• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Chef Dennis
  • Recipe Index
  • On the Road
  • About
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Recipe Index
  • About
  • Contact
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • Recipe Index
    • About
    • Contact
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • ×

    Home » Recipes » Salad Recipes

    Nicoise Salad with Grilled Shrimp

    Published: Jul 2, 2020 · Modified: Jun 24, 2022 by Chef Dennis Littley

    222 shares
    • Facebook14
    • Email
    5 from 21 votes
    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
    pinterest image for nicoise salad

    How to Make a Nicoise Salad

    Some of my fondest memories are of our travels through France and Italy. Trying new dishes and learning first hand how they taste and seeing how they were presented. Of course, we can Google the dishes to see what they look like but trying them in person adds a whole new perspective to the learning process.

    Salade Nicoise

    One of our trips years ago had us in the South of France spending a few days in Nice, and how can you not order a Salade Nicoise when you’re in the city that gave the salad its name. I still remember the little café on the Cours Seleya where we’d go for breakfast each morning….sigh. A plateful of pastries, butter that tasted better than any I’ve had, local jams, and of course cappuccino.

    Nice would be the home of the best pizza I’ve ever had and of course the classic Salade Nicoise. What seemed like a good idea at the time when Lisa ordered it, changed drastically when she saw the seared almost raw tuna! Let’s just say I thoroughly enjoyed it, as she made do with the pasta dish I had ordered.

    Table of Contents:

    • What is a Nicoise Salad?
    • What Else Can I use to make a Nicoise Salad?
    • What other changes could I make to a Nicoise Salad?
    • Nicoise Salad with Grilled shrimp
      • Ingredients
      • Instructions
        • Salad
        • Assembly:
      • Nutrition

    What is a Nicoise Salad?

    Originating in the French city of Nice. The salad is traditionally made of tomatoes, hard-boiled eggs, Niçoise olives and anchovies or tuna, dressed with olive oil, described as “simple food for poor people”.

    I’ve never recreated this salad at home, and I’ve found myself wondering why last week. With all the glorious fresh produce in the market, I decided the time was right to bring a taste of the South of France to our table.

    Nicoise Salad with Grilled Shirmp

    What Else Can I use to make a Nicoise Salad?

    Traditionally a Nicoise Salad contains tuna but I opted to use grilled shrimp. You can swap out the shrimp for just about any seafood, grilled chicken or beef.

    Some of my favorites replacements for the shrimp are:

    • lobster
    • crabmeat
    • salmon
    • halibut (or any white fish)

    What other changes could I make to a Nicoise Salad?

    You can swap out any of the ingredients to build a salad that is more to your liking. Have fun with the ingredients and change them up depending upon what you have in the house or what’s in season.

    Some of my fun replacements are:

    • potato salad instead of baby potatoes
    • added marinated artichokes
    • ceviche style shrimp instead of grilled shrimp
    • added blue cheese or gorgonzola
    • roasted cauliflower in place of the green beans
    • added cooked pasta

    You can see how easy it is to change up this classic salad and enjoy it with whatever ingredients you have on hand.

    Salade Nicoise

    If you enjoyed this recipe you may also like these:

    • Blackened Salmon Salad
    • How to Make the Perfect Dinner Salad
    • Perfect Summer Salad
    • Blackened Shrimp Nachos and Salad

    Did you make this? Please RATE THE RECIPE below!

    Please SUBSCRIBE and FOLLOW ME on FACEBOOK, TWITTER, INSTAGRAM and PINTEREST!

    Nicoise Salad with Grilled Shirmp
    Print Recipe Save Saved!
    5 from 21 votes

    Nicoise Salad with Grilled shrimp

    This may not be a Classical Salade Nicoise, but my Nicoise Salad with Grilled Shrimp is sure to please! When food looks as good as it tastes, life is good. And it’s healthy too!
    Prep Time15 minutes mins
    Cook Time30 minutes mins
    Total Time45 minutes mins
    Course: Entree
    Cuisine: French
    Servings: 2
    Calories: 757kcal
    Author: Chef Dennis Littley

    Ingredients

    • ½ pound grilled large shrimp I used 16 -20 count
    • 1 romaine lettuce or lettuce of your choice
    • 2 tomatoes
    • 3 eggs hard-cooked and peeled
    • 4 ounces button mushrooms
    • 10 baby potatoes
    • 4 ounces olives of your choice
    • 4 ounces whole green beans
    • fresh basil chopped as garnish
    • fresh Italian parsley chopped as garnish
    • zucchini blossoms to garnish optional
    • sea salt and ground black pepper to taste
    • 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar to taste or your favorite dressing
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions

    Salad

    • Season shrimp with old bay and olive oil, then place on a hot grill.  Grill on each side for 1-2 minutes.  (Shrimp can be boiled or sauteed if you like)
      Allow shrimp to completely cool, then peel and devein.
    • Wash romaine, dry leaves with paper towels and chop into bite-sized pieces
    • Slice tomatoes into wedges and toss with olive oil, balsamic vinegar, chopped basil, and sea salt (all to taste)
    • Place eggs in cold water and bring to a boil. Allow eggs to boil for 2 minutes then remove from the heat and allow them to sit in the hot water to finish cooking for 20 minutes. Rinse in cold water and peel immediately. Slice eggs in quarters.
    • Boil potatoes until they are just tender, rinse in cold water and allow to cool. Slice potatoes in half and add olive oil sea salt, black pepper and fresh chopped Italian parsley (all to taste)
    • Coat mushrooms with olive oil, sprinkle with sea salt and black pepper, Either sauté mushrooms, roast or grill until tender. Allow to cool.
    • Add green beans to salted boiling water and allow to cook for 5-7 minutes, drain and rinse in cold water. Allow to cool.

