Our Salmon Salade Nicoise is the perfect warm-weather dinner. Simple enough for a weeknight, but fancy enough for guests. Everyone can pick and choose what they like to eat from the bountiful platter of salmon, potatoes, green beans, tomatoes, hardboiled eggs and a tangy Low FODMAP Lemon Salad Dressing enlivened with anchovies.
In the photo below you can see that I brought this to a big outdoor event, and it was loved by all.
This recipe is a FODMAP IT!™ version of one we found at Bon Appetit. We added tomatoes and radishes and made sure our approach was low FODMAP; the original used shallots, for instance.
Choosing Salmon
We are big salmon eaters, and it graces our table once or twice a week. There is a quite a bit to know about when shopping for salmon and seafoodwatch.org is a great resource. It is not as easy as wild versus farmed, and this website explains it all quite simply.
For this dish I do prefer the fattier Atlantic salmon and the cooking directions are for this type.
Frequently Asked Questions
The classic French salade Nicoise features tuna, and we have that version for you too, along with one that uses smoked trout.
Salade Nicoise is a salade composé, meaning that it is composed on a plate as opposed to tossed in a bowl. It allows you to create an artful look, quite easily. “Nicoise” refers to the fact that the dish hails from Nice, in the south of France.
The typical ingredients are tuna, steamed green beans and new potatoes, hard-boiled egg, Nicoise olives, and tomatoes. This version sticks fairly close to the original but features salmon and takes advantage of briny, pungent capers, which fit the southern French flavor profile.
Because the technique is brilliant! No need to dirty another pot and any mingling flavors are OK because everything gets assembled together in the end anyway.
Not all green beans are the same. If you can find young, slender green beans, by all means use them. Haricot verts are a type of French green bean that are very slender, tender, with very small seeds and great flavor. They typically do not develop that hard, dry texture that some other green beans do. If you can find them, we highly recommend them.
Guess what? Capers are flower buds! They come from the caper bush, which is also referred to as Finders Rose. They can be salt cured or brined; this recipe calls for brined. They are salty and acidic and add a certain je ne sais quoi.
Frisée is a lacy looking green and is a type of chicory, as are endive and radicchio. It is frilly, a little bitter and adds its own texture and look to any dish where it is used. It can be eaten raw or cooked.
Frisée, also known as curly endive, contains no FODMAPs! Be sure to read our article on No FODMAP Foods to see what else you might be overlooking. Like strawberries, grapes and papaya. Cucumbers, radishes, rice and potatoes (and many more foods)!
Check out these other recipes that use feature under appreciated green:
· Frisée Salad with Poached Egg, Bacon and Sourdough Croutons
· Low FODMAP Greens with Kumquats & Pomegranate
Olives add a salty, meaty addition to a Salade Nicoise and as the traditional recipe hails from Nice, Nicoise olives are the most well-suited. If you cannot find them, you can use other types, but make sure they are high quality; kalamata could work. Do not use canned black olives; they lack the flavor and texture that this recipe requires.
Watermelon radishes have finally been lab tested and FODMAP Friendly has let us all know that they are low FODMAP at a 150g serving (about 3 medium watermelon radish). When you go to buy watermelon radishes in the store, they will look unassuming as they just look like oval, whitish tubers of some sort. Sometimes there is a tinge of green on the outside. They do not reveal their vibrant hues until you slice them open. Hopefully the produce person can help guide you or they are labeled appropriately.
You could use small red radishes if you cannot find them, or leave radishes out altogether. As long as you have all the other ingredients, your dish will be spectacular.
How To Make Salmon Nicoise
Place potatoes in a medium sized saucepan and add cold water to generously cover; salt the water. Bring to a boil, adjust heat to a vigorous simmer, and cook until knife-tender, about 15-minutes. Transfer potatoes to a half-sheet pan using a slotted spoon.
Return the same pot and water to a boil and cook the green beans until crisp-tender, about 2 minutes. Using slotted spoon to transfer to a bowl of ice water. Chill until cold, then drain and pat dry.
Return water in pot to a boil again and cook the eggs for 8 minutes. Transfer eggs to bowl of ice water and chill until cold. Peel, then set aside.
Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a small saucepan over medium-high. Add capers and cook, swirling pan occasionally, until capers burst, but take care not to let them burn and blacken. Transfer capers with a slotted spoon to paper towels to drain; set aside.
Preheat oven to 425˚F (220°C). Place salmon skin side down on a half-sheet pan. Brush with reserved caper oil and season with salt and pepper.
Roast until medium-rare – salmon should be slightly translucent in the center – about 10 to 12 minutes. Cool to room temperature.
Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mash the anchovies with a fork, then whisk in Lemon Salad Dressing. Taste and season with salt and pepper.
To Serve: Arrange frisée on a platter, drizzle with a little dressing and toss to coat. Break salmon into large flaky pieces using a fork or your fingers, separating it from the skin, which you can discard skin (or feed it to your pup like I do). Arrange on frisée. Halve the potatoes and peeled eggs and arrange on platter along with green beans and radishes. Scatter tomatoes and olives about and top with fried capers. Drizzle more dressing over all and serve immediately.
FODMAP Information
Our recipes are based on Monash University and FODMAP Friendly science.
- Eggs: Eggs are high in protein and do not contain carbohydrates, according to Monash University.
- Green Beans: Green beans have been lab tested by both FODMAP Friendly and Monash University. FODMAP Friendly gives them a “Pass” at 75 g, which they say is about 14 beans. Monash gives them a Green Light low FODMAP serving size of 75 g or 15 beans.
- Lemon Juice: Monash University has lab tested lemon juice and it is low FODMAP in ½ cup (125 g) amounts.
- Oil: All pure oils are fats and contain no carbohydrates, therefore they contain no FODMAPs.
