Salad Niçoise is a classic French salad originating from the city of Nice. This vibrant dish combines fresh vegetables, tender tuna, creamy potatoes, and briny olives, all tossed in a tangy vinaigrette. Here’s how to whip up this delicious salad at home.
Ingredients:
- 8 ounces of baby potatoes
- 4 large eggs
- 6 ounces of green beans
- 2 cans of tuna
- 1 cup of cherry tomatoes
- 1/2 cup of Kalamata olives
- 4 cups of mixed salad greens
- 1/4 cup of extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish
Instructions:
- In a pot of salted boiling water, cook the baby potatoes until tender, about 10-12 minutes. Drain and set aside to cool.
- Meanwhile, place the eggs in a saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Once boiling, remove from heat, cover, and let the eggs sit in the hot water for 10 minutes. Then, transfer the eggs to a bowl of ice water to cool. Once cooled, peel and slice the eggs into quarters.
- In the same pot of boiling water used for the potatoes, blanch the green beans for 2-3 minutes, until crisp-tender. Drain and immediately transfer to a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking process. Drain again and pat dry with paper towels.
- Arrange the mixed salad greens on a large platter or individual serving plates. Arrange the cooked potatoes, sliced hard-boiled eggs, blanched green beans, cherry tomatoes, tuna, and Kalamata olives on top.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the extra virgin olive oil, red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper to make the vinaigrette. Drizzle the vinaigrette over the Salad Niçoise and sprinkle with chopped fresh parsley for garnish.
- Serve immediately and enjoy this delightful and refreshing Salad Niçoise as a light meal or side dish.