    Assembly:

    • Place dried chopped romaine on a large platter
    • begin by placing tomatoes in the center of the platter then work your way out to the edges making small piles with the other ingredients. There is no set pattern, you just want to make it appealing to the eye.
    • Dress with olive oil, balsamic vinegar, sea salt and black pepper to taste, or use your favorite dressing.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 757kcal | Carbohydrates: 79g | Protein: 43g | Fat: 31g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 531mg | Sodium: 1893mg | Potassium: 2410mg | Fiber: 13g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 3215IU | Vitamin C: 104mg | Calcium: 309mg | Iron: 8.1mg
    Tried this Recipe? Pin it for Later!Mention @askChefDennis or tag #askChefDennis!

    More Salad Recipes

    • Macaroni salad in a glass bowl.
      Classic Macaroni Salad
    • wedge salad on a white plate.
      Classic Wedge Salad
    • shredded cabbage mixed with coleslaw dressing in a glass bowl.
      Easy Homemade Coleslaw Recipe
    • overhead partial shot of blackened chicken salad
      Blackened Chicken Salad – Restaurant Style

    About Chef Dennis

    Picture of Chef Dennis

    Chef Dennis Littley is a classically trained chef with over 40 years of experience working in the food service industry. In his second career as a food blogger he has made it his mission to demistify cooking by sharing his time-tested recipes, knowledge, and chef tips to help you create easy-to-make restaurant-quality meals in your home kitchen. Let Chef Dennis help you bring the joy of cooking into your home. For more details, check out his About page.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

      Leave a Comment Cancel reply

      Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

      Recipe Rating




      This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    1. Robyn

      July 03, 2020 at 10:16 pm

      5 stars
      Love the addition of shrimp in this classic salad, am bookmarking it for when the summer hits Australia and can’t wait to make it!

      Reply
    2. Alexandra

      July 03, 2020 at 6:42 pm

      5 stars
      Love the addition of the shrimp – this is definitely my kind of salad!

      Reply
    3. Michele Peterson

      July 03, 2020 at 5:55 pm

      5 stars
      I’m with your wife on the almost raw tuna on Salad Nicoise! Give me grilled shrimp – especially if it looks as pretty as this salad plate does!

      Reply
    4. Debra

      July 03, 2020 at 4:43 pm

      5 stars
      Love this summery take on a classic.

      Reply
    5. Emily Flint

      July 03, 2020 at 12:58 pm

      5 stars
      I had only had a Nicoise salad with salmon until I found your recipe. I think I will make it with shrimp from now on. So healthy and delicious!

      Reply
    6. Sue

      July 03, 2020 at 12:03 pm

      5 stars
      I love Nicoise Salad but have never tried it with shrimp – how wonderful!!

      Reply
    7. Olga

      June 13, 2018 at 8:10 am

      Am I missing something ? Do not see the Amt. or size of shrimps to use or Instructions for shrimps. (Nicoise Salad with Grilled Shrimp)

      olga

      Reply
      • Chef Dennis Littley

        June 13, 2018 at 11:06 am

        hi Olga

        thank for letting me know that the recipe was incomplete. I used a program to change over my recipes and not all of my older posts were completely moved. It’s now been updated

        Reply
    8. jules

      April 07, 2015 at 4:41 pm

      5 stars
      This salad brings back such fond memories for me, Chef! I had my first Salade Nicoise in Nice too many years ago, and seeing your photos has made me crave one again … soon! Thank you for the inspiration!
      ~jules
      gfJules.com

      Reply
      • Chef Dennis Littley

        April 07, 2015 at 4:50 pm

        I know what you mean, I wish I had one tonight for dinner. Its on the list of foods to eat once I’m off this crazy diet! I did love Nice and would love to go back

        Reply
    9. Dionne Baldwin

      August 04, 2013 at 10:18 am

      5 stars
      I heard this salad spoken of while we were there but I never tried it. I love seeing and hearing firsthand what is most like the “real thing” since the Googled versions can be changed drastically. I’m going to have to give this a try! Shrimp and all!

      Reply
    10. Swathi

      July 31, 2013 at 1:46 pm

      That salad bowl looks perfect for any picnic. Love that colors.

      Reply
    11. claudia lamascolo

      July 21, 2013 at 6:54 am

      5 stars
      This salad is an Italian lovers dream and I love it! I really love the fact that everything is seperate.this is the perfect salad for Florida and everywhere that its enjoyed all year long because we eat so light here! I cant wait to try this and the photo’s are fabulous! Colors are rich and vibrant… have a great weekend in Orlando wish I was there!

