Tuna Salad Niçoise is an easy, elegant entrée that’s perfect for a warm-weather lunch or light dinner. My version of this southern French classic includes a divine Lemon-Tarragon Vinaigrette dressing, plus tips to enhance each element. It’s bright, flavorful, and effortlessly chic, just like a Parisian woman.
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What is Tuna Niçoise Salad
Tuna Salad Niçoise is a composed salad that originated in Nice, France, where it was traditionally made with local ingredients like tomatoes, anchovies, and olive oil. As it gained popularity, it evolved into the expanded dish we know today, featuring tuna, hard-boiled eggs, green beans, potatoes, tomatoes, black olives, and sometimes anchovies and/or capers. Served with a light vinaigrette and artfully arranged on individual plates, it’s colorful, flavorful, and perfect for an elegant lunch or light dinner.
Why You’ll Love This Tuna Niçoise Salad Recipe
- Bright, light flavor. The lemon-tarragon vinaigrette ties everything together beautifully, enhancing the freshness of each ingredient without overpowering the dish.
- Satisfying yet not heavy. With protein-rich tuna and eggs, hearty potatoes, and crisp veggies, it’s a well-rounded meal that satisfies.
- Convenient. A one-plate dish that’s easy to pull together ahead. Add a side of fresh bread or a chilled soup for a more complete meal if desired.
- Beautiful, impressive presentation. The colorful, composed layout looks as good as it tastes.
- Make-ahead friendly. All the components can be prepped in advance and assembled just before serving.
Ingredients in Tuna Niçoise Salad
Here are the key ingredients in this classic French salad, all of which can be found at major grocery stores (scan down to the recipe card for more details, including quantities):
Lemon-Tarragon Vinaigrette Dressing
- Extra-virgin olive oil
- Tarragon white wine vinegar or regular white wine vinegar
- Lemon zest
- Fresh tarragon
- Ground nutmeg
- Kosher or sea salt
Tuna Salad Niçoise
- Good quality canned tuna (I recommend albacore, sustainably caught, and oil-packed) – see discussion in the next section about the kind of tuna to use
- Small (petite) red-skinned or Yukon Gold potatoes
- Fresh green beans
- Salad greens such as Bibb, Boston, or Butter lettuce
- Hard-boiled large eggs
- Fresh tomatoes, tennis ball-size
- Niçoise olives – or Kalamata black olives
- Capers
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
Here’s a photo of all the ingredients, prepped and ready to go:
Canned Tuna or Fresh?
When tuna was first added to Salade Niçoise, it was always canned and packed in oil. These days, many chefs use seared fresh tuna instead, or sometimes both. But I’m sticking with the classics. Julia Child‘s recipe calls for oil-packed canned tuna in The Way to Cook, and so does my friend Jean-Claude Cavalera, a professional chef from Nice. I figure if it’s good enough for those two fabulous chefs, it’s good enough for me!
Ingredient Substitutions
If you can’t find all of the ingredients, here are a few easy swaps:
- Tarragon vinegar – Use white wine vinegar and add a pinch of tarragon
- Fresh tarragon – Use dried tarragon
- Yukon Gold or red potatoes – Fingerlings, baby potatoes, or larger Gold potatoes will work, just cut them smaller
- Fresh green beans – can use haricot verts
- Tennis ball size tomatoes – grape or cherry tomatoes, halved, will also work
- Butter/Bibb lettuce – Any soft, tender greens will work
How to Make Tuna Niçoise Salad
Here’s an overview of how to create this classic salad:
Lemon-Tarragon Vinaigrette Dressing
- Prep Vinaigrette.
In a small bowl or lidded jar, whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, lemon zest, tarragon, nutmeg, and salt. Cover and let sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavors to blend.
Tuna Salad Niçoise
- Cook potatoes.
Steam potatoes just until fork tender. Set aside to cool.
- Cook green beans.
Steam green beans just until crisp-tender. Immediately plunge the cooked beans into a bowl of ice water to keep their bright green color. Remove with a slotted spoon and pat dry with paper towels.
- Toss key ingredients with dressing.
In separate bowls for each ingredient, toss potatoes, green beans, tuna, and greens each with 1 to 2 tablespoons dressing. Season each to taste with salt and pepper. - Compose salad.
Spread greens evenly on 6 individual plates. Place a mound of the tuna in the middle. Surround with the potatoes, green beans, eggs, tomatoes, and olives. Sprinkle capers over the top. Pass additional dressing on the side.
How to Serve Tuna Niçoise Salad
Traditionally, this classic French composed salad is served artfully arranged on individual plates over a bed of torn greens, with the tuna in the center and the other ingredients fanned out around it.
You can also take a Cobb Salad style approach, arranging the ingredients in rows on top of the greens.
For a more casual or interactive meal, try serving it salad bar style, with each component in a separate bowl so everyone can build their own plate.
Serving on the go? For a portable salad, layer the ingredients in 6 wide-mouth mason jars. Start with the dressing at the bottom, then add sturdier ingredients that can handle a little marinade, like green beans, potatoes, tomatoes, and tuna. Add the eggs next, then finish with the salad greens on top to keep them from getting soggy. When ready to eat, just toss or pour onto a plate.
Note: While this salad can be served chilled, I prefer to serve it at room temperature for maximum flavor.
Tips for the Best Tuna Niçoise Salad
- Don’t overcook the vegetables. The potatoes should be just fork-tender, and the green beans should have a bit of crunch. Overcooking can make the salad feel heavy and dull the flavors.
- Shock the green beans. After steaming, immediately transfer green beans to an ice water bath. This stops the cooking process and locks in their bright green color and crisp texture.
- Use a light hand with the dressing. A little goes a long way. Lightly add just before serving, and offer extra dressing on the side.
