Classic French Niçoise Salad Recipe
Written by MasterClass
Last updated: Aug 19, 2024 • 1 min read
Like most staples of classical French cooking—lookin’ at you, ratatouille and coq au vin—salade niçoise hails from humble beginnings.
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Foundations of a Niçoise Salad
In its very simplest 19th century iteration, this composed salad from the seaside city of Nice, France, featured just tomatoes, anchovies, and olive oil. In a world where adding a dash of capers to a dish can rock the very foundations of culinary identity, the niçoise has since evolved into a flexible format.
Variations appear in just a range of reputable sources, from the Larousse to Escoffier to former mayors of Nice—some include tuna, some don’t; some say it’s a summer salad that shouldn’t see even a second of cooking time; some say, well, anything goes. At its core, the niçoise salad is meant to be your perfect salad, so build the flavor profile instinctively from those original few must-haves: tomato, anchovy, and olive oil.
Classic Niçoise Salad Recipe
makes
Ingredients
Because a classic niçoise is a composed salad with no cooked ingredients, making one couldn’t be easier. Just stick to seasonal produce at the height of its game, whip up a quick vinaigrette, and make it all look good on the plate. Favas look good at the market? Add ‘em. Ramps in season? You bet they belong here.
Optional:
- 1
In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, vinegar, mustard, 1 teaspoon salt, and pepper.
- 2
Arrange the salad components in snug, separate piles on the plate, or mix together and toss with as much vinaigrette as you’d like.
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