Spring Niçoise Salad (Print Version)

Tuna and egg Niçoise with green beans, baby potatoes, cherry tomatoes and a zesty mustard vinaigrette.

# What You'll Need:

→ Proteins

01 - 7.1 oz high-quality canned tuna in olive oil, drained
02 - 4 large eggs

→ Vegetables

03 - 7.1 oz green beans, trimmed
04 - 10.6 oz baby potatoes, halved
05 - 7.1 oz cherry tomatoes, halved
06 - 1.8 oz mixed salad greens (arugula, baby spinach), loosely packed

→ Other

07 - 2 small shallots, finely sliced
08 - 2.8 oz black olives (Niçoise or Kalamata), pitted

→ Dressing

09 - 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
10 - 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
11 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
12 - 1 clove garlic, minced
13 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

# How to Make It:

01 - Bring a medium saucepan of salted water to a boil. Add the halved baby potatoes and simmer 10–12 minutes until just tender. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside to cool slightly.
02 - In the same saucepan of boiling water, add the trimmed green beans and cook 2–3 minutes until bright green and tender-crisp. Drain and immediately plunge into cold water or run under cold tap to stop the cooking, then drain thoroughly.
03 - Bring a small pot of water to a gentle boil. Gently lower the eggs in and simmer for 7 minutes for soft-set yolks. Transfer eggs to an ice bath, cool 5 minutes, peel and halve.
04 - In a small bowl whisk together the extra-virgin olive oil, red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, minced garlic, salt and pepper until the dressing is emulsified and smooth.
05 - Arrange the mixed salad greens on a large platter. Distribute the halved potatoes, blanched green beans, halved cherry tomatoes, sliced shallots and pitted olives over the greens. Break the drained tuna into large chunks and scatter across the salad.
06 - Nestle the halved soft-boiled eggs on top of the salad. Drizzle the vinaigrette evenly over all components and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.
07 - Serve immediately while the ingredients remain slightly warm or at room temperature. Garnish with extra black pepper or anchovies if desired.

# Additional Tips::

01 -
  • The secret is in that punchy vinaigrette—every bite feels like a sunny French picnic no matter where you are.
  • It’s the simplest way I know to make an ordinary weeknight dinner feel abundant and special.
02 -
  • Leaving the beans in too long leaves you with sad, mushy green strings—I learned that after getting distracted by a podcast.
  • Chilling the eggs in ice water really does make peeling so much easier, even if you’re in a hurry.
03 -
  • If your eggs are stubborn to peel, roll them gently on the counter—it sounds simple, but it really does the trick.
  • Letting all the components come to room temperature gives the salad the best flavor—it’s a trick I never skip anymore.
Go Back