Vegan Nicoise Salad

I absolutely love this vegan Niçoise salad with dijon and herb roasted potatoes, hearts of palm, white beans, green beans and the BEST creamy vinaigrette I've ever had.

Look guys, I used talk a lot of sh*t about salads.

I was all like "salads are so boring; they have no flavor; why would you want to eat raw vegetables as a meal; blah, blah, blah". Turns out, I was totally wrong.

Yes, there is such a thing as a really bad salad. And sadly, they are particularly prevalent on many restaurant menus across America.

But there is also such a thing as a really bomb a$$ salad. This vegan Nicoise is one of them!!

With plenty of textures, umami flavors, herbs, a variety of vegetables and legumes and seriously *the best dressing ever*, this really doesn't qualify as a standard salad. It's a full meal!

Ingredients

Let's break it down, starting with the vinaigrette. Some Nicoise salad dressings contains anchovies, which pack a ton of flavor, but obviously aren't vegan.

To make up for that, our version contains dijon, tamari and miso for the PERFECT umami blend. It's so good that I was literally just dipping romaine in the dressing and eating as a snack. And I hate romaine. (Usually).

The romaine base is tossed in said heavenly dressing, then topped with potatoes roasted in the same oil/herb/seasoning blend, creamy white beans, hearts of palm, blanched green beans, mini heirloom tomatoes and olives.

Traditional Nicoise contains tuna and eggs, which we've replaced here with hearts of palm & white beans. You could also use chickpeas, tofu, lentils, artichokes or vegan tuna substitutes.

The BEST Nicoise Salad Dressing

Here's what you'll need for my new favorite salad dressing:

• Olive oil: I always use the good stuff in salad dressings where you'll actually taste the flavor.
• Champagne vinegar: white wine vinegar will work in a pinch.
• Dijon mustard: adds flavor and helps with emulsification!
• Tamari: or soy sauce for a salty punch.
• Miso paste: the secret ingredient!! White or yellow miso paste adds SO. MUCH. FLAVOR. Don't skip it!
• Herbes de Provence: a French herb blend typically containing thyme, basil, oregano, marjoram, rosemary, tarragon and lavender.
• Shallots: finely minced shallots add a ton of flavor.
• Salt & Pepper: add to taste. You won't need quite as much salt as usual since tamari is salty.

Instructions

The first step is to make your potatoes. Many Nicoise salad recipes call for boiled potatoes. We opted for roasting, but either method will do!

Whisk together a quick seasoning blend of olive oil, dijon mustard, herbes de provence, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Dice small yukon gold or fingerling potatoes into quarters and toss in the olive oil mixture. Roast at 375˚F until tender and slightly crispy; about 30 minutes.

While the potatoes are roasting, assemble the remaining ingredients.

Whisk up all of the vinaigrette ingredients until creamy and emulsified. You can also add everything to a jar, seal tightly and shake vigorously to combine.

Next, trim green beans and blanch in hot water for about 2 minutes, until they are a vibrant green and fork tender. Immediately transfer to ice water to stop the cooking process.

The remaining components include canned white beans (be sure to drain and rinse), halved mini heirloom tomatoes, diced hearts of palm and olives.

Nicoise olives are obviously the best choice for this salad, but if you can't find them, kalamata olives are the next best option!

Once the potatoes are ready, let them cool for 10 minutes before tossing everything together with the dressing.

More flavorful vegan salads you'll love:

• Taco Salad with Lentil Walnut "Meat"
• White Bean Edamame Salad
• Shaved Brussels Sprout Salad with Cranberry Vinaigrette
• Moroccan Carrot and Lentil Salad
• Heirloom Tomato Salad via Real + Vibrant
• Summer Vegetable & Wild Rice Salad

If you make this vegan Nicoise salad, we’d love for you to leave a comment and rating below! We also love to see your creations on Instagram – tag us at @crowded_kitchen so we can see what you’ve been cooking.

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