Salade niçoise

Ingredients

• 4eggs
• 250 gfine green beans
• 500 gbaby potatoes
• 1 headromaine lettuce
• 2beef tomatoes
• 1red onion
• 2 canstuna in olive oil
• 1 cananchovy fillets
• 1shallot
• 2 tspmustard
• 1 tbsphoney
• 2 tbspred wine vinegar
• 6 tbspextra-virgin olive oil
• 50 gpitted black olives
• to tastepepper
• to tastesalt

Instructions

1. 1

   Boil the eggs

   Boil the eggs for 8 minutes until hard-boiled, then cool them under cold running water.

2. 2

   Trim the beans

   Remove the stem ends from the green beans.

3. 3

   Cook potatoes and beans

   Boil the baby potatoes in plenty of water for 5 minutes, until just tender. Add the green beans for the final 3 minutes.

4. 4

   Steam them dry

   Drain the potatoes and beans, return them to the pan and leave them to steam dry with the lid on.

5. 5

   Prepare the lettuce

   Meanwhile, cut the romaine lettuce into strips, rinse under cold running water and drain well.

6. 6

   Slice the vegetables

   Halve the tomatoes and cut them into slices. Cut the red onion into thin half-rings.

7. 7

   Drain the fish

   Drain the tuna and anchovies.

8. 8

   Mix the dressing base

   Finely chop the shallot. In a large bowl, whisk it together with the mustard, honey and red wine vinegar.

9. 9

   Whisk in oil

   Whisk in the olive oil drop by drop until the dressing thickens. Season with pepper and salt.

10. 10

    Assemble the salad

    Peel the eggs and cut them into wedges. Toss the lettuce, tomatoes, red onion, olives, tuna, anchovies, potatoes and green beans with the dressing.

11. 11

    Serve the salad

    Divide the salad between 4 plates and arrange the egg wedges on top.

What is salade niçoise?

Salade niçoise takes its name from Nice, in the south of France, where salads built around local vegetables, olives and anchovies have a long tradition. Versions vary, but tuna and eggs make this one a substantial main-course salad.

Here, warm baby potatoes and green beans join crisp lettuce, tomato and red onion. A honey-mustard vinaigrette brings the ingredients together, while the olives and anchovies add a salty, savoury edge.

Nutrition and macros by portion

The nutrition label shows one serving as written: 575 calories, 34g protein, 43g carbs, 31g fat.

The potatoes and honey provide most of the carbohydrates, while the tuna and eggs contribute much of the protein. Olive oil, tuna in oil and olives account for much of the fat; serve with extra lettuce or other vegetables if you want a larger, lighter-feeling plate.

Get the vegetables ready

Potatoes: Baby potatoes cook quickly, so check that they are just tender rather than falling apart. Letting them steam dry after draining helps keep excess water out of the dressing.

Green beans: Add them only for the final 3 minutes of cooking so they stay bright and retain some bite. Trim the stem ends before they go into the pan.

Lettuce: Rinse the romaine and drain it thoroughly. Water clinging to the leaves can dilute the dressing.

Build a balanced dressing

Shallot and mustard: Finely chopped shallot distributes through the dressing, while mustard helps it turn thick and cohesive as you whisk.

Olive oil: Add the oil gradually, whisking as you pour. This gives the vinegar, honey and oil time to emulsify into a coating dressing rather than separating immediately.

Keep the textures distinct

The salad works best when the lettuce is well drained and the cooked vegetables are not wet. Leave the potatoes and beans under the pan lid after draining so they dry without needing extra handling.

Toss gently once the tuna, anchovies and vegetables are in the bowl. The tuna can break up, so fold the ingredients through the dressing rather than stirring vigorously.

Make the most of the 30 minutes

Start the eggs and potatoes first, then trim the beans and prepare the lettuce, tomatoes and onion while they cook. The dressing can be whisked together as soon as the vegetables are drained.

The eggs need 8 minutes to boil; the potatoes cook for 5 minutes, with the beans added for their final 3 minutes. Cooling the eggs under running water makes them easier to handle while you assemble the salad.

Serve it as a main course

Divide the salad among four plates and finish each one with egg wedges. The potatoes make the dish filling, so it can be served on its own for lunch or dinner.

For a larger meal, serve it with crusty bread to catch any dressing. Keep extra dressing modest at the table: the tuna, olives and anchovies already bring plenty of savoury flavour.

Recipe notes & tips

• Drain the lettuce particularly well so it does not water down the dressing.
• Cut the shallot very finely so its flavour is spread evenly through the dressing.
• Add the olive oil slowly while whisking to help the dressing thicken.
• Check the potatoes with a knife and drain them as soon as they are just tender.
• Toss the tuna gently to keep some larger pieces in the finished salad.
• Taste the dressing before adding salt, as the anchovies and olives are already salty.

Variations

• Use a different lettuce: Choose crisp cos or little gem leaves if romaine is unavailable.
• Add cucumber: Slice it thinly for an extra fresh crunch.
• Swap the fish: Use drained tuna in water instead of tuna in olive oil for a less rich salad.
• Make it sharper: Add a little extra red wine vinegar to the dressing to taste.
• Serve warm: Toss the potatoes and beans with the dressing while they are still slightly warm.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Waterlogged lettuce: Drain it thoroughly after rinsing so the dressing clings to the leaves.
• Overcooked potatoes: Check them early and drain once just tender to stop them breaking up.
• Soft green beans: Add them only for the final 3 minutes of the potatoes' cooking time.
• Separated dressing: Whisk continuously and pour in the olive oil drop by drop.
• Broken-up tuna: Fold the salad gently instead of stirring it hard.
• Over-salting: Taste the dressing first and account for the saltiness of the anchovies and olives.

How to store

This salad is best served freshly assembled, as the dressed lettuce softens over time. Refrigerate leftovers in a sealed container and use within 1 day; keep them chilled and do not reheat.

Frequently asked questions