      Reply
    12. Miss Kim @ behgopa

      July 20, 2013 at 3:12 am

      Looks so tasty, colorful, and nicely composed! I totally want some. It’s past 1am here and I’m starting to get my usual late night munchies, and this would really hit the spot!

      Reply
    13. Arlene @FlourOnMyFace

      July 19, 2013 at 10:43 pm

      Chef what a beautiful and colorful salad! Welcome to Florida. Kissimmee is a beautiful area.

      Reply
    14. Shellina

      July 19, 2013 at 8:20 pm

      Ohhhh, it’s so pretty! What a great idea- I just love it. Can’t wait to try it at my own house! So good. 🙂

      Reply
    15. Betty Ann @Mango_Queen

      July 19, 2013 at 10:40 am

      5 stars
      I’ve always loved a good Nicoise Salad in the summer. This is perfect. Thanks for the inspiration, Chef Dennis. Happy weekend 🙂

      Reply
    16. Kath

      July 19, 2013 at 7:47 am

      I have never made Salade Nicoise. Your beautiful salad is an inspiration! And you’re right, now is the time with the perfect summer produce.

      Reply
    17. RavieNomNoms

      July 19, 2013 at 7:21 am

      That looks amazing and fresh chef!!

      Reply
    18. Kim | a little lunch

      July 19, 2013 at 7:04 am

      I like your “grand” presentation, Dennis, and also the grilled shrimp (although I love seared tuna, too.) Looks like you came up with a happy compromise. Enjoy your travels and have a safe trip(s)!

      Reply
    19. Larry

      July 19, 2013 at 5:25 am

      Beautiful presentation Dennis. This is the second one I’ve read this AM with the first using salmon. We’ve made it a couple of times and really enjoyed it.

      Reply
    20. Vicki Bensinger

      July 18, 2013 at 9:49 pm

      I love Niçoise salads and have them often, out and I make them at home. I usually make them with fresh tuna or salmon. Although I have to say mine never looked this pretty. They say you eat with your eyes first and looking at this I’d welcome a taste.

      Have a nice time at your conference and living in Florida.

      Reply
    Newer Comments »

    Primary Sidebar

    pinterest image for nicoise salad


    My name is Dennis Littley or “Chef Dennis” as I’m known both at work and across the blogosphere. As a classically trained chef with 40+ years of experience in the kitchen, I share my time-tested recipes, knowledge, and chef tips to help you create easy-to-make restaurant-quality meals in your home kitchen.

    More about me →

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube

    Fan Favorites

    • loaf of homemade artisan bread on a wooden cutting board
      Almost No-Knead Artisan Bread Recipe
    • 2 Maryland crab cakes on a white plate
      Baked Maryland Crab Cakes Recipe
    • chicken parm with pasta on a white plate
      Chicken Parmesan Recipe
    • seasoned crispy chicken legs on a foil wrapped tray
      Best Baked Chicken Legs {Drumsticks}
    • side view of slice of bee sting cake being taken out of full cake
      German Bee Sting Cake (Bienenstich) Recipe
    • Tiramisu with a fork on a white plate
      Best Tiramisu Recipe {step by step}
    • overhead view of barbecued half racks of baby back ribs on a white platter
      Easy Oven Baked Baby Back Ribs
    • overhead view of veal parm and linguine on a white plate
      Restaurant Style Veal Parm Recipe

    Featured In

    logos of all the places chef dennis has been featured

    Popular Posts

    • crispy seasoned chicken leg quarters on a white platter
      Best Baked Chicken Leg Quarters
    • cropped-Gunniess-Beef-Stew-13.jpg
      Authentic Guinness Beef Stew Recipe
    • overhead shot of baked crab imperial on a white plate with sauteed greens and roasted potatoes
      Maryland Style Jumbo Lump Crab Imperial
    • close up of half a chicken salad sandwich on a white plate
      Best Chicken Salad – Deli Style
    • oysters rockefeller with a slice of lemon on a bed of rock salt on a white platter
      How to Make Restaurant Style Oysters Rockefeller
    • sliced dry rub roasted brisket with cilantro and tomatoes on on a white platter
      Easy Oven Baked Beef Brisket Recipe
    • rack of pork with end cut off
      Oven Roasted Rack of Pork {Pork Rib Roast}
    • sliced meatloaf with the rest of meatloaf on a white platter
      Classic Meatloaf Recipe with Zesty Glaze

    Footer

    pinterest image for nicoise salad

    ↑ back to top

    INFO

    • Privacy Policy
    • Disclosure Policy
    • Cookie Policy
    • Accessibility Policy

    SUBSCRIBE

    Sign Up Today and start getting my easy-to-make restaurant-quality recipes!

    CONTACT

    • About
    • Contact
    © 2009-2023 · Ask Chef Dennis ·

    Proud Member of:
    Mediavine Publisher Network
    222 shares
    • 14