This French Niçoise salad is a classic salad from the city of Nice, in the south of France, that is surprisingly easy to put together. With its vibrant colors and bold Mediterranean flavors, it’s one of those dishes that looks impressive on the table and is perfect as a complete meal or as a starter.
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What is a Niçoise salad?
The Salade Niçoise originates from Nice, a city on the French Riviera, and has been around since the late 19th century. The original version was a simple salad of tomatoes, anchovies and olive oil. Tuna was added later and over time the recipe evolved into what we know today.
A traditional Nicoise salad is a composed salad, meaning each ingredient is arranged separately on the plate rather than tossed together. This makes it as visually appealing as it is delicious, with each ingredient clearly visible.
There is actually quite a bit of debate about what belongs in an authentic Nicoise salad. Some locals from Nice will tell you that an authentic Niçoise salad contains no cooked vegetables apart from hard-boiled eggs, so no potatoes and no green beans. Those additions are credited to the famous French chef Auguste Escoffier. This version includes green beans, which makes it a heartier and more complete meal.
Salade Niçoise ingredients
Note: All the exact quantities of the ingredients can be found in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Tuna: Use canned tuna in olive oil. The oil-packed variety has a richer flavor than tuna in water.
- Tomatoes: Use ripe, firm tomatoes such as vine or Roma tomatoes for the best flavor. You can either use large tomatoes cut in wedges or cherry tomatoes.
- Hard-boiled eggs: A Niçoise salad essential that adds protein and substance.
- Lettuce: Use any lettuce you like or have at home. I used a combination of soft butter lettuce and red leaf lettuce.
- Red bell pepper: Adds a sweet, crunchy bite. You can also use a green or yellow bell pepper.
- Anchovies: Use anchovy fillets in oil. They add a salty, savory depth of flavor to the salad and the oil can be used for the dressing.
- Red onion: Adds a sharp, peppery bite. You can substitute with scallion or white onion for a milder flavor.
- Green beans: Fresh green beans work best. Haricots verts, the thinner French variety, are ideal if you can find them. Frozen green beans are also a good alternative.
- Fresh basil: Adds a fresh, aromatic finish. Fresh parsley works as an alternative.
- Vinaigrette: A simple dressing of olive oil, white wine vinegar, salt, pepper and Dijon mustard ties everything together. Or use my honey mustard dressing for a slightly sweeter alternative.
Useful tips and tricks
To make sure your French salade Niçoise turns out perfect, keep these simple tips in mind:
- Use good quality tuna: The quality of the tuna makes a big difference in this salad. Go for a good quality canned tuna in olive oil for the best flavor.
- Don’t overcook the beans: Cook the green beans in salted boiling water for 4-5 minutes until just tender and still bright green. Immediately plunge them into ice water to stop the cooking process.
- Perfect hard-boiled eggs: Place the eggs in cold water, bring to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes. Transfer to ice water to cool before peeling.
- Use the anchovy and tuna oil: Don’t throw away the oil from the anchovy and tuna cans. Use it as part of the dressing for an extra depth of flavor.
- Compose the salad: Arrange each ingredient separately on the plate rather than tossing everything together. This makes the salad look as good as it tastes.
- Serve immediately: Dress the salad just before serving to keep the lettuce fresh and crisp.
Can I make this French salad in advance?
Yes, you can! This salad is ideal for meal prep as most of the components can be prepared ahead of time. Here are a few tips:
- Green beans: Blanch the green beans in advance and store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days.
- Hard-boiled eggs: Boil the eggs up to 3 days in advance and store them unpeeled in the fridge.
- Vegetables: Slice the tomatoes, bell pepper and red onion and store them separately in the fridge.
- Dressing: The vinaigrette can be made up to a week in advance and kept in a sealed jar in the fridge. Give it a good shake before using.
- Assemble just before serving: Only assemble and dress the salad just before serving to keep the lettuce fresh and crisp and to prevent the ingredients from becoming soggy.
How to serve
This French Nicoise salad is best served fresh, at room temperature or slightly chilled. Here are a few serving suggestions:
- As a main course: Serve on a large sharing platter or divide the ingredients onto individual plates. A slice of crusty French bread, baguette, or Spanish tomato bread on the side is perfect to complete the meal.
- As a starter: Serve a smaller portion on individual plates as a fresh and light appetizer.
- Al fresco: This salad is perfect for outdoor dining, picnics or summer gatherings. Assemble the salad on a large platter and let everyone help themselves.
More Mediterranean salad recipes to try
- French celeriac remoulade
- Traditional ratatouille: French vegetable stew
- Classic tuna salad
- Mediterranean spelt salad with fresh vegetables
French Niçoise Salad
Ingredients
- 12 ounces (340 grams) canned tuna in olive oil drained
- 4 ripe tomatoes cut into wedges
- 4 large hard-boiled eggs peeled and cut into wedges
- 5 cups (100 grams) mixed lettuce leaves
- 1 red bell pepper thinly sliced
- 8 anchovy fillets in oil drained
- 1 small red onion thinly sliced in half moons
- 7 ounces (200 grams) green beans
- ⅓ cup fresh basil leaves
For the vinaigrette
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
- ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- pinch of cracked black pepper
Instructions
- Blanch the green beans: Wash the green beans and trim both ends off. Cook the trimmed beans in salted boiling water for 4-5 minutes until just tender. Drain and immediately plunge into ice water to stop cooking. Drain and pat dry.
- Make the vinaigrette: In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the olive oil, white wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, salt and pepper until emulsified. Taste and adjust seasoning.
- Assemble the salad: Spread the lettuce leaves on a large plate. Arrange the tomatoes, bell pepper, green beans, hard-boiled eggs, tuna, anchovy fillets and red onion over the lettuce leaves. Scatter the basil leaves over the top, drizzle with the dressing and serve immediately.
Notes
- Lettuce leaves: Use any lettuce leaves you like. I used a combination of butter lettuce (Boston or Bibb lettuce) and red leaf lettuce.
- Dressing: You can replace part of the olive oil in the dressing with the oil from the tuna and anchovy cans for a stronger, more savoury flavor.
- Vinegar: White wine vinegar can be replaced by red wine vinegar, apple cider vinegar or lemon juice.
- Assemble the salad: The salad is composed not tossed. So arrange each ingredient separately so all the colors are visible.
- Serve: Either serve on a large plate or divide the ingredients onto individual small plates.
