Vegan Nicoise Salad Recipe + Video - Simply Quinoa (2024)

By: AlyssaRating 2 Comments on Vegan Nicoise Salad Recipe + Video

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Make healthy and light Vegan Nicoise Salad with baked tofu, potatoes, olives, green beans and crunchy fresh lettuce.

Vegan Nicoise Salad Recipe + Video - Simply Quinoa (1)

this recipe

A few years ago I traveled to Nice in southern France. I wasn't following a plant-based diet then, so I ate dozens of Nicoise salads. I've always loved the combination of crunchy greens, fresh vegetables and a hearty protein on top. So now, instead of topping my Nicoiuse with hard-boiled eggs or tuna, I use savory baked tofu.

This vegan twist on Nicoise is just as satisfying, healthy and flavorful. Plus, it's easy to whip up for a work-from-home lunch or weeknight dinner.

If you love loaded salads like this recipe, be sure to tryVegan Cobb Salad andAsian Quinoa Power Salad next!

Vegan Nicoise Salad Recipe + Video - Simply Quinoa (2)

How to Make Vegan Nicoise Salad

This salad has all of the makings of a classic Nicoise, with tofu instead of tuna and no eggs to keep it vegan.

To build the salad base, you'll need:

  • Chopped greens. Feel free to use your favorite fresh crunchy greens as the base for your Nicoise.
  • Green beans. This is a classic addition to Nicoise. Be sure not to overcook them, as they will quickly turn from bright, vibrant green to mushy and brown.
  • Tomatoes. Cherry tomatoes, if they're in season, make a sweet and colorful addition to your salad.
  • Dried herbs. Don't hold back with the herby flavors in this salad! I love oregano, thyme and parsley or basil. You can also use fresh herbs.
  • Kalamata olives. For a nice salty, briny flavor.
  • Potatoes. These round out the salad into a complete meal with healthy protein, greens, fiber and carbs.

How to Make the Best Baked Tofu

To mimic the meatiness of seared tuna with a plant-based replacement, this salad is topped with a baked tofu steak. Make sure to use extra-frim tofu for the best texture. Before roasting, slice the tofu block into even “steaks.”

They get a quick seasoning ofolive oil, dried herbs, salt, and pepper before roasting to golden perfection.

This baked tofu is one of my favorite plant-based protein options. It gets crispy on the outside, tender on the inside and has this soft, almost pillowy texture to it. It absorbs flavors like nothing else and each bite kind of oozes with dressing.

Plus, you can easily meal prep a batch of baked tofu steaks and use them to top salads all week long. They also work great in vegan sandwiches for a quick workday lunch.

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Dressing for Vegan Nicoise Salad

Classic Nicoise has an herby and delicious salad dressing. I replicated these flavors with a creamy twist from tahini to make a silky smooth Lemon Herb Tahini Dressing.

If you're looking to play with the favors in your Nicoise salad dressing, you can try another favorite tahini dressing recipe. Here are four that I love to get you started.

Vegan Nicoise Salad Recipe + Video - Simply Quinoa (4)

If you try this Vegan Nicoise Salad with Baked Tofu, be sure to let me know with a rating and comment below. And follow along on Instagram for more tasty healthy recipes.

xo Alyssa

More Delicious Salad Recipes to try:

  • Apple + Pecan Arugula Salad with Herbed Cashew Cheese
  • Vegan “Chicken” Salad Bowls
  • Arugula Fig Salad with Creamy Balsamic Vinaigrette
  • Creamy Kale Salad with Smoky Tempeh Croutons

Vegan Nicoise Salad with Tofu

5 from 2 votes

This is a delicious and healthy vegan twist on classic Nicoise salad with tofu instead of tuna.

author: Alyssa

yield: 4 Servings

Vegan Nicoise Salad Recipe + Video - Simply Quinoa (5)

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep: 5 minutes minutes

Cook: 35 minutes minutes

Total: 40 minutes minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 block extra firm tofu
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon dried parsley/basil
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 6 - 8 cups chopped greens
  • 2 cups chopped cherry tomatoes
  • 2 cups green beans lightly steaming is optional
  • 1 cup chopped kalamata olives
  • 1 batch Lemon Herb Tahini Dressing

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 400ºF. Line a baking sheet with parchment and set aside.

  • Slice the tofu into four equal steaks. Place them on the prepared baking sheet and drizzle with 1 tablespoon of oil. Sprinkle half the hers on top and rub this mixture over the tofu to evenly coat. Flip and repeat with remaining oil and spices.

