# 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.

**French Cuisine · 55 min · 4 servings · 420 kcal per serving**

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.

## Ingredients

- 400 g — tuna in olive oil (or fresh grilled tuna)
- 4 — eggs
- 500 g — small potatoes
- 300 g — thin green beans
- 4 — medium tomatoes
- 100 g — black olives (Niçoise or Kalamata)
- 1 head — romaine lettuce
- 1 — red onion, thinly sliced
- 6 — anchovy fillets (optional)
- 100 ml — extra virgin olive oil
- 3 tbsp — red wine vinegar or lemon juice
- 1 tsp — Dijon mustard
- 1 clove — garlic, crushed
- 2 tbsp — basil or parsley

## 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.

## Tips

- 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.

## FAQ

### 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.

---

Source: https://hanakoleah.com/en/french-cuisine/french-nicoise-salad-with-tuna
Edited by: Marwa Mohamed
Last updated: 2026-10-24