Description
This classic Niçoise Salad from Nice, France combines tuna, eggs, tender baby potatoes, crisp green beans, tomatoes, cucumber, olives, and red onion over fresh greens. A bright lemon Dijon vinaigrette adds a fresh, tangy finish. Serve it on a large platter for an easy French inspired lunch.
Ingredients
4 cups mixed salad greens
6 oz green beans (haricots verts)
4 large eggs
2 cups baby red or white potatoes
1 (5 oz) can tuna, drained
1 cup pitted olives
1 cup grape tomatoes, halved
1/2 English cucumber, thinly sliced
1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp honey
1 garlic clove, minced
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
1. Whisk the olive oil, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, honey, garlic, salt, and pepper together until emulsified. Set aside.
2. Gently lower the eggs into boiling water and cook for 6 1/2 to 7 minutes for slightly jammy yolks, or cook 3 to 4 minutes longer for hard boiled eggs. Transfer the eggs to ice water, cool, peel, and halve.
3. Simmer the potatoes in salted water for about 15 minutes, or until tender. Remove, cool, and halve the potatoes. Reserve the cooking water.
4. Cook the green beans in the hot water for 1 to 2 minutes, or until bright green and crisp tender. Immediately transfer them to ice water, then drain well.
5. Spread the salad greens over a large platter, about 16 x 11 inches. Arrange the potatoes, green beans, tuna, tomatoes, olives, cucumber, red onion, and eggs over the greens.
6. Season with salt and pepper, then drizzle with the lemon Dijon vinaigrette. About half of the dressing may be enough. Refrigerate any remaining dressing.
Notes
Eggs, potatoes, and green beans can be cooked up to one day ahead and refrigerated separately in airtight containers.
Tomatoes and red onion can also be sliced ahead and chilled.
Leftover assembled salad keeps for 3 to 4 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Mixed greens can be replaced with spring mix, baby spinach, arugula, or another preferred leafy green.
French green beans, also called haricots verts, work especially well.
Canned tuna can be replaced with grilled or seared albacore, canned anchovies, canned salmon, or flaked baked salmon.
Hard boiled eggs can be used instead of soft or jammy eggs.
Optional additions include bell pepper, artichoke hearts, capers, and Niçoise olives.
The lemon vinaigrette can be replaced with a Dijon vinaigrette or champagne vinaigrette.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Lunch
- Method: and assembling, blanching, Boiling
- Cuisine: French
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 247
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 413 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14 g
- Trans Fat: 0.01 g
- Carbohydrates: 16 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 6 g
- Cholesterol: 109 mg