Albacore Tuna Niçoise Recipe

Prep potatoes and beans

Place halved new potatoes in a medium pot and cover with cold salted water. Bring to a boil, then simmer until just tender, about 10–12 minutes depending on size. With 6 minutes remaining for the potatoes, add the haricots verts to the pot and cook until bright green and tender-crisp, about 3–4 minutes. Drain the potatoes and beans and immediately plunge into an ice bath to stop cooking. Drain again and pat dry.

Arrange lettuce and vegetables

On a large platter or individual plates, lay the mixed baby lettuces as a base. Arrange halved potatoes, blanched haricots verts (trim ends if desired), and halved cherry tomatoes in sections over the greens. Scatter olives, cornichons (if using), and capers evenly.

Add eggs and tuna

Quarter the hard-cooked eggs and place them around the salad. Flake the drained albacore tuna into large chunks and tuck them over the salad so each portion will have tuna. If you prefer, combine the tuna with a few tablespoons of the mayonnaise dressing to make creamy tuna morsels—reserve the rest of the mayo dressing for serving.

In a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, lemon juice, olive oil, chopped shallot, parsley, chives, salt, and black pepper until smooth and homogenous. Taste and adjust seasoning: add more lemon for brightness or a pinch more salt if needed. Reserve about 3–4 tablespoons to toss with flaky tuna if you prefer creamy tuna pieces; keep the remainder for serving alongside the salad.

If using the vinaigrette: in a small jar or bowl, whisk together the red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper. Slowly whisk in the 3 tablespoons olive oil until emulsified. Drizzle lightly over the arranged salad just before serving or serve on the side. This option keeps the salad light and lets diners choose.

Drizzle the reserved mayonnaise dressing (or vinaigrette) and a little extra-virgin olive oil over the salad. Arrange lemon wedges on the platter. Serve immediately so beans remain crisp and potatoes are warm or at room temperature.