- Potatoes: Potatoes have been lab tested and deemed low FODMAP by both Monash University and FODMAP Friendly. According to Monash, starchy baking potatoes, red-skinned, yellow-skinned and purple potatoes contain no FODMAPs.
- Tomatoes: Both Monash University and FODMAP Friendly have lab tested common, beefsteak tomatoes. Monash University lab tests have shown no FODMAPs. FODMAP Friendly gives them a “Pass” at ½ cup (75 g) portions. Cherry tomatoes and Plum (Roma) tomatoes have also been tested by Monash and FODMAP Friendly. Both Monash and FODMAP Friendly recommend 75 g of cherry tomatoes as a serving (about 5 or ½ cup) and 75 g of plum or Roma tomatoes, which is about 1 small tomato or ½ cup.
Please always refer to the Monash University & FODMAP Friendly smartphone apps for the most up-to-date lab tested information. As always, your tolerance is what counts; please eat accordingly. The ultimate goal of the low FODMAP diet is to eat as broadly as possible, without triggering symptoms, for the healthiest microbiome.
Low FODMAP Salmon Salade Nicoise
Our Low FODMAP Salmon Salade Nicoise is the perfect warm-weather dinner. Simple enough for a weeknight, but fancy enough for guests. Everyone can pick and choose what they like to eat from the bountiful platter of salmon, potatoes, green beans, tomatoes, hardboiled eggs and a tangy Low FODMAP Lemon Salad Dressing enlivened with anchovies.
Ingredients:
- 8- ounces (225 g) small thin-skinned potatoes, such as purple, red or fingerling potatoes
- Kosher salt
- 4- ounces (115 g) slender green beans, preferably haricots verts, trimmed
- 6 large eggs, room temperature
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup (32 g) drained brined capers, patted dry
- 1- pound (455 g) skin-on salmon fillet
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 4 flat anchovy fillets packed in oil
- ½ cup (120 ml) Low FODMAP Lemon Salad Dressing, made with coarse ground mustard
- 4 cups (500 g) torn frisée
- 12 slices of watermelon radish
- 8 cherry or grape tomatoes, whole or halved
- ¼ cup (30 g) pitted Niçoise olives
Preparation:
-
Place potatoes in a medium sized saucepan and add cold water to generously cover; salt the water. Bring to a boil, adjust heat to a vigorous simmer, and cook until knife-tender, about 15-minutes. Transfer potatoes to a half-sheet pan using a slotted spoon.
-
Return the same pot and water to a boil and cook the green beans until crisp-tender, about 2 minutes. Using slotted spoon to transfer to a bowl of ice water. Chill until cold, then drain and pat dry.
-
Return water in pot to a boil again and cook the eggs for 8 minutes. Transfer eggs to bowl of ice water and chill until cold. Peel, then set aside.
-
Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a small saucepan over medium-high. Add capers and cook, swirling pan occasionally, until capers burst, but take care not to let them burn and blacken. Transfer capers with a slotted spoon to paper towels to drain; set aside.
-
Preheat oven to 425˚F (220°C). Place salmon skin side down on a half-sheet pan. Brush with reserved caper oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast until medium-rare – salmon should be slightly translucent in the center – about 10 to 12 minutes. Cool to room temperature.
-
Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mash the anchovies with a fork, then whisk in Lemon Salad Dressing. Taste and season with salt and pepper.
-
To Serve: Arrange frisée on a platter, drizzle with a little dressing and toss to coat. Break salmon into large flaky pieces using a fork or your fingers, separating it from the skin, which you can discard skin (or feed it to your pup like I do). Arrange on frisée. Halve the potatoes and peeled eggs and arrange on platter along with green beans and radishes. Scatter tomatoes and olives about and top with fried capers. Drizzle more dressing over all and serve immediately.
Notes:
FODMAP Information
Our recipes are based on Monash University and FODMAP Friendly science.
• Eggs: Eggs are high in protein and do not contain carbohydrates, according to Monash University.
• Green Beans: Green beans have been lab tested by both FODMAP Friendly and Monash University. FODMAP Friendly gives them a “Pass” at 75 g, which they say is about 14 beans. Monash gives them a Green Light low FODMAP serving size of 75 g or 15 beans.
• Lemon Juice: Monash University has lab tested lemon juice and it is low FODMAP in ½ cup (125 g) amounts.
• Oil: All pure oils are fats and contain no carbohydrates, therefore they contain no FODMAPs.
• Potatoes: Potatoes have been lab tested and deemed low FODMAP by both Monash University and FODMAP Friendly. According to Monash, starchy baking potatoes, red-skinned, yellow-skinned and purple potatoes contain no FODMAPs.
• Tomatoes: Both Monash University and FODMAP Friendly have lab tested common, beefsteak tomatoes. Monash University lab tests have shown no FODMAPs. FODMAP Friendly gives them a “Pass” at ½ cup (75 g) portions. Cherry tomatoes and Plum (Roma) tomatoes have also been tested by Monash and FODMAP Friendly. Both Monash and FODMAP Friendly recommend 75 g of cherry tomatoes as a serving (about 5 or ½ cup) and 75 g of plum or Roma tomatoes, which is about 1 small tomato or ½ cup.
Please always refer to the Monash University & FODMAP Friendly smartphone apps for the most up-to-date lab tested information. As always, your tolerance is what counts; please eat accordingly. The ultimate goal of the low FODMAP diet is to eat as broadly as possible, without triggering symptoms, for the healthiest microbiome.
Nutrition
All nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered estimates. Actual nutritional content will vary with brands used, measuring methods, portion sizes and more. For a more detailed explanation, please read our article Understanding The Nutrition Panel Within Our Recipes.
For more salad inspiration, check out this salad round-up.
