Summer Nicoise Salad with Grilled Fish Recipe
Nicoise Salad with grilled salmon, tuna or white fish with fresh summer tomatoes, beans, purple potatoes and herbs, with a delicious Nicoise Salad Dressing.
How to Make the Best Summer Nicoise Salad with Grilled Fish
This Summer Nicoise Salad with Grilled Fish is a stunning Mediterranean-inspired dish that brings together the best of summer flavors. Fresh grilled fish sits atop a vibrant bed of crisp greens, surrounded by tender potatoes, blanched green beans, juicy tomatoes, and briny olives—all brought together with a zesty, herb-forward Nicoise dressing that perfectly complements the delicate fish.
Why You’ll Love This Salad
This salad is the ultimate showcase for summer’s finest ingredients. The combination of protein-rich grilled fish, fresh vegetables, and a sophisticated dressing makes it a complete, elegant meal that’s both light and satisfying. The Nicoise dressing adds a bright, herbaceous quality that elevates simple components into something truly special. It’s perfect for entertaining, yet simple enough for a weeknight dinner.
Tips for Success
The key to a great Nicoise salad is balancing fresh, quality ingredients. Blanch the potatoes and green beans until just tender—they should still have a slight crispness. Choose the freshest fish available and don’t skip the marinade, which infuses incredible flavor. The dressing can be made a day ahead, allowing the flavors to meld beautifully. For the best presentation and flavor, assemble the salad shortly before serving and let each component shine.
Summer Nicoise Salad with Grilled Fish
Nicoise Salad with grilled salmon, tuna or white fish with fresh summer tomatoes, beans, purple potatoes and herbs, with a delicious Nicoise Salad Dressing.
Ingredients
Fish Marinade
Salad
Nicoise Dressing
Instructions
Preparation
- Mix all ingredients for the fish marinade in a medium bowl and coat fish with it, marinating for at least 1/2 hour or preferably overnight.
- Blanch potatoes and green beans. Cool and set aside.
Cooking
- Preheat grill to medium heat.
- Make Nicoise Dressing by mixing all ingredients together in a medium-size bowl. Add cannellini beans, roasted peppers, capers, and olives to the dressing to marinate.
- Grill fish over a medium-high grill, and with a metal spatula, carefully flip after 5 minutes. If needed, lower heat or move to a cooler spot, or place on foil or a bed of lemon slices, until cooked to your desired doneness. Set aside and cover lightly with foil.
Assembly
- Lay down a hearty bed of greens onto an extra-large platter.
- Spoon a little Nicoise Dressing from the bowl to coat the greens, then top with 1/2 of marinated vegetables over the greens.
- Arrange the potatoes and green beans and top with charred fish.
- Garnish with sliced cherry tomatoes and spoon remaining dressing over top (depending on size, you may not need all the dressing).
- Give fish a little squeeze of lemon and cracked pepper to taste.
Notes
- Use quality grillable fish such as salmon, black cod, rockfish, mahi mahi, halibut, bass, or tuna.
- Marinate fish for at least 30 minutes for best flavor, preferably overnight.
- All components can be prepared ahead of time and assembled just before serving.
