Description
A fresh, satisfying, and fast Mediterranean salmon Niçoise salad with crispy skin, vibrant vegetables, and a punchy lemony dressing, ready in just 30 minutes.
Ingredients
- 4 salmon fillets (about 6 oz each / 170g each), skin-on
- 1/2 pound (225g) green beans, trimmed
- 1 pound (450g) baby potatoes, halved
- 1/3 cup (50g) Kalamata olives, pitted
- 1 cup (150g) cherry tomatoes, halved
- 4 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and quartered
- 2 tablespoons capers
- 1/4 cup (15g) fresh parsley, chopped
- 3 tablespoons (45ml) extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons (30ml) lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- Salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add halved baby potatoes and cook until just tender, about 12-15 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer potatoes to a bowl, do not drain water.
- Add trimmed green beans to the same boiling water and blanch for 2-3 minutes until bright green and crisp-tender. Transfer beans immediately to a bowl of ice water to stop cooking. Drain and set aside.
- While potatoes cook, whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, minced garlic, salt, and pepper in a small bowl to make the dressing. Adjust seasoning to taste.
- Pat salmon fillets dry with paper towels. Season both sides generously with salt and pepper.
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add 1 tablespoon olive oil. Place salmon skin-side down, pressing gently with a spatula for 10 seconds to prevent curling. Cook undisturbed for 5-7 minutes until skin is golden and crisp.
- Flip salmon carefully and cook for another 2-3 minutes until salmon is opaque but still tender inside. Remove from heat and let rest briefly.
- In a large bowl, combine cooked potatoes, blanched green beans, cherry tomatoes, Kalamata olives, capers, and chopped parsley. Toss with half of the dressing to coat gently.
- Divide salad onto plates or a large platter. Arrange hard-boiled egg quarters on top, then nestle crispy salmon fillets over everything.
- Drizzle remaining dressing over salmon and finish with freshly cracked black pepper.
- Serve immediately while salmon skin is still crispy and vegetables are bright.
Notes
[‘Pat salmon dry twice and optionally air-dry in fridge for 15 minutes for extra crispy skin.’, ‘Use room temperature salmon for better searing.’, ‘Salt the skin well before cooking to pull out moisture and enhance crispiness.’, ‘Save potato cooking water for blanching green beans or other uses.’, ‘Avoid overcrowding the pan when searing salmon; cook in batches if needed.’, ‘Make dressing ahead and whisk again before tossing salad.’, ‘Store salmon separately from salad to keep skin crispy; reheat gently in skillet.’, ‘Microwaving salmon is not recommended to maintain crispy skin.’, ‘Substitute vegetables like asparagus or roasted bell peppers as desired.’, ‘For vegetarian or vegan versions, omit salmon and eggs and add chickpeas or tofu.’]
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (1 salmon
- Calories: 480
- Sodium: 680
- Fat: 25
- Saturated Fat: 4
- Carbohydrates: 30
- Fiber: 5
- Protein: 35
Keywords: Mediterranean salmon salad, Niçoise salad, crispy salmon skin, healthy dinner, quick salmon recipe, weeknight meal, fresh salad, pescatarian, gluten-free