This Tuna Nicoise Salad uses one pot to make the potatoes, green beans and hard boiled eggs, making it so easy!
A healthy salad that is perfect for lunch or light dinner. A great way to use a couple of cans of tuna!
I first tried this recipe many years ago after finding it in an old out of print Eating Well cookbook.
You're going to love that it uses one pot of boiling water to cook the potatoes, green beans and the hard boiled eggs. While those are cooking you prepare the salad dressing and get your salad greens ready.
It's dinner in about 40 minutes! We love to serve it with some crusty bread and a glass of white wine. It's simple, elegant and healthy!
Ingredients.
- Green beans - regular green beans are fine, but if you can find haricot verts they are especially nice.
- Potatoes - red potatoes are traditional, but Yukon gold also work.
- Eggs.
- Tuna - just plain canned is fine, though you can use the jarred in olive oil. It's richer with more flavor.
- Shallots, red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, salt and black pepper, and extra virgin olive oil. This is a standard red wine vinaigrette that you can use on all your salads.
- Salad greens - I like to buy spring greens, but any of your favorite lettuce greens will do.
- Olives - Nicoise or Kalamata. I typically always have a big jar of Costco Kalamata olives in the fridge so that is what I usually use.
Step by step instructions.
Bring water to a boil and cook the green beans first. Remove them when they are crisp tender with a large slotted spoon. Place them in a colander and rinse with cold water to stop them from cooking and then add to a large bowl.
Then add the potatoes and eggs to the still boiling water. Cook the eggs for 12 minutes, remove them and put them in same colander and run under cold water and then set aside.
Finish cooking the potatoes, add them to the colander and rinse under cold water!
While the potatoes are cooking, prepare the salad dressing. I like to make it in a mason jar so that I can easily shake it to emulsify it, plus easily store any leftover in the fridge.
Sometimes I double the vinaigrette because it is such a classic and I use it on my everyday green salad.
All that cooking in one pot and one colander! That's one of the reasons I love this nicoise recipe so much!
Cube or quarter the potatoes depending on their size and add them to the large bowl with the green beans.
I like to pour the dressing over now so that it soaks in a little in the warm potatoes, while I peel the eggs.
Add the tuna and toss to coat. You can also add the greens at this time. I didn't I chose to pile the nicoise salad on a bed of baby spinach.
Serve with topped with hard boiled eggs and olives. I also like a generous grinding of fresh black pepper on top.
This is so good and I absolutely love how easy it is to make. One pot of boiling water, a colander and a bowl!
I served this on a bed of mixed greens. Sometimes I serve it on baby spinach. Sometimes I use baby kale or arugula and toss it with the potatoes.
This easy salad makes a great light dinner or the perfect lunch!
More tuna recipes.
Recipe.
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Tuna Nicoise
Ingredients
- 8 cups water
- 8 ounces green beans trimmed and cut in half
- 8 small red potatoes
- 2 eggs
- ¼ cup shallots minced
- ¼ cup red wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 12 ounces canned tuna drained
- 12 olives Kalamata or Nicoise
- 6 cups salad greens
Instructions
- Bring the water to a boil in a 3-4 quart saucepan. Add the green beans cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Remove them and place them in a colander using a slotted spoon. Rinse with cold water, drain and add to a large bowl.
- Add potatoes and eggs (carefully) into boiling water. Boil the eggs for 12 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon to the colander and rinse with cold water and set aside.
- Continue cooking potatoes for about 3 more minutes or until tender. Drain the potatoes and rinse under cold water.
- While the potatoes and eggs are cooking combine the shallots, vinegar, mustard, salt, pepper and olive oil in a lidded jar. Shake to combine.
- Cut the potatoes into quarters or eights depending on their size and add to the bowl with the green beans. Pour the dressing over the top. Let the dressing soak into the potatoes a bit.
- Peel the eggs and slice into wedges.
- Add the tuna and the salad greens to the bowl and toss to combine. Serve with the hard boiled eggs.
Dennis says
This is one of my favorite salads and your recipe was ah-mazing! Everyone at my house loved it.
Erin says
I had some old shallots to use up and am glad I came across this recipe! It was delicious and even my picky husband liked it. Thank you!
Tristin says
This tuna nicoise was really easy to put together and it made great, light dinner. So full of flavor!
Ksenia says
This is such a filling and delicious salad! I am a big fan. The combination of all the veggies, the proteins and the sauce was amazing.
Veronika says
Nicoise salad is always one I order out but somehow I've never made it at home! I love that you used just one pot to cook everything, it's such a timesaver! We'll definitely make it again soon it was delicious!
Elaine says
Tuna nicoise is one of my favorite salads! I always order it when I go out. time to try making it at home now!
Kathryn says
This is always a lunch favorite! I love how healthy and protein packed it is too. Thanks for sharing your easy recipe!
Amanda says
This is a great tuna nicoise! I love how simple all the ingredients, and it was so fresh tasting. Such a lovely recipe.
Lauren Michael Harris says
Made this salad this week for lunch for my husband and I. We both really loved it - will definitely make this again!
Gloria says
I can't remember the last time I had this tasty salad. Guess that means I need to make it soon. I will for dinner one night this week. The perfect main dish salad.