Trade out the charcuterie board for this flavorful salad niçoise recipe to delight guests with an array of vegetables and protein in a tangy vinaigrette. Delicate haricots verts and creamy red potatoes add color and texture and you’ll be whipping up a double, or triple, recipe of this vinaigrette to spice up any vegetable.
Niçoise olives are often found in olive tapenade or salade niçoise and get their name from their region of origin, Nice, France. These petite olives not only provide the name for this dish but add a nutty flavor that isn’t overpowering. You’ll love the balanced flavors and arranging the ingredients on your favorite platter, making this dish great for every day or whenever you want simple sophistication.
For more inspiring salads with stunning presentations, try my kale salad, cucumber tomato salad, or colorful raspberry beet salad.
What You Need to Make This Recipe
Lemon Juice – lemon juice offers tangy notes that pair well with tuna. You can also use red wine vinegar if you prefer a slight acidity that’s not citrusy.
Dijon Mustard – Dijon brings together the flavors and helps the vinaigrette have a touch of creamy texture.
Shallot – minced shallot adds a satisfying crisp to each bite. You can use red onion as a substitute if needed.
Oil – extra-virgin olive oil will enhance the flavor of the Niçoise olives.
Haricot Verts or Green Beans – I prefer using fresh Haricot verts or green beans. Look for vibrantly colored haricot verts that are crisp. Trim before cooking.
Red Potatoes – red potatoes soften perfectly when cooked, adding a silken texture to this dish, halved or quartered after cooking. You can also use new potatoes.
Butter Lettuce – the lettuce provides a mellow yet flavorful base for arranging vegetables in this composed salad. Tear lettuce into bite-sized pieces.
Tuna – I like using oil-packed tuna for this recipe for delicious bites of flaky protein.
Hard-Boiled Eggs – try my Instant Pot Hard Boiled Eggs guide to easily make hard-boiled, medium-boiled, or soft-boiled jammy eggs. Instant Pot cooking will yield just the right, and easy-to-peel, eggs every time.
Cherry Tomatoes – halved cherry tomatoes add a little pop of color that contrasts with the butter lettuce and olives.
Niçoise Olives – these delicate and flavorful olives are what make this French salad stand out and you’ll love their dark color. If you can’t find Niçoise olives, kalamata olives are a good substitute.
Capers – capers make a nice compliment to the olives and elevate this salad to be worthy of being a main dish.
How to Make Niçoise Salad
1. In a medium mixing bowl, stir together the lemon juice or vinegar, mustard, shallot, garlic, thyme, salt, and pepper.
2. While whisking, slowly drizzle in the olive oil until fully combined. Set aside.
3. In a medium saucepan, bring 2 quarts of water and 2 teaspoons of salt to a boil. Meanwhile, fill a large bowl with ice water. When the water is boiling, add the haricot verts and cook just until crisp-tender and bright green, about 3 minutes.
4. Transfer using a slotted spoon to the ice bath. Let them soak for a few minutes and then drain.
5. To the same pot of boiling water, add the potatoes. Cook until tender, about 15 minutes. Drain and run under cold water. Halve or quarter any large potatoes.
6. Toss with 2 tablespoons of the vinaigrette.
7. On a large platter, arrange the lettuce in a single layer. Arrange the haricot verts, potatoes, tuna, eggs, cherry tomatoes, and briny olives on top of the lettuce.
8. Sprinkle the capers and basil over the salad. Drizzle with the remaining vinaigrette and finish with ground black pepper, if desired. Serve immediately.
Pro Tips For Making This Recipe
- Prepare ahead. Make the dressing, prepare the eggs, cook the vegetables ahead of time, and chill until you are ready to assemble the salad.
- Showcase with a statement platter. Select a large, shallow platter or plate to showcase the beauty of the ingredients and allow room to arrange lettuce in a single layer.
- Use the same pot for cooking vegetables. Using a slotted spoon, long-handled mesh strainer, or tongs will allow you to remove the haricot verts from the boiling water and the ice bath easily.
- Dry the haricot verts. Pat the haricot verts dry with a tea towel or paper towel after the ice bath to remove excess water.
- Give vinaigrette a final mix. Whisk the vinaigrette briefly just before drizzling onto the salad for serving.
Frequently Asked Questions
If the vinaigrette is added to all ingredients, this recipe is best enjoyed the same day, but leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. All the components of this recipe can be stored separately for up to 4 days, so if you anticipate having leftovers, it’s best to refrigerate the ingredients and assemble them just before serving.
Salade Nicoise takes its name from Niçoise olives, but you can certainly use kalamata olives, a mix of the two varieties, or your favorite pitted olives. Niçoise olives are widely available in many grocery stores and may be found canned, jarred, or in a fresh olives bar. Kalamata olives will offer a similar taste and texture.
A composed salad, such as traditional niçoise salad, is served on a platter or plate with other ingredients arranged on top of a base of greens, instead of all ingredients being tossed together, making it an appetizing centerpiece on a table or buffet. I love using a long-handled set of salad servers to allow guests to serve themselves the perfect combination of ingredients. A longer-handled set of tongs works as well.
If you love this recipe try these out!
If you’ve tried this Niçoise Salad recipe, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know how you got on in the comments below, I love hearing from you!
Niçoise Salad
Ingredients
For the Vinaigrette:
- ¼ cup lemon juice or red wine vinegar (60ml)
- 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
- 1 shallot minced
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil (120ml)
For the Salad:
- 2 teaspoons salt
- ½ pound haricot verts or green beans trimmed (225g)
- ½ pound small red potatoes (225g)
- 1 head butter lettuce torn into bite-size pieces
- 2 (5-ounce/ 142g) cans tuna oil-packed
- 4 hard-boiled eggs peeled and quartered
- ½ cup halved cherry tomatoes (100g)
- ½ cup Niçoise olives or kalamata olives drained (90g)
- 2 tablespoons capers drained
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
- Ground black pepper
Instructions
For the Vinaigrette:
- In a medium mixing bowl, stir together the lemon juice or vinegar, mustard, shallot, garlic, thyme, salt, and pepper. While whisking, slowly drizzle in the olive oil until fully combined. Set aside.
For the Salad:
- In a medium saucepan, bring 2 quarts of water and 2 teaspoons of salt to a boil. Meanwhile, fill a large bowl with ice water.
- When the water is boiling, add the haricot verts and cook just until crisp-tender and bright green, about 3 minutes. Transfer using a slotted spoon to the ice water. Let them soak for a few minutes and then drain.
- To the same pot of boiling water, add the potatoes. Cook until tender, about 15 minutes. Drain and run under cold water. Halve or quarter any large potatoes. Toss with 2 tablespoons of the vinaigrette.
- On a large serving platter, arrange the lettuce in a single layer. Arrange the haricot verts, potatoes, tuna, eggs, cherry tomatoes, and olives on top of the lettuce. Sprinkle the capers and basil over the salad. Drizzle with the remaining vinaigrette and finish with ground black pepper, if desired. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Prepare ahead. Make the dressing, prepare the eggs, cook the vegetables ahead of time, and chill until you are ready to assemble the salad.
- Showcase with a statement platter. Select a large, shallow platter or plate to showcase the beauty of the ingredients and allow room to arrange lettuce in a single layer.
- Use the same pot for cooking vegetables. Using a slotted spoon, long-handled mesh strainer, or tongs will allow you to remove the haricot verts from the boiling water and the ice bath easily.
- Dry the haricot verts. Pat the haricot verts dry with a tea towel or paper towel after the ice bath to remove excess water.
- Give vinaigrette a final mix. Whisk the vinaigrette briefly just before drizzling onto the salad for serving.
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