This vegan take on Salad Niçoise replaces the traditional tuna, eggs and anchovies with lemony seasoned chickpeas. Baby potatoes, crisp green beans, tomatoes, cucumber, olives and capers make it substantial enough for lunch or dinner, while a sharp lemon-Dijon dressing ties everything together.

The recipe comes from Hannah Sunderani’s The Two Spoons Cookbook, which offers plant-based interpretations of classic French dishes. Inspired by the markets and beaches of Nice, Sunderani designed this salad to capture the fresh, briny flavours of the South of France.

“The freshness of this salad takes me back to the morning markets in the Old Town of Nice, where I used to buy the ingredients to prepare this vibrant salad,” writes Sunderani. “We loved to pack it in containers and picnic on the stony beach. Enjoy this salad as a delicious and healthy lunch, dinner or side.”

Chickpea Salad Niçoise

Hannah Sunderani

A vegan take on classic Salad Niçoise made with seasoned chickpeas, baby potatoes, green beans, tomatoes, cucumber, olives and a lemon-Dijon dressing.

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Ingredients

Lemon Dijon Niçoise Dressing

⅓ cup olive oil
¼ cup lemon juice
2 tbsp Dijon mustard
2 tbsp finely diced shallot
1 clove garlic finely diced
1½ tsp agave syrup
½ tsp white miso paste
½ tsp fine sea salt
¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
¼ tsp dried oregano

Seasoned Chickpeas

400 mL can chickpeas drained and rinsed (see Tip)
2 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp dried oregano
pinch fine sea salt

Salad

200 g green beans trimmed
200 g baby potatoes colour of choice, cut into bite-size pieces
2 cups chopped romaine lettuce
1 cup grape tomatoes halved
1 cup thinly sliced English cucumber
¼ cup pitted mixed Greek olives
½ small red onion thinly sliced
2 tsp chopped fresh chives
¼ cup drained capers
pinch fine sea salt
pinch freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

Lemon Dijon Niçoise Dressing

In a small bowl, combine olive oil, lemon juice, mustard, shallots, garlic, agave, miso, salt, pepper and oregano. Whisk to combine. Set aside to allow flavours to meld together.

Chickpeas

In a medium bowl, combine chickpeas, lemon juice, mustard, oregano and salt. Stir to combine. Set aside.

Salad

Fill a medium bowl with ice water. Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. When water is boiling, reduce heat to medium-high, add green beans and cook until beans are vivid green and just tender, 3 to 4 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, scoop out green beans and submerge in ice water. Add potatoes to boiling water and cook until fork-tender, 10 to 12 minutes. Drain potatoes and rinse under cool running water. Drain green beans. Pat dry green beans and potatoes.
Spread romaine lettuce on a large serving platter. Evenly arrange green beans, potatoes, tomatoes, cucumber, olives and red onion over romaine. Sprinkle with seasoned chickpeas, chives, capers, salt and pepper. Serve Lemon Dijon Dressing on the side for drizzling. (Alternatively, you can toss all the ingredients together in a large salad bowl with the dressing to taste just before serving.)

Notes

Cooking dried chickpeas: To replace the canned chickpeas, soak and cook ½ cup dried chickpeas. You will need approximately 1½ cups cooked chickpeas.

Make ahead: The dressing can be prepared up to three days in advance and refrigerated in a sealed jar. Bring it to room temperature and shake well before serving.

Storage: The undressed salad can be refrigerated for up to two days. Store the dressing separately.

Keyword chickpea salad recipe, green bean salad, Potato Salad, vegan, vegetarian

Everything You Need to Know About Salad Niçoise

How do you pronounce Salade Niçoise?: Niçoise is pronounced approximately nee-SWAZ. Salade Niçoise is pronounced sa-LAHD nee-SWAZ.
Where did Salad Niçoise originate?: Salad Niçoise originated in Nice, on the French Riviera. The term à la Niçoise means “in the style of Nice.”
What is traditionally in Salad Niçoise?: There is considerable debate about the traditional ingredients. Modern versions commonly include tomatoes, olives, tuna or anchovies and hard-boiled eggs. Potatoes and cooked green beans are also widely used, though some traditionalists argue they were not part of the earliest versions.
What replaces the tuna in this vegan Salad Niçoise?: Seasoned chickpeas are tossed with lemon, Dijon mustard and oregano, creating a flavourful plant-based alternative to tuna.
Can Chickpea Salad Niçoise be made ahead?: The dressing can be made up to three days ahead. The vegetables and chickpeas can also be prepared in advance, but the salad should be assembled and dressed shortly before serving.

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Excerpted from The Two Spoons Cookbook by Hannah Sunderani© 2022 Hannah Sunderani. Photography by Hannah Sunderani. Published by Penguin, an imprint of Penguin Canada, a division of Penguin Random House Canada Limited. Reproduced by arrangement with the Publisher. All rights reserved.

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