Tuna Nicoise Salad

This Tuna Nicoise Salad is a beautiful dinner to make for a dinner party or a Sunday lunch. It’s the perfect combination of fresh and delicious ingredients all your guests will enjoy.

A Note from Teri on Tuna Niçoise Salad

I must admit, one of my superpowers is creating an updated classic by taking a dish everyone has long loved–especially me–and giving it a little twist that elevates it over the top. In truth, it’s pretty much my hobby.

The classic Niçoise Salad is always wonderful. I like to serve it on a beautiful platter, rather than the traditional serving method of tossing the salad together with its dressing. The Niçoise Salad originated in Nice, France, and features tomatoes, hard-boiled eggs, Niçoise olives, and anchovies or canned tuna. It doesn’t actually have lettuce! Typically, it’s dressed with olive oil or a vinaigrette. A Niçoise Salad is very rustic and romantic, and my version offers an enticing update without losing its romance.

There are so many different salad trends: chopped, in which you chop all the ingredients together on a cutting board into little bitty pieces; tossed, in which you build your salad in a big bowl, pour on the dressing, and serve all the ingredients mixed together in a balanced way; and then there’s the platter. I like it because it’s so much fun for everyone to take what they want from a lovely selection of whole foods. It’s beyond delicious and so much fun to build. Of course, feel free to serve it however you would like!

Ingredients & Variations

For the salad:

• Kosher salt
• Baby potatoes
• Large eggs
• Baby romaine lettuce
• Arugula
• High quality canned tuna, I like Wild Planet
• Marinated Red Onions
• Cherry tomatoes
• Cucumbers
• Green olives
• Avocados
• Pepperoncini peppers
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Chives
• Creamy Chive Dressing or favorite dressing of choice

For the dressing:

• Large egg
• Light olive oil
• Chopped chives
• Fresh lemon juice
• Minced shallots
• Apple cider vinegar
• Garlic cloves
• Anchovies
• Hot sauce
• Lemon zest
• Kosher salt

If you’re feeling imaginative, this version of a Niçoise could be really fun with homemade sweet potato chips or even sweet potato fries. Rather than a vinaigrette, we use a Creamy Chive here.

I personally love it with my favorite canned tuna, Wild Planet, which is also how it is traditionally served in France. But it would also be nice with freshly seared tuna. Simply sear a piece of tuna, and then cut it into slices for a delicious dish. Of course I top my version with Marinated Red Onions.

For a sandwich variation, try this Tuna Nicoise Sandwich next!

How to Make Tuna Nicoise Salad

Step Two: Make Dressing

In a wide mouth mason jar, using an immersion blender to blend, place the egg and slowly add the light olive oil until it emulsifies and thickens. I like to do a homemade mayo this way, but if you don’t want to, just substitute with a cup of your favorite store bought mayo. Add the rest of the ingredients and blend until thoroughly combined. Cover and refrigerate to allow the dressing to thicken before use.

Step Two: Boil Potatoes and Eggs

Prepare an ice bath in a medium bowl and set aside. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add Kosher salt.

Add the baby potatoes to the boiling water and cook 12 to 15 minutes until done. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the potatoes from the water to a baking sheet and let cool.

To the same pot of boiling water, add the eggs and boil for 7 ½-8 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the eggs from the boiling water to the ice bath. Allow the eggs to cool for 30 seconds, then peel them and immediately cut each egg in half.

Step Two: Assemble the salad

Arrange the greens on a large platter. Season the greens with a pinch of salt and drizzle with some oil from the Marinated Red Onions. Add the tuna to the center of the platter, breaking it up with a fork a little to spread it out and arrange the potatoes, jammy egg halves, tomatoes, cucumbers, green olives, avocados, and pepperoncini peppers around the platter.

Drizzle everything with more Marinated Red Onion oil and season with salt and pepper. Finish the platter with some Marinated Red Onions and serve with the Creamy Chive Dressing on the side or drizzled over the salad. Enjoy!

How to Store Your Tuna Nicoise Salad

You can prepare your salad in advance and keep your ingredients in separate airtight containers. When you are ready to serve, you can assemble all of your prepared ingredients and enjoy!

Try These Other Seafood Salad Recipes

• Salmon Nicoise Salad
• Shrimp Nicoise Salad
• Shrimp Louie Salad
• Celebration Salmon Salad

If you make this Tuna Nicoise Salad Recipe, be sure to review it below and let me know what you think! If you’re looking for more inspiration, subscribe to my Substack, and follow along on Pinterest,  Instagram, and TikTok to join in all the fun!

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