1 ½ pounds (680 g) haricots verts, stems removed
• 3 pounds (1.4 kg) ripe tomatoes, cut into wedges (6 small tomatoes)
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 bunch watercress or arugula
• ½ pound (227 g) large green olives, pitted

Dressing and Seasonings:

• 4 lemons, zested and juiced
• ¼ cup (60 ml) olive oil
• ¼ cup (60 ml) Dijon mustard
• ¼ cup (60 ml) champagne vinegar
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• ½ cup (120 ml) good olive oil

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Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 500°F (260°C), preparing a foil-lined sheet pan for the salmon.
2. Create a vibrant marinade by combining freshly squeezed lemon juice, grated lemon zest, extra virgin olive oil, Dijon mustard, minced garlic, kosher salt, and freshly ground black pepper in a small mixing bowl.
3. Generously coat the salmon with the prepared marinade and allow it to marinate for 15 minutes at room temperature, enabling the flavors to penetrate the fish.
4. In a large pot, submerge whole potatoes in salted water and bring to a gentle simmer. Cook for 10-15 minutes until barely fork-tender, then drain and let steam in the colander to remove excess moisture before slicing into thick rounds.
5. Transfer the marinated salmon to the preheated oven and roast for 12-15 minutes until nearly cooked through. Remove and let rest for 15 minutes, then carefully remove the skin and break into rustic chunks.
6. Quickly blanch the haricots verts in rapidly boiling salted water for 1½ minutes, immediately shocking them in an ice bath to preserve their vibrant green color and crisp texture. Drain thoroughly.
7. Whisk together red wine vinegar, additional Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper. Gradually incorporate olive oil to create a smooth, emulsified vinaigrette.
8. Artfully arrange the roasted salmon, sliced potatoes, blanched haricots verts, ripe cherry tomatoes, soft-boiled eggs, peppery watercress, briny olives, and optional anchovies on a large serving platter. Drizzle generously with the prepared vinaigrette, serving extra dressing on the side for individual preference.

Notes

• Customize heat levels by sprinkling red pepper flakes into the vinaigrette for extra zest.
• Swap leafy greens like watercress with peppery arugula to transform the salad’s flavor profile.
• Maintain salmon’s delicate texture by monitoring cooking time closely, pulling from heat around 12 minutes.
• Preserve haricots verts’ vibrant green color and crisp texture through quick blanching and immediate ice bath.
• Prevent potato mushiness by removing from heat when they’re just fork-tender, ensuring perfect bite and consistency.

• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 10 minutes
• Category: Lunch, Dinner, Appetizer
• Method: Roasting
• Cuisine: French

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 6
• Calories: 700 kcal
• Sugar: 3 g
• Sodium: 600 mg
• Fat: 50 g
• Saturated Fat: 8 g
• Unsaturated Fat: 30 g
• Trans Fat: 0 g
• Carbohydrates: 35 g
• Fiber: 5 g
• Protein: 35 g
• Cholesterol: 300 mg