Tuna Nicoise Salad
Tuna Nicoise salad is a classic French dish known for its fresh ingredients, vibrant colors, and signature tangy vinaigrette. As someone who loves tuna, this bright, flavor-packed salad is my go-to during the warmer months—it’s light yet hearty, layered with texture, and always hits the spot. Step-by-step photos can be seen below the recipe card.
Servings: 8 servings
Ingredients
Lemon Vinaigrette
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
- 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon honey
- Black pepper to taste
- Salt to taste
- Fresh thyme to taste, optional
Salad
- Mixed greens or arugula
- 4 ounces fresh green beans blanched
- 8 ounces golden baby potatoes
- 3 hard boiled eggs with jammy centers halved or quartered
- 10 ounces canned tuna (2x 5oz cans) drained and flaked
- 1 cup tomatoes cut into bite-sized pieces
- ½ cup black olives
- 2 tablespoons capers
Instructions
- Make the dressing by combining all the ingredients but the oil in a small bowl, then whisking in the oil slowly until everything is mixed together and emulsified.
- Prepare your ingredients for the salad by bringing a medium pot of water to a rolling boil and blanching your green beans for 3 minutes. Immediately remove your green beans from the water and place them in an ice bath to stop them from cooking further.
- Bring the water to a boil again, adding more water if necessary, and boil your potatoes for 15 minutes, just until they’re fork tender. Remove them from the water and let them cool down and dry off.
- Add a light bed of your greens to a large serving platter, just enough greens to cover the plate, then add your flaked tuna, blanched green beans, boiled potatoes (you can cut them in halves or quarters if they’re too large), bite-sized tomatoes, olives, boiled eggs, and capers. You can organize them however you want on the platter, but I liked grouping some of my ingredients together and then sprinkling the capers over the entire plate.
- Once assembled and ready to eat, dress your salad with the lemon vinaigrette and serve immediately.
Notes
- Dress the salad right before serving to keep the greens crisp and fresh.
- I don’t recommend using frozen produce for this recipe. Nicoise salad really relies on fresh, crisp textures, and freezing tends to change the consistency
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 167kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 0.001g | Cholesterol: 83mg | Sodium: 299mg | Potassium: 287mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 408IU | Vitamin C: 10mg | Calcium: 32mg | Iron: 1mg