This is a composed Niçoise salad built around pantry staples — canned tuna, boiled potatoes, and a four-ingredient vinaigrette — that comes together in about an hour without any special equipment. It works as a full lunch or a light dinner, and most of the components can be prepped ahead so assembly is fast. If your fridge has eggs, green beans, and a can of tuna, you’re most of the way there.
The technique that matters
The two steps worth doing carefully are the ice bath for the green beans and letting the potatoes cool completely before plating. The ice bath stops the cooking immediately — skip it and the beans turn army-green and go limp. For the potatoes, dressing them while hot makes them absorb too much vinaigrette and turn greasy. Give them 15–20 minutes on the counter after draining. Everything else in this recipe is forgiving, but those two steps are the difference between a salad that looks good on the plate and one that doesn’t.
Ingredient notes
- Niçoise olives: Small, dark, and mildly briny. Kalamata olives are the easiest swap — they’re sharper but work well. Plain black olives from a can are too mild and watery; avoid them if you can.
- Oil-packed canned tuna: Worth using over water-packed if your store carries it. The oil adds richness that water-packed tuna can’t replicate. If you only have water-packed, drain it well and add an extra drizzle of olive oil directly over the tuna.
- Anchovies: Marked optional in the recipe, and honestly, skip the garnish — not worth the extra dish if you’re not already an anchovy fan. If you want that salty depth without the fillets, stir half a teaspoon of anchovy paste into the dressing instead.
- Dijon mustard: Acts as an emulsifier in the dressing, keeping the oil and lemon juice from separating. Yellow mustard will work in a pinch but the flavor is noticeably different.
Leftovers and make-ahead
The components keep much better separately than assembled. Cooked potatoes and green beans will hold in the fridge for up to 3 days in airtight containers. Hard-boiled eggs keep for up to a week unpeeled, or 5 days peeled and stored in water. The dressing keeps for up to a week in a jar in the fridge — shake or whisk before using since it will separate. Once the salad is dressed and plated, it doesn’t store well; the tomatoes release water and the beans soften. If you’re making this ahead for a meal, prep and refrigerate all components separately, then assemble right before serving.
Mistakes to avoid
- Overdressing the salad: Pour the vinaigrette gradually and stop before it looks like enough. A light coat on each ingredient is the goal — pooling dressing at the bottom of the platter means you used too much.
- Using cold-from-the-fridge tomatoes: Cold tomatoes taste flat. If yours have been refrigerated, let them sit at room temperature for 20–30 minutes before slicing. It makes a real difference to the flavor of the finished salad.
- Cutting the potatoes too large: Quarter small potatoes so they’re roughly bite-sized. Big chunks don’t absorb any dressing and are awkward to eat in a composed salad.
- Boiling the eggs too long: A grey ring around the yolk means they’re overcooked. Bring water to a boil, lower the eggs in gently, cook for exactly 10–11 minutes, then transfer straight to an ice bath for 5 minutes before peeling.
- Dressing the salad too early: Even 10 minutes of sitting in vinaigrette will wilt the green beans and make the tomatoes weep. Dress right before you bring it to the table.
Niçoise Salad
Ingredients
Salad Ingredients
- 2 cups green beans trimmed and blanched
- 1 pound small potatoes Yukon Gold or similar, boiled and quartered
- 4 medium ripe tomatoes heirloom, quartered
- 1 cup Nicoise olives
- 1 small red onion thinly sliced
- 2 medium hard-boiled eggs halved
- 2 fillets anchovies optional, for garnish
- 8 ounces canned tuna preferably oil-packed, drained
Dressing Ingredients
- ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice freshly squeezed
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 clove garlic minced
Instructions
- Boil the potatoes in lightly salted water until tender, about 15 minutes. Drain and set aside to cool.
- Blanch the green beans in boiling water for 3 minutes, then immediately transfer them to an ice bath to retain their vibrant color. Drain and pat dry.
- In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, and minced garlic for the dressing. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Arrange the cooled potatoes, green beans, tomatoes, olives, red onion, and tuna on a large serving platter. Add the hard-boiled eggs and anchovy fillets (if using) on top.
- Drizzle the dressing evenly over the salad and gently toss to combine just before serving.
Notes
- For a vegetarian version, omit the tuna and anchovies—or substitute with grilled artichokes or grilled halloumi for added protein and flavor.
Nutrition
Common questions
Can I use fresh tuna instead of canned?
Yes — sear a 6–8 oz tuna steak over high heat for about 2 minutes per side, then slice it over the salad. It’s a good option if you have it, but canned oil-packed tuna is genuinely just as good here and a lot faster.
What can I use instead of Niçoise olives?
Kalamata olives are the best substitute — similar size and a comparable briny flavor. Avoid canned black olives; they’re too bland to hold their own against the other ingredients.
Do the potatoes have to be Yukon Gold?
No. Any small, waxy potato works — red potatoes or fingerlings are both fine. Avoid russets; they’re too starchy and will fall apart when you quarter them.
Is this salad served warm, cold, or at room temperature?
Room temperature is best. The potatoes and green beans should be cooled from cooking, and the tomatoes should not be cold from the fridge — everything tastes better when it’s not straight out of the refrigerator.
How do I make this vegetarian?
Leave out the tuna and anchovies. To keep it filling, add a second hard-boiled egg per serving, or lay slices of grilled halloumi over the top — halloumi holds up well and adds enough substance to make it a proper meal.
Can I make the dressing without fresh lemon juice?
White wine vinegar is the closest swap — use the same amount. Regular white vinegar works too but is sharper, so start with 1½ tablespoons and taste before adding more.
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