  • Bake for 35 - 40 minutes, flipping halfway through until tofu is golden brown and crispy. Remove and let cool for 5 minutes.

  • Assemble the salad by separating the remaining ingredients equally across four bowls. Slice each piece of tofu into strips and arrange on top. Drizzle with dressing and enjoy!

Video

Nutrition

Calories: 223kcal | Carbohydrates: 13g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Sodium: 1266mg | Potassium: 531mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 1445IU | Vitamin C: 35.3mg | Calcium: 91mg | Iron: 3.1mg

cuisine: American, French

course: Main Course, Salad

★★★★★

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Filed Under:

  • Dairy Free
  • Gluten-Free
  • Lunch
  • Oven
  • Recipes
  • Salads
  • Vegan
  • Vegetarian

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Vegan Nicoise Salad Recipe + Video - Simply Quinoa (2024)

FAQs

What are the traditional ingredients in Nicoise salad? ›

At first, Salade Niçoise was made only with tomatoes, anchovies, and olive oil." The Cercle de la Capelina d'Or's salade Niçoise includes tomatoes, hard-boiled eggs, salted anchovies, tuna, spring onions, small black Nice olives, and basil.

Where did Nicoise salad originate? ›

Like many other French dishes, the Niçoise salad was inspired by the ingredients that were readily available to the chef who invented it. The dish's history is clouded by legend, but it's commonly thought to have been created by a chef in Nice, France, named Bigot.

Which of the following ingredients is not found in a classic salad nicoise? ›

A debate is raging over what constitutes a ``correct'' salade Niçoise. To the purists, the rules are clear: no vinegar, no lettuce, no fresh tuna, and no boiled vegetables, like potatoes or green beans. If you add any of these, you will be labelled as a heretic and sent to hell for your sins.

What does "nicoise" mean in French? ›

Where does niçoise come from? Niçoise comes from the French phrase à la niçoise and means “of Nice,” a French city on the Mediterranean coast.

What olives can I use instead of Niçoise? ›

Consider serving briny Niçoise-style olives alongside fresh heirloom tomatoes in a pasta, salad, or on top of a pizza. Coquillos are commonly substituted for French Niçoise olives because the two varieties are similar and French Niçoise olives can be sparse.

Which of the following is a common garnish in a salad Niçoise? ›

According to Larousse Gastronomique, a Niçoise salad is defined as having equal parts diced potatoes and French string beans that are seasoned with oil and vinegar, molded into the shape of a dome, then garnished with anchovy fillets, olives, capers, tomatoes, chervil, and tarragon.

What salad was invented in California? ›

The iconic Cobb Salad was invented in 1937 at the Brown Derby restaurant in Hollywood, California, by Bob Cobb. The ingredients for Cobb Salad vary from recipe to recipe but they typically start with some sort of leafy green like Romaine lettuce.

How do you eat salad in France? ›

Instead, they “use a small piece of bread to push the salad onto the fork,” she says. “Then you stab the bread with a fork and move it around the plate to absorb some of the vinaigrette, and use the fork to eat it.”

Are Nicoise olives black? ›

Pronounced NEE-swahs. A ripe olive with a hue that ranges from deep brown to black. Grown to be used for both table olives and olive oil. A delicacy, as the flesh-to-pit ratio is rather low.

What is the main ingredient of bound salad? ›

Bound salad: ingredients such as meat, poultry, fish, egg, or starch such as potato, pasta, or rice and bound with mayo. Vegetable salad: cooked and/or raw vegetables (coleslaw); can be bound with mayo or mixed with vinegar/oil dressing.

Which of the following is a common garnish in a salad nicoise? ›

According to Larousse Gastronomique, a Niçoise salad is defined as having equal parts diced potatoes and French string beans that are seasoned with oil and vinegar, molded into the shape of a dome, then garnished with anchovy fillets, olives, capers, tomatoes, chervil, and tarragon.

What do you drink with salad niçoise? ›

However, for salade Nicoise made with good quality tuna (and not the supermarket-standard flakes from a tin), we think a lightly chilled Pinot Noir would be the one to go for, instead. Yes, we know: red wine with a salad, or with fish, is usually a non-starter. However, this pairing really is good!

What ingredients did you used as the structure of your salad? ›

Lettuce is frequently used as a salad base, but any number of ingredients can be used in a salad. The basic parts of a salad are the base, the body, the garnish, and the dressing. The five basic types of salad are green salads (tossed or composed), bound, vegetable, fruit, and combination.

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