Grilled Salmon Niçoise Salad (Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, Refined Sugar-Free)
If there’s a more perfect summer dinner than this, I haven’t found it yet.
We had this Grilled Salmon Niçoise Salad last night and WOW. It hit every note—hearty but light, fresh but satisfying, nourishing without feeling like “health food.”
Crisp green beans, grilled mini potatoes, jammy eggs, sweet cherry tomatoes, briny olives, and flaky grilled salmon all layered over chopped romaine… and then topped with a zippy shallot-Dijon vinaigrette? Let’s just say August never tasted so good.
Whether you serve it as a weeknight dinner or prep it ahead for lunches, this is a dish that feels fancy but couldn’t be easier to pull together.
Why You’ll Love This Grilled Niçoise Salad
- 🐟 Protein-packed and blood sugar–friendly
- 🥔 Filling enough to be a full meal (no side dishes needed)
- 🥗 Loaded with textures: tender potatoes, crisp green beans, flaky salmon, creamy egg
- 🌿 Naturally gluten-free, dairy-free, and refined sugar–free
- 🧊 All the components can be prepped ahead for an easy “assemble and eat” meal
Ingredient Notes + Tips
Salmon
I use the “Rub With Love” salmon seasoning, but if you don’t have that on hand, a quick DIY version (below) works beautifully. Grill until just cooked through and let it rest before flaking over the salad.
Potatoes
Mini potatoes crisp up perfectly on the grill with a little avocado oil, salt, and pepper. You can roast them in the oven if needed (425-degrees for 25-ish minutes), but grilling adds that extra summer flavor.
Dressing
This vinaigrette is the hero—bright, tangy, a little sweet. I like it best with red wine vinegar, but you could also use apple cider vinegar in a pinch. Taste as you go and adjust the honey to your liking
Prep Tip
The salmon, eggs, green beans, and potatoes can all be cooked ahead of time. Just store them in the fridge and assemble when ready!
DIY Salmon Rub
Mix together:
- 3 TB coconut sugar
- 1 TB ground cumin
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp pepper
Rub generously on your salmon before grilling (skin-side down).
Serving & Storage
Serve the salad slightly warm or chilled—either works! It keeps well in the fridge for 2–3 days if stored in an airtight container (keep dressing on the side if storing).
P.S. This one is a showstopper for casual summer dinner parties, too. Set it up like a salad bar and let everyone build their own plate—always a crowd-pleaser.
PrintGrilled Salmon Niçoise Salad (Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, Refined Sugar-Free)
This Grilled Salmon Niçoise Salad is a nourishing, protein-packed twist on a French classic—featuring flaky grilled salmon, crisp veggies, tender potatoes, and a zesty homemade vinaigrette. Naturally gluten-free, dairy-free, and refined sugar–free, it’s a blood sugar–friendly meal that’s perfect for summer.
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
Ingredients
Salad Ingredients:
- 4 eggs, Hard Boiled
- 1 ½ lbs Salmon Filet
- 2 TB Salmon Rub Seasoning (or more, to taste, see Notes)
- 1 lb Mini Potatoes
- 1 TB Avocado Oil
- 1 lb Green Beans, trimmed
- 2 cups Cherry Tomatoes, halved
- 1 cup Kalamata Olives, pitted
- 1 head Romaine lettuce, chopped
- 1 cup Basil leaves (optional)
Dressing Ingredients:
- 1/3 cup Red Wine Vinegar
- 2 tsp Dijon Mustard (course grain, preferred)
- 2/3 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 1-2 TB honey (to taste)
- Salt + Pepper, to taste
Instructions
- If you haven’t done so already, hard boil the eggs by placing them in a small pot of cold water. Bring to a boil over high heat. Once boiling, remove them from heat. Cover and let stand for 12 minutes. Transfer to a bowl of ice water to cool. Once cool, peel and slice into quarters.
- Preheat grill to 400ºF (204ºC) and get out a grill pan for the fish and a basket for the potatoes.
- Rub salmon with salmon rub (or salt + pepper) and place in grill pan, skin side down. Grill until done in the middle, 15-20 minutes, depending on thickness. Set aside to cool.
- Toss the mini potatoes with the avocado oil to coat, and season with salt and pepper. Spread across the grill basket and grill until fork-tender, about 20 minutes.
- While the potatoes are grilling, bring a medium saucepan of water to a boil and add the green beans. Boil until just tender (3-5 minutes), then drain and transfer the beans to a bowl of cold water and ice to cool (the ice will help them stay green). Once cooled, drain and pat dry.
- To make the dressing, combine the red wine vinegar, shallots, olive oil, honey, and Dijon mustard in a small bowl and whisk to combine. Season with salt and pepper, to taste, adding more honey, if desired.
- To serve, divide the lettuce, roasted potatoes, quartered eggs, green beans, cherry tomatoes, olives and optional basil leaves between plates. Top with salmon and drizzle with a tablespoon or two of dressing. Enjoy!
Notes
- Do Ahead: The eggs, green beans, salmon and potatoes can all be cooked in advance and assembled when ready. The dressing will keep well in the fridge for a week or two.
- Leftovers: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 2 to 3 days.
- Salmon Rub: I like the “rub with love” seasoning that can be purchased in some stores and at Amazon.com. OR you could make your own, combining 3 TB coconut sugar, 1 TB ground cumin, 1 tsp chili powder, 1 tsp salt and 1 tsp pepper in a bowl, stirring well to mix.
- Prep Time: 1 hour
- Category: Salad
- Cuisine: American, French
- Diet: Gluten-Free
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