Description
Nicoise Salad is a fresh and vibrant French salad that combines tender tuna, crisp vegetables, and a bright Dijon mustard vinaigrette. Ready in under 30 minutes, it offers a harmonious blend of textures and classic Mediterranean flavors, perfect for a quick nutritious meal or light lunch.
Ingredients
Scale
Salad Ingredients
- 1 can quality tuna packed in olive oil, drained
- 200g green beans, trimmed
- 300g baby potatoes (new potatoes)
- 4 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and halved or quartered
- 200g cherry tomatoes, halved
- 100g Niçoise olives
- 4–6 anchovy fillets (optional)
- 150g fresh lettuce or mixed greens, washed and dried
Dressing Ingredients
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- Salt, to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Prepare the Vegetables: Boil baby potatoes until tender, about 15 minutes. Meanwhile, blanch green beans in boiling water for 3–4 minutes until crisp-tender, then refresh in ice water to keep their color and crunch. Halve cherry tomatoes, and wash and dry the fresh greens thoroughly.
- Hard-Boil the Eggs: Place eggs in cold water and bring to a boil. Once boiling, simmer for about 9 minutes for firm yolks, then cool in ice water. Peel and slice eggs into halves or quarters as preferred.
- Assemble the Salad Base: On a large platter or bowl, spread a bed of fresh lettuce or mixed greens. Evenly distribute the cooled potatoes, green beans, halved tomatoes, Niçoise olives, and anchovy fillets over the greens.
- Add the Tuna and Eggs: Drain the tuna and break it into large chunks. Place it evenly on top of the salad along with the sliced hard-boiled eggs for a visually appealing presentation.
- Prepare the Dressing and Toss: Whisk together Dijon mustard, olive oil, lemon juice, minced garlic, salt, and pepper until well combined. Drizzle over the salad and gently toss to coat all ingredients without disturbing the presentation.
Notes
- Use fresh and quality tuna, preferably solid white tuna chunks packed in olive oil for best texture and richness.
- Do not overcook the vegetables to maintain texture contrast; green beans should remain crisp-tender and potatoes just tender.
- Chill ingredients before serving to enhance freshness and flavor balance.
- Arrange ingredients on a large platter with space to make the dish look more appealing.
- Make the dressing ahead and let it rest for 10–15 minutes to deepen the flavors before drizzling.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Appetizers
- Method: No Cooking Required / Boiling
- Cuisine: French
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 350 kcal
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 600 mg
- Fat: 20 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 16 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 20 g
- Fiber: 5 g
- Protein: 25 g
- Cholesterol: 185 mg