Recipe reprinted with permission from Healthy with a Side of Happy by Sabrina Rudin © 2026. Published by Union Square & Co., an imprint of Grand Central Publishing, a division of Hachette Book Group. Photography by Linda Pugliese.

A Niçoise is one of those dishes that always feels like a good idea. Fresh, balanced, and satisfying without trying too hard.

This version comes from Healthy with a Side of Happy: 100 Plant-Based Recipes to Feed Your Family by Sabrina Rudin, and it’s a simple, thoughtful take on the classic.

It keeps all the essentials, butter lettuce, tender potatoes, radishes, olives, but swaps the tuna for smashed chickpeas, layered with sun dried tomato oil and caper brine for that same savory, briny depth.

It’s the kind of recipe that feels easy to come back to. Clean, satisfying, and effortlessly plant based.

THE VEGETARIAN NICOISE

Serves 4 to 6

8 small red new potatoes (about 2 pounds total)
1 pound string beans, trimmed
1 head butter lettuce, leaves separated
1 (13-ounce) jar chickpeas, such as Jovial, or 1 (15-ounce) can, rinsed and drained
3 tablespoons capers, with brine
5 oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes
1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
10 to 12 radishes, halved
1 cup pitted kalamata olives
4 Hard-Boiled Eggs, halved lengthwise
Mustard Vinaigrette

In a medium saucepan, cover the potatoes with cold water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce to a simmer. Cook the potatoes until fork-tender, 12 to 15 minutes. Drain them and, when cool enough to handle, slice them in half.

Refill the saucepan with water and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Blanch the string beans until bright green, about 2 minutes. Drain the string beans in a colander and immediately run under cold water, or place in an ice bath, to stop the cooking.

Meanwhile, line a large serving platter with the butter lettuce.

In a medium bowl, combine the chickpeas, 2 tablespoons of the capers with their brine, the sun-dried tomatoes, and salt. Using a fork, mash the mixture together until the ingredients are broken down and resemble the consistency of tuna fish. Place the chickpea mixture on the platter.

Add the potatoes and string beans to the platter, arranging so that each has its own area of the plate. Similarly, arrange the cherry tomatoes, radishes, olives, and eggs on the platter. Scatter the remaining 1 tablespoon capers over everything and drizzle the vinaigrette on top.

Serve immediately, or cover and store in the refrigerator for up to 2 hours before serving.