Salade Niçoise
A composed salad inspired by Nice, with tomatoes, tuna, eggs, olives and crisp-tender green beans.
Preparation: 24 min · Cooking: 16 min · Total: 42 min · 4 servings
Ingredients
- 280 g canned tuna in olive oil, drained — Drained weight; fully cooked; fish allergen.
- 250 g green beans — Trimmed.
- 500 g ripe tomatoes — About 4 medium tomatoes.
- 100 g Niçoise or small black olives — Pitted if preferred.
- 4 large eggs — Keep refrigerated; egg allergen.
- 60 ml extra-virgin olive oil — For the vinaigrette.
- 20 ml red wine vinegar — For the vinaigrette.
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard — Mustard allergen.
- 1 garlic clove — Peeled and crushed.
- 15 g fresh basil leaves — Washed and dried.
- 60 g spring onions — Trimmed.
- 4 g fine salt — 1 g for tomatoes, 3 g for dressing.
- 0.5 tsp ground black pepper — Freshly ground if possible.
Instructions
Organize the cold ingredients safely
Check that the tuna cans are undamaged, not swollen, leaking or deeply dented. Refrigerate the tuna after opening and keep the eggs cold until cooking. Wash tomatoes, beans, basil and spring onions under running water and dry them. Prepare two bowls of ice water, one for the eggs and one for the beans, so neither cooked item warms the ready-to-eat ingredients. This recipe contains fish, egg and mustard.
Wash and cut the vegetables
Trim the bean ends. Cut the tomatoes into bite-size wedges and place them in a colander; sprinkle with 1 g of the salt and drain for 10 minutes so the platter does not become watery. Thinly slice the spring onions, tear the basil and crush the garlic to a paste. Drain the tuna without mashing it and keep it in large flakes. Drain the olives.
Whisk the vinaigrette
Whisk the vinegar, mustard, garlic, remaining 3 g salt and black pepper in a clean bowl. Add the olive oil slowly while whisking until the dressing looks slightly thickened and unified. Taste with a clean spoon. Keep the dressing separate until shortly before serving so the vegetables retain texture.
Cook eggs and beans with the retained timer
Start the retained 42-minute overall preparation timer when the egg water goes on the heat; it covers heating, cooking, cooling and assembly, not one continuous boil. Put the eggs in a saucepan, cover by 3 cm with cold water, bring to a full boil, then reduce to a gentle boil for 9 minutes. Transfer immediately to their ice water for 5 minutes, peel and quarter; the whites and yolks must be fully set. Meanwhile, boil a second pan of water, add the beans and cook for 3–4 minutes until bright green and crisp-tender. Transfer them to their separate ice water for 2 minutes, then drain and dry thoroughly. Use the stated visual and texture checks rather than waiting for the 42-minute timer to end.
Egg whites and yolks are fully set and at least 71°C after cooking; beans are bright green and crisp-tender; tuna smells clean; vegetables are cool, fresh and not waterlogged.
Complete the egg, bean and assembly workflow: 2520 seconds
Compose and dress the salad
Arrange the tomatoes and dry beans on a large platter. Add tuna in large flakes, olives, spring onions and basil, then place the egg quarters around the edge. Spoon about three-quarters of the vinaigrette evenly over the salad and serve the remainder alongside. Fold only once or leave composed; vigorous mixing breaks the tuna and eggs. Serve promptly while all components are cool.
Check every component
Check that every egg white and yolk is fully set with no liquid egg; if measured immediately after cooking, the centre should reach at least 71°C. Beans should be bright green and bend with slight resistance, not raw, grey or mushy. Tuna should smell clean and mild, tomatoes should be drained but juicy, and no ingredient should have remained above 5°C for more than 2 hours. Discard any tuna from a damaged can or with an off odour.
Egg whites and yolks are fully set and at least 71°C after cooking; beans are bright green and crisp-tender; tuna smells clean; vegetables are cool, fresh and not waterlogged.
Serve cold and store safely
Divide the freshly dressed salad into four portions and serve cool, not warm. Refrigerate within 2 hours at 5°C or below. For best quality, store undressed components separately for up to 2 days; use assembled dressed salad within 1 day. Do not reheat the salad. Discard it if it has been above 5°C for more than 2 hours or develops an off smell, slime or leaking liquid.
Tips
- Drain salted tomatoes and dry blanched beans so the vinaigrette stays concentrated.
- Arrange rather than aggressively toss to preserve the tuna flakes and egg quarters.
Common mistakes
- The original 500 g tuna overwhelmed the vegetables; 280 g drained tuna gives a balanced main salad.
- Overcooked beans become grey and soft.
- Dressing too early makes the vegetables watery.
Substitutions
- For a fish-free variation, replace tuna with 280 g drained cooked chickpeas; verify that the mustard and other labels meet dietary needs.
Storage
Refrigerate within 2 hours at 5°C or below; store components separately up to 2 days or dressed salad up to 1 day.
Reheating
Do not reheat; serve cold and discard if held above 5°C for more than 2 hours.
About this recipe
Salade Niçoise comes from Nice and has fiercely discussed versions. This recipe uses tuna, hard-cooked egg and blanched green beans, a common modern composed-salad adaptation rather than a claim to the strictest traditional formula.
Editorial approval does not establish independent kitchen testing. Check allergens and follow safe food handling.