Niçoise salads have earned their place in the salad canon alongside Caesar and Cobb salads, and for good reason: the combination of fresh ingredients, tart dressing, and hard-boiled eggs is not only a delicious way to eat more vegetables, it’s also very satisfying. Normally, a Niçoise has tuna, but this vegetarian version swaps cumin-spiced chickpeas in for protein, and a garlicky tahini dressing stands in for the traditional mustard vinaigrette. Add some crumbled feta for richness and the end resulting dish is a original blend of French and Middle Eastern influences.
Chickpea Niçoise with Tahini Dressing
Serves: 4
Ingredients
- ¼ cup olive oil, divided
- 1 (14-oz) can chickpeas, drained, rinsed, and patted dry
- ½ tsp ground cumin
- ½ tsp kosher salt, divided
- ½ tsp black pepper, divided
- 8 oz green beans or haricots verts, stem ends trimmed
- 4 large eggs
- 1½ Tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 Tbsp tahini
- 1 small clove garlic, finely chopped
- 1 Tbsp warm water
- 2 romaine lettuce hearts, leaves separated
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 English cucumber, chopped
- ½ cup Gaeta or Niçoise olives
- ⅓ cup crumbled feta cheese
Instructions
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Crisp the chickpeas: Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chickpeas and cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly crisp, about 8 minutes. Stir in the cumin and ¼ teaspoon each of the salt and pepper. Remove from heat and set aside.
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Cook the green beans and eggs: Bring a pot of water to a boil. Cook the green beans until crisp-tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Using tongs, transfer the beans to a bowl of ice water; then drain and pat dry.
Return the pot of water to a simmer, gently lower in the eggs, and cook for 11 minutes. -
Make the dressing: Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, tahini, garlic, warm water, and the remaining ¼ teaspoon each salt and pepper. Whisk in the remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil until smooth. Set aside.
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Finish the eggs: Transfer the eggs to a bowl of ice water and let cool for 5 minutes. Peel and quarter them.
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Assemble the salad: Arrange the chickpeas, green beans, and eggs on a platter with the romaine, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, olives, and feta. Drizzle with the tahini dressing and serve.
