How about a martini? Sometimes a martini sounds just right. I’m often disappointed by restaurant martinis (unless I’m at The Campground in Kansas City—Chris makes the best…
How about a martini? Sometimes a martini sounds just right. I’m often disappointed by restaurant martinis (unless I’m at The Campground in Kansas City—Chris makes the best martini of all time).
So, I’ve been studying the martini and perfecting my at-home martini game. Today, I’m sharing what I’ve learned!
While martinis may seem intimidating, they are actually the perfect cocktail to make at home. The ingredient list is short and basic. The method is easy—stirred, not shaken, which would bruise gin’s delicate flavors.
Now then, the “perfect” martini is very much determined by your personal preferences. I’ve typed up a foolproof classic martini recipe below. I’ve also provided suggested ingredients and details to help craft your perfect martini.
Whether you like your martini with gin or vodka, wet or dry, with a lemon twist or dirty with olives, this recipe is for you.
This classic Chicken Cacciatore recipe, sometimes called Hunter’s chicken, is an easy one pot meal that the entire family will love! The juicy chicken thighs are smothered in a rich tomato sauce with onion, garlic, peppers, carrots, mushrooms, ca…
This classic Chicken Cacciatore recipe, sometimes called Hunter’s chicken, is an easy one pot meal that the entire family will love! The juicy chicken thighs are smothered in a rich tomato sauce with onion, garlic, peppers, carrots, mushrooms, capers, olives, and herbs. The flavors are perfection! You can serve the chicken with pasta, rice, polenta,…
We LOVE making and eating pasta salads during the hot summer months because they don’t require much cooking, you only have to cook the pasta, which only takes about 10 minutes. Plus, pasta salads can be made in advance. I always love having one i…
We LOVE making and eating pasta salads during the hot summer months because they don’t require much cooking, you only have to cook the pasta, which only takes about 10 minutes. Plus, pasta salads can be made in advance. I always love having one in the fridge for easy lunches and dinners. This Southwest Pasta…
Salads are great, but pasta salads? The greatest! This Mediterranean-inspired orzo pasta salad is the ultimate fresh and satisfying side dish. It’s herby, bright, colorful, filled with veggies, and ready in just 30 minutes!
It’s plant-based, optionally…
Salads are great, but pasta salads? The greatest! This Mediterranean-inspired orzo pasta salad is the ultimate fresh and satisfying side dish. It’s herby, bright, colorful, filled with veggies, and ready in just 30 minutes!
It’s plant-based, optionally gluten-free, and quickly becoming our new favorite salad for BBQs, picnics, or served with grilled protein for a satisfying summer meal. Let us show you how it’s done!
Nicoise salad is a French main dish that’s hearty and satisfying! This colorful Mediterranean recipe is ideal for summer or anytime.
When it comes to classic French dishes, there’s nothing better than the carefree vibe of the great Nicoise salad. This Mediterranean main dish salad is colorful, light yet satisfying, and ideal for summer. Boiled eggs, green beans, olives, tomatoes, and tangy potato salad sit on crunchy lettuce and are covered in a zesty lemon dressing. Eat it al fresco with a glass of wine in hand and you’ll be transported to the South of France. Here’s how to make this classic salad!
What is Nicoise salad?
Nicoise salad (Salade Niçoise in French) is a composed French salad that’s served as a main dish. In French, it means “salad from Nice, France” and it’s a classic dish from the Southern coast. The hearty salad features canned tuna, potatoes, blanched green beans, olives, tomatoes, hard boiled eggs, a vinaigrette salad dressing. Because it’s packed with protein, it’s filling and incredibly satisfying.
How to pronounce Nicoise? Here’s how to say it: Nee-SWAZ salad. Or in French, sah-LAHD nee-SWAZ.
Ingredients in Nicoise salad
Eating our first Nicoise salad in Paris cemented this French classic in our summer repertoire. This recipe is an adaptation of Julia Child’s rendition of the French standard that we’ve grown to love. What makes it so impressive is the potatoes: her French potato salad is the base for the potatoes, and it’s so delicious you won’t be able to keep from sneaking bites. Here’s what’s in a classic Nicoise salad recipe:
Tuna: Tuna is traditional in Nicoise salad, though you can make variations with salmon or even eat it as a vegetarian salad. It’s best with oil-packed tuna, but you can also use water packed and mix in a bit of olive oil. Another option? Make it with seared tuna.
Lemon vinaigrette dressing: A zingy lemon vinaigrette salad dressing ties everything together.
Tips for prep
This Nicoise salad recipe is easy to make, but there are quite a bit of elements to prepare. While you can make a lot of the components at the same time, it can feel like a lot especially if you don’t have a partner in the kitchen. Here are a few tips for advanced prep:
Make the hard boiled eggs in advance. They’re ideal for advanced prep: simply refrigerate until serving. Tip: you can also find pre-packaged hard boiled eggs at some grocery stores, which makes this recipe a breeze.
Make the dressing in advance. The Nicoise salad dressing is simple to prep ahead; refrigerate and allow to come to room temperature before serving.
Blanch the green beans in advance. Blanch the green beans up to 5 days in advance and refrigerate until serving.
Make the potato salad in advance. The French potato salad stays good 4 to 5 days if you prep it before hand; refrigerate until serving.
Pick even 1 or 2 of these items to make in advance, and it makes for a much simpler prep the day of. If you decide to make it all in one evening, it’s nice to have a friend or partner to help!
How to serve Nicoise salad
Nicoise salad is the perfect spring salad or summer meal for enjoying al fresco. It screams for a glass of white wine or rosé (or even frozen rosé?). Serve it with a starter of crostini or a side of crusty bread, and you’ve got patio meal perfection.
