Niçoise-ish Salad

4/15/2019

Niçoise-ish Salad

I'm all about a giant entrée salad that's loaded with all the goods and can easily serve as a filling and satisfying meal on it's own. No wimpy salads around here, thank you! This Niçoise-ish Salad has got it all - tons of veggies, protein, healthy fats, lots of texture (I love a refreshing crunch in my salads), and obviously loads of flavor! If you're wondering why it's a Niçoise-"ish" salad... well I figured I'd skip the potatoes to keep it a little lighter, swap the usual niçoise olives for castelvetrano (Mitch's fave!), and add some avocado (because who can possibly make a salad without it)! The combo of ingredients is pretty amazing together and let's not forget the lemon dijon dressing! It's super easy to whip up and is a great homemade staple to pair with any salad, but it goes especially well with everything that's packed into this mega Niçoise!

A few quick notes before we get into the recipe. First, tuna. Always go for wild, sustainably-caught tuna. I really like Tonnino Tuna - it comes in a glass jar, which to me is a little more appetizing than canned tuna, tastes super fresh, and it's low in mercury. But if tuna from a can doesn't bug you at all, just make sure to get a high-quality brand and check the labels to make sure it's wild.  

Next, eggs. No one likes an overcooked, chalky hard-boiled egg, so watch your time when you're making them! I was never good at cooking them on the stove - they always turned out overcooked or impossible to peel, so I usually stick to making my hard-boiled eggs in the instant pot. 4 minutes on high pressure and they're perfect every time!

Last, green beans. I like them nice and crunchy, so I only let them boil for 2-3 minutes and then I put them in an ice bath... I'd always rather them be more crunchy than too soft, but you can always try one right before you put it in the ice bath and see if it's the right crispness for you!  

Ingredients
1 can wild tuna or 1 jar Tonnino Tuna in Spring Water
4 cups (or handfuls) spring greens
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
2 Persian cucumbers, sliced
2 hard-boiled eggs, quartered
Handful of green beans, blanched
1/2 cup olives (pick your fave, I used castelvetrano)
1 avocado, sliced
1 tsp lemon juice
Optional: 1 tbsp avocado oil mayonnaise
2 tbsp fresh dill, chopped

LEMON DIJON DRESSING
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 tsp lemon juice
1 tbsp dijon mustard
1-2 tbsp water, as needed
Salt & pepper to taste

Serves 3-4

1. Place green beans in a pot of boiling water for 3 minutes, then take them out and transfer immediately into a bowl of ice water. Let them sit for a couple minutes, then drain.
2. Drain water from tuna jar and mix the tuna with 1 tsp lemon, salt & pepper, 1 tsp fresh dill, & avocado oil mayonnaise if desired.
3. Stir together dressing ingredients, season to taste with salt and pepper, and set aside.
4. Assemble salad - greens on the bottom, green beans and the rest of the veggies, avocado, & tuna on top. 
5. Drizzle with dressing and garnish with fresh dill as desired. Enjoy!

​