An Untraditional Salad Nicoise made on the Grill
Ok, I get it. It’s really hot out. And no one wants to boil potatoes or green beans. And, of course, the thought of roasting them in the oven is equally as unappealing. The other night I had a craving for a delicious, fresh, herby, tangy Herb Grilled Salmon Salad Nicoise but cooking it inside just was not an option in the heat. Not to mention the fact that washing all the pots and pans in this weather wasn’t exactly appealing either.
This Grilled Salmon Salad Nicoise can easily be made entirely on the grill. I used perforated foil baking pans from Dollar Tree (my favorite store for all things needed in the summer!) to grill everything for the salad.
Organization is the key to the Easy Grilled Salmon Salad
First, all you have to do is toss the green beans in olive oil, salt, and pepper. Place them in one layer on one of the pans over medium heat. While the beans are cooking, pierce each of the potatoes with the tip of a sharp knife and microwave them for ten minutes.
Second, rub the salmon all over with some olive oil. Sprinkle with my favorite spice rub which is far from boring. It’s a combination of coriander, brown sugar, cumin, and chili powder and it just makes salmon so vibrant and flavorful.
Let the salmon hang out with its seasonings for a little while. Cut all of the potatoes in half, roll them in some olive oil, salt, and pepper. Place them cut side down on the other foil pan on the grill.
When the beans are nearly done and the potatoes are nice a brown on one side, you can flip them over and lay the salmon down next to the potatoes.
Compose the Salad like a Work of Art
Everything will look beautiful after a turn on the grill so placing all of the ingredients on a platter will get your artistic talent in high gear. After tossing the green beans and potatoes separately in a sherry vinaigrette, you will be ready to compose the salad. Don’t be deterred by all my instructions. This is actually so easy and quick if you follow the step-by-step instructions. If I knew how to make food videos, this would have been a whole lot easier to explain!
Whether you are looking for a healthy weeknight dinner or a lavish party platter, this Herb Grilled Salmon Salad Nicoise is everything you could want!
Herb Grilled Salmon Nicoise Salad
Ingredients
- For the green beans and potatoes:
- 1 pound thin green beans trimmed
- 5 tablespoons olive oil divided
- 1 ½ pounds petite gold potatoes pierced once with a sharp knife
- Salt and pepper
- For the sherry vinaigrette:
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- ¼ cup sherry vinegar
- 1 ½ teaspoons honey
- 1 clove garlic finely minced
- Salt and pepper
- For the salmon:
- 1 ½ pounds Atlantic Salmon
- For the spice rub:
- 1/2 tablespoon smoked paprika
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
- ½ teaspoon dried coriander
- 1 teaspoon ancho chili powder depending on how much heat you like
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper or more to ramp up the heat
- For the salad:
- ½ red onion very thinly sliced and soaked in ice water for 10 minutes and dried
- ½ red pepper thinly sliced
- ½ yellow pepper thinly sliced
- 1/4 cup each chopped chives and basil
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
- 1/3 cup Kalamata olives
Instructions
-
For the green beans and potatoes:
-
1 pound thin green beans trimmed
-
5 tablespoons olive oil, divided
-
1 ½ pounds petite gold potatoes, pierced once with a sharp knife
-
Salt and pepper
-
For the sherry vinaigrette:
-
1/2 cup olive oil
-
¼ cup sherry vinegar
-
1 ½ teaspoons honey
-
1 clove garlic, finely minced
-
Salt and pepper
-
For the salmon:
-
1 ½ pounds Atlantic Salmon
-
For the spice rub:
-
1/2 tablespoon smoked paprika
-
1 tablespoon brown sugar
-
1 teaspoon cumin
-
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
-
½ teaspoon dried coriander
-
1 teaspoon ancho chili powder depending on how much heat you like
-
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper or more to ramp up the heat
-
For the salad:
-
½ red onion, very thinly sliced and soaked in ice water for 10 minutes and dried
-
½ red pepper, thinly sliced
-
½ yellow pepper, thinly sliced
-
1/4 cup each chopped chives and basil
-
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
-
1/3 cup Kalamata olives
