Delicious Niçoise Salad Recipe
A classic French Niçoise Salad featuring perfectly boiled eggs, tender potatoes, blanched green beans, and oil-packed tuna, all brought together with a tangy, garlicky sherry vinaigrette. This hearty and flavorful salad is perfect for a light lunch or elegant dinner.
- Author: Cleo
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Salad
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: French
- Diet: Gluten Free
Vinaigrette
- 1/2 cup Extra-Virgin Olive Oil (high-quality)
- 1 clove Garlic (freshly grated)
- 2 tablespoons Sherry Vinegar (or red/white wine vinegar)
- 1 tablespoon Dijon Mustard (or yellow mustard)
- 1 teaspoon Honey (optional)
- to taste Kosher Salt
- to taste Freshly Ground Black Pepper
Salad Components
- 4 Large Eggs (boiled)
- 1 can Oil-Packed Tuna
- 1 cup Green Beans (fresh or frozen)
- 1 cup Small Potatoes (like Yukon Gold)
- 1 cup Persian Cucumbers
- 1/2 cup Black Olives (brined)
- 2 tablespoons Capers
- 2 fillets Oil-Packed Anchovy Fillets (optional)
- Boil the Eggs: Place eggs in salted water and bring to a boil. Cook for 6-7 minutes for a jammy yolk. Remove the eggs and cool immediately in ice water before peeling.
- Mix the Vinaigrette: In a bowl, whisk together extra-virgin olive oil, freshly grated garlic, sherry vinegar, Dijon mustard, honey (if using), kosher salt, and freshly ground black pepper until well combined and emulsified.
- Cook the Potatoes: Boil the small potatoes in salted water until fork-tender, about 10-15 minutes. Drain, cool, and slice them into rounds for layering.
- Blanch the Green Beans: In a pot of boiling salted water, blanch the green beans for 3-4 minutes until bright green and tender-crisp. Transfer immediately to ice water to stop the cooking process and retain color.
- Assemble the Salad: On a large serving plate or platter, arrange the sliced Persian cucumbers first, followed by the potato slices, green beans, black olives, capers, flaked tuna, and halved boiled eggs. Add optional anchovy fillets if desired.
- Drizzle and Toss: Pour the prepared vinaigrette evenly over the salad ingredients. Gently toss the salad to combine all flavors without breaking the eggs or potatoes. Garnish with fresh herbs such as parsley or basil if you like.
Notes
- For perfectly boiled eggs, using an ice bath stops the cooking immediately and makes peeling easier.
- Use fresh or frozen green beans; just ensure to blanch and cool them promptly to maintain crunch and vibrant color.
- Oil-packed tuna is preferred for added flavor and richness.
- If you don’t have sherry vinegar, red or white wine vinegar can be used as a substitute.
- The salad is best served immediately but can be chilled for an hour before serving to meld the flavors.
- Anchovy fillets are optional but add authentic Niçoise flavor.
Keywords: Niçoise Salad, French Salad, Tuna Salad, Healthy Salad, Summer Salad, Egg Salad, Potato Salad