French Niçoise Salad with Tuna
Niçoise is a salad from the French city of Nice: tuna, boiled eggs, potatoes, green beans, tomatoes and olives in a vinaigrette. Its secret is that each ingredient is seasoned on its own and arranged in groups, not tossed together.
- Prep
- 35 min
- Cook
- 20 min
- Total
- 55 min
- Calories
- 420
Photo: Canterel — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Niçoise isn't a side salad — it's a complete meal. The original version in Nice has no potatoes or boiled green beans at all, but the version that spread around the world includes them, and that's the one most people know.
Method
-
1
The vinaigrette
Whisk the mustard, vinegar, garlic, salt and pepper in a bowl, then pour in the olive oil in a thin stream while whisking constantly until it emulsifies and thickens slightly. The mustard is the emulsifier that keeps the oil and vinegar from separating.
-
2
The potatoes
Boil the small potatoes in their skins in salted water for 15–18 minutes, until a knife slides in easily. Cut them while hot and toss them in 3 tablespoons of vinaigrette right away — hot potatoes soak up the dressing, while cold ones leave it sitting on the surface.
-
3
The green beans
Boil the beans in salted boiling water for just 4 minutes, then move them straight into ice water for 2 minutes. The cold shock stops the cooking and locks in the bright green color. Drain and dry them well.
-
4
The eggs
Put the eggs in cold water and bring it to a boil, then lower the heat for 8–9 minutes. Move them to ice water right away — this prevents the green ring around the yolk and makes peeling easier. Peel and quarter them.
-
5
The tomatoes
Cut the tomatoes into quarters or eighths, sprinkle them with salt and leave them in a colander for 10 minutes. The salt draws out the extra water so the salad doesn't get soggy, and the tomatoes taste stronger.
-
6
Arrange, don't toss
On a wide platter, put the lettuce on the bottom, then arrange each ingredient in a separate group — potatoes here, green beans there, the tuna, eggs, tomatoes, olives and onion. It isn't just for looks: tossing turns it into a mush, while arranging makes every bite different.
-
7
Serving
Pour the rest of the vinaigrette over the salad when serving, not before, sprinkle with basil or parsley and add the anchovies. Serve it at room temperature, not cold from the fridge — the cold hides the flavor.
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Tips that actually matter
- Toss the potatoes in the dressing while they're hot so they soak it up.
- An ice-water shock keeps the green beans bright green.
- Salt and drain the tomatoes so the salad doesn't get watery.
- Arrange the ingredients in groups instead of tossing them.
- Add the dressing when serving, not before.
People also ask
Canned or fresh tuna?
Both are right. The traditional version in Nice uses tuna canned in olive oil, while modern restaurants use fresh tuna seared on the outside and raw inside. Tuna canned in olive oil tastes richer than tuna in water.
Can I make it ahead?
Prepare all the ingredients a day ahead and keep them separate in the fridge, with the dressing in a jar. Assemble and dress it only at serving time. If you dress it early, the vegetables wilt and the salad releases water.
What's the difference between Niçoise and a regular tuna salad?
Niçoise has a set combination of ingredients, each seasoned on its own and arranged in groups, and its dressing is a vinaigrette, not mayonnaise. It's also a complete meal with protein, starch and vegetables, not a side dish.
My eggs peel badly — what can I do?
Move them to ice water right after boiling and leave them for 5 minutes — the shock separates the membrane from the shell. Slightly older eggs also peel more easily than very fresh ones, and peeling under running water helps.
Cook mode
French Niçoise Salad with Tuna
-
1
The vinaigrette
Whisk the mustard, vinegar, garlic, salt and pepper in a bowl, then pour in the olive oil in a thin stream while whisking constantly until it emulsifies and thickens slightly. The mustard is the emulsifier that keeps the oil and vinegar from separating.
-
2
The potatoes
Boil the small potatoes in their skins in salted water for 15–18 minutes, until a knife slides in easily. Cut them while hot and toss them in 3 tablespoons of vinaigrette right away — hot potatoes soak up the dressing, while cold ones leave it sitting on the surface.
-
3
The green beans
Boil the beans in salted boiling water for just 4 minutes, then move them straight into ice water for 2 minutes. The cold shock stops the cooking and locks in the bright green color. Drain and dry them well.
-
4
The eggs
Put the eggs in cold water and bring it to a boil, then lower the heat for 8–9 minutes. Move them to ice water right away — this prevents the green ring around the yolk and makes peeling easier. Peel and quarter them.
-
5
The tomatoes
Cut the tomatoes into quarters or eighths, sprinkle them with salt and leave them in a colander for 10 minutes. The salt draws out the extra water so the salad doesn't get soggy, and the tomatoes taste stronger.
-
6
Arrange, don't toss
On a wide platter, put the lettuce on the bottom, then arrange each ingredient in a separate group — potatoes here, green beans there, the tuna, eggs, tomatoes, olives and onion. It isn't just for looks: tossing turns it into a mush, while arranging makes every bite different.
-
7
Serving
Pour the rest of the vinaigrette over the salad when serving, not before, sprinkle with basil or parsley and add the anchovies. Serve it at room temperature, not cold from the fridge — the cold hides the flavor.
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