This garden salad takes a different approach from Morocco’s cooked tomato-based salads — potatoes, beets, carrots, and green beans, each cooked separately, then cubed and tossed together with just oil and salt. It’s a cool, colorful counterpoint to the spicier dishes on the table.

A Cooked-But-Cool Composed Salad

Cooking each vegetable on its own, rather than boiling them all together, keeps the colors distinct and stops the beets from bleeding into everything else. It rounds out a spread nicely alongside something like zaalouk or taktouka, giving the table both warm and cool dishes to choose from.

1. Set up & chill

   • Do a quick mise en place: prep everything ahead and keep ingredients cold or room temp.

   • This salad is an appetizer—bright, colorful, and fiber-friendly before the meat feast.

2. Cook the bases

   • Potatoes: 450 g / 1 lb cubed, boiled in salted water, cooled.

   • Beets: 450 g / 1 lb cubed, boiled in salted water, cooled.

   • Carrots: 450 g / 1 lb shredded (or boiled & cooled).

   • Green beans: 450 g / 1 lb, tips removed, steamed soft, cooled.

   • Rice: 350 g / ~2 cups jasmine or parboiled, cooked & cold.

3. Tuna mix (for the rice center)

   • Combine: cold rice, 100 g tuna (½ can, in oil, not water), 3 Tbsp corn (15 g), 3 Tbsp sliced green olives (15 g).

   • Season: lemon juice, pinch salt, fresh black pepper.

   • Bind: 120 g / ½ cup mayonnaise (add more if you like it richer).

   • Pack tightly into a small bowl/mold; cover & chill.

4. Make the quick vinaigrette

   • Dissolve: ½ tsp salt in 1 Tbsp vinegar (Moroccan if possible; regular works).

   • Whisk in: 1 Tbsp vegetable oil + 2 Tbsp olive oil.

   • Finish: ¼ tsp black pepper, then shake hard to emulsify.

   • Tip: Small batches taste better—mix more only if needed.

5. Dress the potatoes

   • Mix: potatoes + a big pinch red onion (from below) + ½ Tbsp parsley.

   • Add: about ⅔ of the vinaigrette, toss, taste, and adjust.

   • Hold at room temp until plating.

6. Dress the beets

   • Toss: beets with a little vinaigrette.

   • Taste & adjust—you want bright acidity to balance sweetness.

7. Dress carrots & green beans

   • Toss each separately with just vinaigrette.

   • Keep them clean and bright—no mayo here.

8. Prep finishing bits

   • Red onion: ½ small, thinly chopped.

   • Parsley: 1 Tbsp, finely chopped.

   • Decor: mixed olives (go big with those “tomato-sized” Greek ones) and lemon wedges/slices.

9. Plate the platter

   • Base: arrange 14–15 romaine leaves on a large tray/plate (they’re tasty soaked with vinaigrette).

   • Center: unmold the tuna–rice in the middle.

   • Around: place potatoes, beets, carrots, green beans in tidy mounds.

   • Two sides rule: mirror the layout on both sides of the platter so everyone can reach (traditional Moroccan table style).

10. Finish & serve

    • Scatter: remaining red onion and parsley where it makes sense (especially over potatoes).

    • Decorate: with olives and a lemon slice or wedges.

    • Serve cold/room temp. Tell guests: pace yourselves—more food is coming.

    Notes & Swaps

• Tuna: oil-packed = flavor. If using water-packed, add extra olive oil.

• Mayo level: scale up/down; or swap part of it with Greek yogurt + a touch of olive oil.

• Vinegar: wine vinegar, apple cider, or mild white; avoid balsamic here.

• Make-ahead: cook/ cool veg + rice a day before; dress right before plating.

• Extras: add peas, roasted peppers, or pickled turnips if you want more color/mezzé vibes.