Elegant Bistro-Inspired Niçoise Salad Recipe

Enjoy a taste of Provence with Nicoise Salad, featuring tuna, potatoes, eggs, and a zesty lemon dressing for a fresh, satisfying meal.

Nicoise Salad, a French classic, melds the flavours of the Mediterranean with hearty ingredients like potatoes, beans, and eggs, complemented by the savoury richness of canned tuna. With a zesty lemon dressing and a mix of olives, tomatoes, and crisp lettuce, this salad is satisfying enough to be a meal yet maintains a lightness ideal for any season.

Nicoise Salad Recipe

Ingredients

• 8 baby/chat potatoes (Note 1)
• 120g/ 4 oz green beans, trimmed
• 2 tomatoes, each cut into 8 – 10 wedges
• 1/2 baby cos lettuce (romaine), cut or torn into large bite-size pieces
• 3 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and quartered
• ¾ cup/ 100g unpitted black olives (Note 2)
• 250 – 300g/ 8 – 10oz canned chunk tuna in oil, drained and broken into large chunks (Note 3)

LEMON NICOISE DRESSING

• 1 1/2 tbsp lemon juice
• 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 small garlic clove , minced/grated
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• Pinch black pepper

Instructions

• Dressing: Shake ingredients in a jar.
• Cook potatoes: Boil potatoes until tender. Drain and leave to fully cool. Slice into halves.
• Blanch beans: Boil green beans until tender or done to your liking. Drain and refresh under cold running water to quickly cool. Drain, and pat well to dry.

ASSEMBLE THE SALAD

• Arrange the cos leaves on a large, wide plate.
• Scatter and layer the remaining ingredients artfully around the plate, finishing with the eggs, olives, and chunks of tuna. Drizzle with dressing over and serve!

Serving Suggestions

• French Baguette
• Garlic Roasted Asparagus
• Ratatouille
• Quiche Lorraine

Tips and Tricks

• Opt for tuna in oil for richer flavor. The quality of canned tuna can significantly impact the taste, so choose a good brand.
• Baby potatoes are preferred for their texture and aesthetic, but larger potatoes cut into pieces work well too.
• Cook eggs to medium or hard-boiled according to the original instruction to ensure even distribution when quartered.