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I worked in a French bistro for 5 years. Our menu was full of classic French dishes, including this Salade Niçoise. It was by far our most popular salad, and one of our most popular lunch menu items. And for very good reason. It’s such a simple combination, but it’s so incredibly delicious.
Since the 19th century in Nice, France, the Salade Niçoise has been a humble, simple salad for locals and fishermen. The original recipe was made of very basic and simple ingredients: tomatoes, anchovies and oil. The staple dish has since evolved to include other additions, like hard boiled eggs, canned tuna, green beans and potatoes (although some insist potatoes do not belong on a Salade Niçoise – I disagree).
The salad is known as a salade composée, or composed salad, meaning the ingredients are neatly arranged rather than tossed together. It’s served with a very simple vinaigrette which includes anchovy paste or anchovy fillets as a nod to the traditional recipe.
It’s a very easy recipe to follow and uses ingredients you may already have at home. The whole thing comes together in 30 minutes, and it’s guaranteed to be one of your favorite salads once you try it.
Salade Niçoise, a Classic, Simple and Delicious French Salad
Equipment
- 1 small blender for the dressing (optional)
Ingredients
Vinaigrette
- ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup red wine vinegar (lemon juice or white wine vinegar also work great)
- ½ tsp anchovy paste
- ½ tsp Dijon mustard, optional (see Note 1)
- Salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
Salad
- 1 head romaine lettuce, thinly sliced and washed well
- 2-3 red or yellow potatoes or 8-10 mini potatoes, peeled and chopped
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup green beans (about 15-20 green beans)
- 1 large tomato, cut into wedges or sliced
- ½ cup cucumber, halved and sliced
- ¼ cup Niçoise olives, sliced or quartered (see Note 2)
- 2 cans chunk light tuna (in oil is best, but in water works great)
- Salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
Instructions
Vinaigrette
- Combine extra virgin olive oil, red wine vinegar, anchovy paste and Dijon mustard
- Blend or whisk together until smooth
- Season with salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste then set aside until ready to use
Salad
- In a medium saucepan, add the potatoes and season with salt
- Bring to a boil and cook potatoes until fork tender, about 10-15 minutes; meanwhile, prepare an ice bath in a medium mixing bowl
- Bring a second medium saucepan of water to a boil; add the green beans and blanch for 1 minute then transfer to the ice bath but do not drain the water
- Gently add the eggs to the same saucepan and boil for 12 minutes, then remove and transfer to the ice bath (see Note 3)
- Once the potatoes are cooked, drain and transfer to the ice bath
- When the hard boiled eggs have cooled, tap the wider end to crack then gently roll and return to the water to peel (this makes peeling them super easy); once peeled, cut the eggs into quarters
- To assemble the salad, quickly whisk the vinaigrette to recombine as it will have separated
- In a large bowl, toss the romaine lettuce with most of the vinaigrette, reserving about a quarter
- Divide the dressed lettuce between two large bowls
- Arrange the eggs, potatoes and tomatoes around the bowl then season with a little salt and freshly cracked black pepper (see Note 4)
- Place the tuna in the center then top with the cucumber slices, green beans and olives
- Drizzle the remaining dressing over the salads and serve
Notes
Nutrition
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