Salade Niçoise is one of the world’s great composed salads, and for good reason. It is a full meal arranged on a platter: tender potatoes, crisp green beans, soft-boiled eggs, briny olives. Thick slices of seared tuna, all tied together by a sharp Dijon vinaigrette. It is the sort of dish you want on a warm evening when you are hungry but do not feel like eating something heavy. Every component brings something different to the plate, and because nothing is tossed together, each bite can be a little different from the last.
The tuna is the centerpiece, and it should be cooked rare in the center. A screaming-hot grill or cast iron pan, about 90 seconds per side for a one-inch steak, will give you a seared crust with a cool, ruby-red middle. If the thought of rare tuna puts you off, you can cook it longer, but it will taste more like canned tuna than fresh. Get your potatoes and haricots verts cooked and cooled before you start on the fish. The vinaigrette actually improves if you make it an hour or two ahead, so that is a good place to start. This is a strong choice for a weekend lunch or a dinner party where you want something impressive without spending the whole afternoon in the kitchen.
How to Make Salade Niçoise: Classic French Tuna Salad
Boil the Potatoes, Blanch the Beans, and Cook the Eggs
Get the prep components going in stages. Boil the small potatoes in salted water for about 15 minutes until tender, then remove with a slotted spoon and halve them.
In the same water, blanch the haricots verts for 3 minutes until crisp-tender and shock them in ice water.
Boil the eggs separately for 10 minutes with the heat off, then ice bath, peel, and quarter them.
This all happens while you make the vinaigrette.
Sear the Ahi Tuna Rare in the Center
Brush the ahi tuna steaks with olive oil and season generously with salt and pepper.
Grill or sear in a hot skillet for just 1 to 2 minutes per side for rare to medium-rare. The tuna should be deeply seared on the outside and red in the center. Searing it beyond medium-rare dries it out and defeats the purpose of using fresh, sushi-grade fish.
Let it rest 2 minutes, then slice against the grain.
Compose the Salad on a Platter
Whisk together the olive oil, red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, minced shallot, salt, and pepper for the vinaigrette.
Arrange the potatoes, haricots verts, quartered eggs, olives, and halved cherry tomatoes in deliberate sections on a large platter.
Fan the sliced tuna across the center and lay the anchovy fillets on top if using.
Drizzle the vinaigrette over everything and finish with fresh tarragon or parsley. This is a composed salad, not a tossed one.
Grilled Tuna Niçoise
Total Time: 35 minutes
Yield: 4 servings 1x
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Description
Salade niçoise is the LEGENDARY composed salad of the French Riviera, but this version swaps the canned tuna for grilled fresh ahi steaks seared rare. The beauty is in the composition, each element arranged deliberately on the plate rather than tossed together. Hard-boiled eggs, tiny potatoes, haricots verts, olives, and a sharp Dijon vinaigrette.
Ingredients
Units
- 4 ahi tuna steaks (5 ounces each)
- 1 lb small red or fingerling potatoes
- 1/2 lb haricots verts (French green beans), trimmed
- 4 large eggs
- 1 cup Niçoise or Kalamata olives
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
- 2 tablespoons olive oil for the tuna
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 small shallot, finely minced
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons fresh tarragon or parsley, chopped
- 4 anchovy fillets (optional)
Instructions
- Boil the potatoes in salted water until tender, about 15 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon, let cool slightly, and cut in half. In the same water, blanch the haricots verts for 3 minutes until crisp-tender. Shock in ice water and drain.
- Place the eggs in a saucepan, cover with cold water, and bring to a boil. Turn off the heat, cover, and let sit 10 minutes. Transfer to ice water, then peel and quarter.
- Make the vinaigrette: whisk together 1/4 cup olive oil, red wine vinegar, mustard, shallot, salt, and pepper.
- Brush the tuna steaks with 2 tablespoons olive oil and season generously with salt and pepper. Grill or sear in a hot skillet 1 to 2 minutes per side for rare to medium-rare.
- Let the tuna rest 2 minutes, then slice against the grain.
- Compose the salad: arrange the potatoes, haricots verts, eggs, olives, and tomatoes in sections on a large platter or individual plates. Fan the sliced tuna across the center. Lay the anchovies across the tuna if using.
- Drizzle the vinaigrette over everything and finish with fresh herbs.
Notes
- This is a composed salad, not a tossed one. Each component is placed intentionally so guests can take what they want in each bite.
- The tuna should be rare in the center — searing it beyond medium-rare dries it out and defeats the purpose of using fresh tuna.
- The vinaigrette can be made hours ahead and actually improves as it sits. Shake or whisk before dressing the salad.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
Category: Main Course
Cuisine: French
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 4
- Sodium: 740
- Fat: 24
- Carbohydrates: 22
- Fiber: 4
- Protein: 40
- Cholesterol: 210
Frequently Asked Questions
What can I substitute if I’m missing an ingredient?
Most vegetables and proteins can be swapped for similar alternatives, but spices and aromatic ingredients are harder to substitute without changing the character of the dish. If you’re missing one spice, you can usually leave it out. If you’re missing several, you might want to make something else.
How long does this keep in the refrigerator?
This doesn’t hold up as well as some dishes when made ahead, but it’s fine for next-day leftovers. Store covered in the fridge and eat within 2-3 days.
How many people does this serve?
It’s portioned for 4 servings. Good sides include crusty baguette or chilled rosé.
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