Best Easy Noodles Niçoise Recipes

NIçOISE SALAD WITH BASIL AND ANCHOVY-LEMON VINAIGRETTE

Steps:

• Make the vinaigrette: Using the flat side of a knife, smash garlic clove, anchovy fillets and salt into a paste. Transfer to a small bowl and stir in lemon juice, zest and mustard. Using a whisk, slowly pour in olive oil while stirring constantly. Adjust seasoning as needed.
• Place potatoes in a medium pot and cover them with 2 or 3 inches of cold water. Salt the water and bring to a boil. When water comes to a boil, continue cooking potatoes until fork tender, 10 to 15 minutes more. Add haricots verts during the last 1 minute of cooking (if using regular green beans, add them during the last 2 to 3 minutes of cooking depending on how thin they are). Drain vegetables and let sit until cool enough to handle but still quite warm. Halve potatoes, transfer to a small bowl along with the haricots verts and dress everything to coat with some (but not all) of the vinaigrette. When completely cool, toss in chopped basil.
• On a large platter or four individual plates, arrange potatoes and haricots verts, radishes or cucumbers, tomatoes and tuna, and hard-boiled eggs, if using. Scatter olives over the top and drizzle with remaining vinaigrette. Serve garnished with freshly ground black pepper, flaky sea salt and torn basil leaves.

PASTA NIçOISE

Steps:

• Place a large pot of water for pasta over high heat. Place a small saucepan of water over high heat. When small pan comes to a boil, add garlic and boil for 5 minutes. Cool, then peel. Place a large skillet over medium heat, warm the 3 tablespoons olive oil, and sauté garlic until golden and caramelized. Drain on paper towels, reserving oil in skillet; set skillet aside.
• When large pot of water comes to a boil, lightly salt it and add rigatoni; cook to taste, 12 to 15 minutes. While pasta cooks, place the skillet over medium-high heat, and add tuna. When tuna is seared but still pink inside, transfer to a plate. Add the beans to the skillet. When beans are cooked, drain off the olive oil (leave beans in pan) and add the extra virgin olive oil, the juice of half a lemon and the lemon rind. Stir, and add tomatoes, garlic, tuna, anchovies, parsley and half the basil leaves. Season with salt and pepper and more lemon juice to taste, if desired. Keep warm.
• Drain pasta well, and transfer to a large warm bowl. Add tuna mixture, and toss gently to mix. Garnish with remaining basil leaves, and serve.

ANY WAY NIçOISE

Steps:

• Whisk oil, lemon juice, mustard, honey, pepper, and 1 tsp. kosher salt in a medium bowl; set dressing aside.
• Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil. Carefully add eggs and cook 7 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer eggs to a bowl of ice water (keep pot over high heat); chill until cold, about 5 minutes. Peel; set aside.
• Meanwhile, add green beans, asparagus, or potatoes to the same pot of boiling water and cook until just tender (if you are using a combination, cook vegetables separately), 2-4 minutes for green beans or asparagus, 10-15 minutes for potatoes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to bowl of ice water; let sit until cold, about 3 minutes. Transfer to paper towels; pat dry.
• To serve, slice eggs in half and arrange on a platter with cooked and raw vegetables and protein. Top with pickled-briny ingredient(s), sprinkle with sea salt, and drizzle some reserved dressing over. Serve with remaining dressing alongside.
• Do Ahead: Dressing can be made 5 days ahead; cover and chill. Eggs can be boiled and vegetables blanched 2 days ahead; cover and chill separately.

EASY NOODLES NIçOISE

Steps:

• Fill 5-quart Dutch oven two-thirds full of water; heat to boiling. Add beans; boil 1 minute. Add vermicelli; boil 6 minutes. Drain. Rinse with cold water to cool; drain and return to Dutch oven. Add 1/2 cup of the dressing; toss to coat.
• Divide vermicelli mixture evenly among 4 serving plates. Mound one-fourth of the tuna in center of each plate; surround with olives, eggs and radishes. Drizzle remaining 1/4 cup dressing over salads.