- Let ingredients come to room temperature before assembling. This helps the flavors shine, especially with the tuna and potatoes.
- Use quality tuna. Since tuna is the star of the dish, choose a good-quality oil-packed brand for the best flavor. I prefer sustainably caught albacore tuna.
- Arrange with intention. Take a few extra minutes to arrange the ingredients thoughtfully. It elevates the presentation and makes the dish feel special.
What to Serve With Tuna Nicoise Salad
Tuna Niçoise Salad is a complete meal on its own, but if you’d like to round it out, here are a few easy, elegant additions:
- Crusty bread or baguette – An easy, classic addition.
- Chilled soup – Gazpacho, Vichyssoise, or Green Pea Soup makes a refreshing starter.
- Fresh fruit – Sliced melon, fresh berries, or a fruit salad complements the savory flavors.
- Cheese board – A small selection of French cheeses with grapes or figs adds a nice touch for entertaining.
- Crisp white or rosé wine – For a classic pairing, serve with a dry rosé from Provence, Sauvignon Blanc, or a light Pinot Grigio.
Tuna Salad Niçoise FAQs
Yes, each ingredient can be prepped up to 24 hours ahead, covered and refrigerated. Bring to room temperature and assemble shortly before serving.
Yes, this recipe is naturally gluten-free as long as your mustard and vinegar are certified gluten-free (most are, but it’s always good to double-check labels).
This salad includes canned tuna packed in oil, steamed new potatoes, crispy green beans, sunny hard boiled eggs, vibrant tomatoes, briny Niçoise olives and tangy capers, all arranged atop crisp salad greens. Each component is lightly tossed with a bright Lemon-Tarragon dressing,
Both are composed salads, but Cobb salad is American and typically includes chicken, bacon, avocado, and blue cheese, while Niçoise features tuna, potatoes, green beans, tomatoes, olives, and a vinaigrette salad dressing. They’re also arranged differently: in a Niçoise salad, the tuna is placed in the center with the other ingredients arranged around it. In a Cobb salad, the ingredients are traditionally lined up in neat rows across the plate.
More Main Dish Salads To Try:
- Avocado Mango Salad with Pork Tenderloin
- Tuna, White Bean and Tomato Salad
- Tuna and Roasted Red Pepper Pasta Salad
- Layered Salmon Salad with Avocado Dressing
- Crab and Shrimp Salad with Curry-Chutney Dressing
- Best Shrimp Salad Recipe
- Grilled Tarragon Chicken with Pasta, Pecans and Spring Greens
- Grilled Steak, Roasted Potato and Tomato Salad
Tuna Salad Niçoise Recipe
Tuna Salad Niçoise is an easy, elegant entrée that’s perfect for a warm-weather lunch or light dinner. My version of this southern French classic includes a divine Lemon-Tarragon vinaigrette dressing, plus a method that enhances each element. It’s bright, flavorful, and effortlessly chic.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings
- Diet: Gluten Free
Ingredients
Lemon-Tarragon Vinaigrette
- 7 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 1/2 tablespoons tarragon white wine vinegar – see Note below
- 1 heaping teaspoon lemon zest, or more to taste
- 1 teaspoon chopped fresh tarragon
- 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 to 2 pinches kosher or sea salt
Tuna Salad Niçoise
- 10 small (petite) red-skinned or Yukon Gold potatoes (around 3/4 pound) cut into quarters
- 1 pound green beans, ends removed (“trimmed”) and cut into 1-inch pieces
- 3 (5-ounce) cans good quality canned tuna (I recommend albacore, sustainably caught, and oil-packed) drained
- 6 cups torn salad greens such as Bibb, Boston, or Butter lettuce
- Kosher or sea salt, to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 3 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and chopped
- 2 cups (around 4 medium – tennis ball size) cored, seeded, sliced or coarsely chopped fresh tomatoes
- 1 cup Niçoise or Kalamata black olives, pitted and cut in half
- 1/3 cup capers, drained
Instructions
Lemon-Tarragon Vinaigrette
- In a small mixing bowl or lidded jar, whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, zest, tarragon, nutmeg and salt.
- Cover and let sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavors to blend.
Tuna Salad Niçoise
- Steam potatoes just until fork tender. Set aside to cool.
- Steam green beans just until crisp-tender. Immediately plunge the cooked beans into ice water to keep their bright green color. Drain again and pat dry with paper towel.
- In separate bowls for each ingredient, toss potatoes, green beans, tuna, and greens each with 1 to 2 tablespoons dressing. Season each to taste with salt and pepper.
Assembly
- Spread greens evenly on 6 individual plates.
- Place a mound of the tuna in the middle.
- Surround with the potatoes, green beans, eggs, tomatoes, and olives.
- Sprinkle capers over the top.
- Pass additional dressing on the side.
Notes
Tarragon white wine vinegar: Can substitute white wine vinegar and increase the chopped tarragon by a pinch or two.
Make ahead: Lemon-Tarragon Dressing, potatoes, green beans and hard boiled eggs can all be prepared, covered separately and refrigerated up to 2 days ahead.
Variation in presentation – Cobb salad style: Arrange ingredients in rows on top of lettuce greens.
Variation in presentation – salad bar style: Put each ingredient in a separate bowl and arrange in the following order: mixed greens (in a large bowl), tuna, potatoes, green beans, eggs, tomatoes, olives, capers and remaining dressing.
- Category: main dish salads
- Method: steam
- Cuisine: French
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 plate
- Calories: 607
- Sugar: 7.8 g
- Sodium: 552.2 mg
- Fat: 29.1 g
- Saturated Fat: 5.1 g
- Carbohydrates: 55.4 g
- Fiber: 8.9 g
- Protein: 34.8 g
- Cholesterol: 120.6 mg
