Salade Niçoise
Tender potatoes, crisp green beans, juicy tomatoes, briny olives, and jammy eggs come together with tuna in a bright mustard vinaigrette. Each bite has a satisfying mix of creamy, crisp, and flaky textures.
Blanch the vegetables just until tender so they keep their color and bite. Tuna packed in oil gives the richest result, while tuna packed in water works well for a lighter salad; you can also replace red onion with shallot. Dress the salad while the potatoes are still slightly warm so they absorb more flavor.
Serve it as a complete lunch or warm-weather dinner with crusty bread. It is especially good for spring and summer gatherings, and the potatoes, beans, eggs, and dressing can be prepared several hours ahead; refrigerate the assembled salad and let it sit briefly at room temperature before serving.
How to Make It
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1
Whisk the olive oil, red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, garlic, salt, and black pepper in a small bowl until emulsified. Set the dressing aside.
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2
Boil the potatoes in a large pot of salted water for 12 to 15 minutes, or until fork-tender. Drain, cool briefly, and cut into bite-size pieces.
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3
Blanch the green beans in the same pot for 3 to 4 minutes, until bright green and just tender. Drain and rinse under cold water.
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4
Place the eggs in a saucepan, cover with cold water, and bring to a boil. Remove the pan from the heat, cover it, and let the eggs stand for 10 minutes. Transfer them to ice water, peel, and halve.
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5
Arrange the lettuce on a large platter. Toss the warm potatoes and green beans with a few tablespoons of the dressing, then arrange them over the lettuce with the tomatoes, tuna, olives, anchovies, red onion, and eggs.
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6
Drizzle the remaining dressing over the salad, scatter the parsley on top, and serve immediately or let the salad stand for 10 minutes before serving.
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