Salade Niçoise Recipe

Prepare potatoes

Place potatoes in a saucepan and cover with cold water by 2 cm. Add 1/2 tsp salt and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook until just tender when pierced with a knife, about 12–15 minutes depending on size. Drain, let cool slightly, then halve or leave whole if small. Set aside.

Cook green beans

Bring a separate pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add trimmed green beans and blanch for 2–3 minutes until bright green and just tender. Immediately transfer to an ice bath (bowl of ice water) to stop cooking and preserve color. Drain and pat dry.

Hard-boil eggs

Place eggs in a small saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring to a simmer, then cook for 9 minutes for fully set yolks. Transfer to ice bath for 5 minutes, peel, and quarter.

Prepare tomatoes and shallots

Core and cut tomatoes into wedges. Thinly slice shallots and, if desired, soak them briefly in cold water for 5 minutes to reduce sharpness, then drain.

Assemble tuna and optional anchovies

If using canned tuna, drain well and flake into large chunks. If using fresh tuna, sear for 1–2 minutes per side in a hot skillet with 1 tsp olive oil for rare to medium-rare, then slice. Arrange anchovy fillets and capers on a small plate to add to the salad if desired.

Arrange salad

Toss the greens lightly with a small amount of dressing (reserve most for final dressing). On a large platter or individual plates, arrange the greens as a base. Neatly arrange potatoes, green beans, tomato wedges, quartered eggs, tuna, olives, sliced shallots and anchovies in sections on top of the greens for a classic composed Niçoise presentation.

Make the dressing: In a small bowl or jar, combine minced garlic, Dijon mustard, red wine vinegar, lemon juice, sea salt and black pepper. Whisk to combine, then slowly drizzle in the olive oil while whisking (or shake vigorously in a jar) until emulsified. Taste and adjust seasoning.

Finish and serve: Drizzle remaining dressing over the assembled salad (or serve on the side). Gently toss portions if desired or serve composed. Garnish with extra olives, capers or parsley. Serve immediately.