Serving vegetarians? Tuna is traditional for Nicoise salad, but for a vegetarian salad you can omit it and it’s still just as tasty! The potatoes and hard boiled eggs make it a filling vegetarian salad.
More dinner salad recipes
There’s nothing better than a great main dish salad in the summer! Here are a few more main dish salads that work for dinner:
Boil the potatoes and beans: Fill a large pot with cold water and add 1 tablespoon kosher salt. Add the whole potatoes and bring to a boil. Once boiling, boil for 8 to 12 minutes until fork tender.
Blanch the beans: Cut the ends off the beans. Bring a separate pot of water to a boil with ½ tablespoon salt. Boil the beans for about 5 minutes until tender but still bright green. Prepare a large bowl of ice water (or use the same one as for the hard boiled eggs). Right when the beans are tender, remove them from the boiling water with tongs and transfer them to the ice bath. Remove the beans and dry them with a towel, then mix them with a few pinches of salt and fresh ground pepper.
Finish the potatoes: While the potatoes are cooking, mince the shallot. When the potatoes are done, drain them. When they are cool enough to handle, slice them into bite sized pieces. Place them in a bowl and gently mix in the minced shallot, white wine vinegar, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, and ¼ cup warm water. Let stand for 5 minutes, gently stirring occasionally. Then add the capers, chopped parsley, 1 tablespoon olive oil, and a few grinds black pepper. Taste and add additional salt if necessary.
Make the dressing: In a medium bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, Dijon mustard, minced garlic, and ¼ teaspoon kosher salt. Gradually whisk in 6 tablespoons olive oil working one tablespoon at a time, until creamy and emulsified.
Prep the salad ingredients:Slice the tomatoes into wedges (or cherry tomatoes in half) and sprinkle with a little kosher salt.
Prep the tuna: Drain the tuna and flake it using a fork. If not packed in oil, add a drizzle of olive oil and a few pinches of salt.
Serve: To serve, in large shallow bowls or on large platters, add the Bibb lettuce leaves. Top with the potatoes, green beans, hard boiled eggs, tomatoes, tuna, and olives. Drizzle with the dressing and serve.
Is there anything better than a meal that’s quick, versatile, and satisfying?! We think not! This Easy Baked Cod hits all those marks — and more! It’s fresh, features a rainbow of spring vegetables, yields perfectly cooked, flaky fish, and is ready in …
Is there anything better than a meal that’s quick, versatile, andsatisfying?! We think not! This Easy Baked Cod hits all those marks — and more! It’s fresh, features a rainbow of spring vegetables, yields perfectly cooked, flaky fish, and is ready in 30 minutes!
It’s our new favorite sheet pan meal, especially served with polenta, roasted potatoes, or lemon risotto.
When we first tried Cuban picadillo, we were enamored by the complex combination of savory, sweet, and salty flavors and knew we wanted to recreate a plant-based version. After a few tests and tweaks we landed on this inspired, fiber-rich twist and we’…
When we first tried Cuban picadillo, we were enamored by the complex combination of savory, sweet, and salty flavors and knew we wanted to recreate a plant-based version. After a few tests and tweaks we landed on this inspired, fiber-rich twist and we’re so excited to share it with you!
It’s perfectly balanced, quick and easy (1 pot and 30 minutes), and naturally gluten-free.
It’s party time, friends! We don’t know about you, but nothing says “party” to us more than an abundance of delicious, beautiful, and satisfying snacks — and nothing says “snacks” better than a charcuterie board!
When crafting this delectable display, …
It’s party time, friends! We don’t know about you, but nothing says “party” to us more than an abundance of delicious, beautiful, and satisfying snacks — and nothing says “snacks” better than a charcuterie board!
When crafting this delectable display, we made sure to hit all the marks (salty, sweet, savory, andspicy!) while keeping it super versatile and approachable.
Have you tried the baked feta pasta that took the internet by storm earlier this year? That simple recipe inspired this delicious summer dip, which features some…
Have you tried the baked feta pasta that took the internet by storm earlier this year? That simple recipe inspired this delicious summer dip, which features some of my very favorite flavors—creamy feta, tangy cherry tomatoes, olives and plenty of fresh basil.
Baking these ingredients together near the heat source yields maximal flavor. The feta softens and turns golden, the cherry tomatoes burst and naturally sweeten, and the olives become even more intensely olive-y. Swirled together and finished with a generous sprinkle of basil, the combination is sublime.
This dish also bears a resemblance to a classic Greek dish called feta fournou, or baked feta. That dish typically features feta with bell pepper, tomato and oregano.
The flavors in today’s dip are also delicious raw, as you’ve seen in my Mediterranean Tomato & Feta Dip—make that one if you don’t want to turn on the oven! Either one will be a perfect light meal or summer evening appetizer.
Greek Pasta Salad is loaded with fresh vegetables, feta cheese, and a homemade Greek dressing to create the best pasta salad you’ll ever eat. Make it for lunch or serve it as a side with dinner. I don’t know about you, but I love having a small list of go-to recipes every season that I …
Greek Pasta Salad is loaded with fresh vegetables, feta cheese, and a homemade Greek dressing to create the best pasta salad you’ll ever eat. Make it for lunch or serve it as a side with dinner.
I don’t know about you, but I love having a small list of go-to recipes every season that I can can whip up for just about any occasion.
This Greek Pasta Salad is my go-to salad for birthday parties, barbecues, or even just a random Tuesday night.
Serve it up with a side of grilled chicken and you have the perfect summer weeknight dinner.