Description
Classic Niçoise Salad is a vibrant and refreshing dish that captures the essence of Mediterranean cuisine. This delightful salad features crisp green beans, juicy cherry tomatoes, hard-boiled eggs, briny olives, and high-quality tuna, all harmoniously tossed in a light dressing of extra virgin olive oil and red wine vinegar. Perfect for summer picnics or elegant dinners, this salad makes fresh ingredients shine while offering a symphony of flavors in every bite.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 cup green beans, trimmed
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 2 large hard-boiled eggs, quartered
- 1/2 cup Niçoise olives (or Kalamata olives)
- 1 can (5 oz) high-quality tuna packed in olive oil, drained
- 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Prepare your ingredients: Wash green beans and cherry tomatoes. Hard-boil the eggs, cool them, and peel.
- Blanch the green beans: In salted boiling water, cook green beans for about 3 minutes until tender-crisp. Transfer to an ice bath to stop cooking.
- Assemble your base: On a platter, layer mixed greens (optional), blanched green beans, and halved cherry tomatoes.
- Add proteins: Place quartered eggs and flaked tuna over the salad.
- Dress the salad: Whisk together olive oil and red wine vinegar with salt and pepper; drizzle over the salad.
- Garnish: Sprinkle Niçoise olives on top and serve immediately.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Method: Blanching/Assembling
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 salad plate (250g)
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 580mg
- Fat: 23g
- Saturated Fat: 3g
- Unsaturated Fat: 19g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 17g
- Fiber: 5g
- Protein: 20g
- Cholesterol: 180mg
Keywords: Feel free to add other vegetables like bell peppers or artichokes for extra flavor. For a vegetarian version, substitute tuna with chickpeas. A dash of lemon zest can enhance freshness.