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Niçoise Salad Recipe

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This classic Niçoise salad is a vibrant, flavorful dish featuring tender green beans, soft-boiled eggs, baby potatoes, tuna, olives, grape tomatoes, and fresh vegetables all tossed with a tangy lemon Dijon vinaigrette. Perfect for a light lunch or elegant appetizer, this salad combines a variety of textures and balanced Mediterranean flavors in about 45 minutes.

Ingredients

Salad Ingredients

  • 4 cups mixed salad greens
  • 6 ounces green beans (haricot verts)
  • 4 large eggs
  • 2 cups baby red or white potatoes
  • 1 (5-ounce) can tuna (drained)
  • 1 cup pitted olives
  • 1 cup grape tomatoes (halved)
  • ½ English cucumber (thinly sliced)
  • ½ small red onion (thinly sliced)

Vinaigrette

  • ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
  • ¼ cup lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • ½ teaspoon honey
  • 1 garlic clove (minced)
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper (to taste)

Instructions

  1. Make vinaigrette: In a small bowl, combine the extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, honey, minced garlic, kosher salt, and freshly ground black pepper. Whisk thoroughly until the ingredients are emulsified and set aside to allow the flavors to meld.
  2. Boil eggs: Bring a small pot of water to a boil. Once boiling, turn off the heat so the water is still but hot with no bubbles. Gently add the eggs using a slotted spoon. Turn the heat back on and cook for 6½ to 7 minutes for slightly jammy yolks. For hard-boiled eggs, extend cooking time by an additional 3 to 4 minutes.
  3. Chill and peel eggs: Remove the eggs with a slotted spoon into an ice water bath for several minutes to stop cooking and cool completely. Once cool, crack and peel the eggs carefully, then slice each egg in half.
  4. Cook potatoes: While boiling eggs, bring a separate medium pot of salted water to a boil. Add baby potatoes and reduce heat to a simmer. Cook for about 15 minutes until tender when pierced by a fork. Remove the potatoes with a slotted spoon and place them on a cutting board. Let them cool, then slice in half.
  5. Blanch green beans: Using the same potato cooking water still hot, add the green beans to the pot and simmer for 1 to 2 minutes until they turn bright green and are tender-crisp. Immediately transfer the beans to an ice water bath to stop cooking and preserve their vibrant color. Drain well in a colander.
  6. Assemble salad: Spread the mixed salad greens evenly on a large serving platter. Artistically arrange the sliced potatoes, blanched green beans, drained tuna, halved grape tomatoes, pitted olives, thinly sliced red onion, cucumber slices, and halved soft-boiled eggs on top. Season the salad with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Drizzle approximately half of the prepared lemon vinaigrette over the salad just before serving, reserving the rest for future use.

Notes

  • For perfectly cooked eggs, use an instant-read thermometer or adjust timing based on your stovetop.
  • Baby potatoes can be substituted with small fingerling potatoes or other waxy potatoes for a similar texture.
  • Chilling green beans in ice water after blanching helps them retain a crisp texture and vibrant color.
  • The vinaigrette can be prepared up to 2 days in advance and stored refrigerated.
  • This salad is best served immediately after assembling to keep ingredients fresh and crisp.

Find it online: https://glowcooks.com/nicoise-salad-recipe/