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Fresh Nicoise Salad with Tuna

Fresh Nicoise Salad with Tuna - featured image
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A vibrant and flavorful French-inspired salad featuring baby potatoes, green beans, cherry tomatoes, mixed greens, canned tuna, and hard-boiled eggs, dressed with a lemon-Dijon vinaigrette. Perfect for a quick, satisfying lunch or light dinner.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 pound baby potatoes, halved or quartered
  • 8 ounces green beans, trimmed and blanched
  • 1 cup ripe cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 4 cups mixed salad greens (butter lettuce, arugula, or baby spinach)
  • 2 cans (5 ounces each) high-quality canned tuna packed in olive oil, drained and flaked
  • 4 large hard-boiled eggs, peeled and halved
  • 1/2 cup Kalamata olives, pitted and halved
  • 1 small red onion, thinly sliced (optional)
  • 2 tablespoons capers, rinsed (optional)
  • 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • 1 small clove garlic, minced
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Instructions

  1. Place the baby potatoes in a large pot and cover with cold water. Add a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and cook until tender when pierced with a fork, about 15-20 minutes. Drain and set aside to cool slightly.
  2. While potatoes cook, bring another pot of salted water to a boil. Add the trimmed green beans and cook for 3-4 minutes until crisp-tender. Quickly transfer to a bowl of ice water to stop cooking and keep their vibrant color. Drain and pat dry.
  3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the extra-virgin olive oil, fresh lemon juice, Dijon mustard, minced garlic, salt, and pepper until well combined and slightly thickened. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
  4. Hard-boil the eggs by placing them in a pot of cold water, bring to a boil, then cover and remove from heat. Let sit for 10-12 minutes, then transfer to ice water. Peel and halve.
  5. In a large salad bowl or platter, layer the mixed greens as a base. Arrange the cooled potatoes, blanched green beans, cherry tomatoes, Kalamata olives, capers, and sliced red onion evenly over the greens.
  6. Flake the drained tuna gently and scatter over the salad. Place the halved eggs on top.
  7. Pour the lemon-Dijon vinaigrette evenly over the salad right before serving. Toss lightly if desired or serve as is for a pretty presentation.

Notes

Taste the dressing before adding it all; adjust lemon juice or salt as needed. Avoid over-tossing the salad to keep ingredients distinct. Boil potatoes and eggs together to save time. Use high-quality canned tuna packed in olive oil for best flavor. Blanch green beans and shock in ice water to keep color and crunch.

Nutrition

Keywords: Nicoise salad, tuna salad, French salad, healthy lunch, easy salad recipe, lemon vinaigrette, quick dinner, protein salad

Find it online: https://junomeals.com/fresh-nicoise-salad-with-tuna-easy-recipe-for-flavorful-lunch-ideas/