Go Back
Delicious Salade Niçoise featuring tuna, fresh vegetables, and homemade vinaigrette.

French Salade Niçoise

A fresh and filling salad featuring tuna, eggs, green beans, and potatoes served with a flavorful vinaigrette, perfect for quick dinners.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Course, Salad
Cuisine: French
Calories: 350
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Salad Ingredients
  • 1 cup French green lentils (or any green lentils) Feel free to use any type of lentils.
  • 2 to 3 cups water Plus salt for boiling.
  • 1 piece bay leaf Optional but adds flavor.
  • 2 cups baby potatoes, boiled and halved Any small potato will work.
  • 2 cups green beans, quickly blanched Blanch to keep them bright.
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes No slicing necessary.
  • 0.5 cup olives Niçoise olives preferable; Kalamata also works.
  • 4 pieces eggs Soft boiled or hard boiled.
  • 4 cups lettuce or mixed greens Optional for extra crunch.
Vinaigrette Ingredients
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil For dressing.
  • 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar or lemon juice Choose your preference.
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard Helps blend the dressing.
  • 1 clove garlic, finely grated Adds flavor.
  • to taste none salt and black pepper For seasoning.

Method
 

Cooking the Ingredients
  1. Rinse the lentils and simmer with 2-3 cups water and a bay leaf until tender but not mushy. Drain and toss with vinaigrette while warm.
  2. In a separate pot, boil water and cook the baby potatoes until tender, then remove and halve them.
  3. Using the same water, blanch green beans for a few minutes until bright and tender. Immediately rinse in cold water to stop cooking.
  4. Soft boil or hard boil the eggs to your preference.
Assembling the Salad
  1. On a large serving plate or bowl, arrange the lentils in the center and layer the potatoes, green beans, cherry tomatoes, olives, and sliced eggs around them.
  2. If using, add a layer of lettuce or mixed greens as a base.
  3. Drizzle with additional vinaigrette before serving.

Notes

For a plant-based option, substitute tuna with lentils or chickpeas. You can prepare components ahead of time and assemble just before serving for a crisp salad.