Fresh Tuna Nicoise Salad
Seared fresh tuna takes this classic Niçoise salad to another level! Tender potatoes, crisp green beans, juicy tomatoes and jammy eggs are all seasoned to perfection and paired with lots of fresh herbs, briny olives and capers. It's hearty, colorful and satisfying enough to hold its own as a main dish.
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What is Nicoise Salad?
Salade Nicoise (pronounced "nee-SWAZ") is a traditional French Riviera dish from the city of Nice. It was originally made with raw vegetables like fresh tomatoes, artichoke hearts and bell peppers, along with Niçoise olives, hard boiled eggs, and either anchovies or canned tuna.
Traditionally, Nicoise salade does not include a dressing, but is simply seasoned really well with salt, pepper and olive oil. Fresh lemon or vinegar are only added occasionally.
Modern versions have evolved into a more substantial composed salad, often including baby potatoes, haricot verts or green beans, and tuna or sometimes salmon. This ahi tuna Nicoise salad is my take on the classic, swapping in freshly caught yellowfin for canned albacore tuna.
Every summer, our friends and neighbors catch tons of yellowfin tuna and we're so lucky that they share! I'm always looking for new ways to prepare ahi tuna, and this classic salad has become one of my all time favorites!
While the more traditional version uses canned tuna, seared tuna brings a richer texture that works beautifully with the other ingredients. When the tuna is this fresh and high quality, I love to give it just a quick sear on the outside and keep it super rare inside, but you can absolutely cook it to your preferred doneness.
The Best Niçoise salad
Since this recipe requires a fair bit of boiling and blanching, I've designed it to reuse the same pot of water throughout the cooking process.
The baby potatoes go in first, starting in cold salted water. Once they're fork-tender, the eggs go in for boiling, and then haricots verts (aka french green beans) for a quick blanch.
Make sure to salt the cherry tomatoes early so they can macerate and get juicy and flavorful. All of that liquid will become part of the dressing. It's a small step that adds big flavor and one you shouldn't skip!
You can riff on the ingredients, but this version sticks close to the classic Nicoise salad. It's important to season and dress each component individually. There's nothing worse than a bland salad!
I finish it all off with a mix of tender, soft herbs. If you have an herb garden, this is the time to go harvest a little bit of everything!
I used parsley, tarragon, chives and basil, but if you only use one, make it basil. It gives the salad a fresh, summery note that makes it come alive.
Want more fresh tuna recipes? Try my Italian tuna tartare, this elegant classic tuna carpaccio or a Sicilian inspired tuna crudo.
Why This Recipe Works
- Designed to reuse the same pot and water for minimal mess and easy prep.
- Macerated tomatoes double as a built-in dressing.
- Highly adaptable to use other herbs, vegetables, or even canned products.
- Every element is individually seasoned and dressed for layers of flavor.
Ingredient Notes
Baby Potatoes - Waxy varieties like Yukon Gold, new potatoes or red bliss work best. Start them in well salted cold water and boil until fork tender, then let them steam dry for the perfect texture.
Eggs - Use pasture raised organic eggs if you can. Cook them for 8-9 minutes depending on whether you like jammy or more firm hard-boiled eggs.
Green Beans - I love using haricots verts (French breen beans), but any type of green bean works, including wax beans and broad beans. You could even swap in snow peas or sugar snap peas. Blanch quickly for that bright green color and tender-crisp bite. Fresh green beans are key here!
Cherry Tomatoes - Use in-season, sweet and juicy tomatoes. Cherry or grape tomatoes work best, but you can also dice a larger heirloom tomato if that's what you have. Salt them early so they release flavorful juices to help create a natural dressing.
Fresh Tuna - Use sustainably sourced sushi-grade tuna like ahi (yellowfin), albacore, or bluefin. Just be sure it's as fresh as possible. We love it seared rare, but you can cook it to your liking (or sub canned tuna).
Niçoise Olives - These small, briny olives have a rich salty flavor and are the traditional choice. Kalamata olives or any other black olives are good substitutes.
Capers - Any variety of capers works here, including caper berries. They add a lovely briny flavor and enhance the sweetness in the tomatoes.
Arugula - You can substitute any tender green here or omit altogether. I especially love using crisp gem lettuce!
Anchovy Fillets - Optional, but if you love that savory, salty punch, don't skip them! Make sure they're good quality. I've been loving the anchovies from Fishwife.
Flaky Sea Salt - This adds a great finishing touch on top of the salad right before serving. Use something coarse with some texture, like Maldon.
*Find the full ingredient list in the recipe card below!
Helpful Equipment
- Large pot
- Slotted spoon
- Medium bowl
- Small bowl
- Grill, grill pan or cast iron skillet
- Sharpest knife
- Microplane grater
- Large serving plate
How to Make Niçoise salad
- Place the halved baby potatoes in a pot, cover with cold water, and season generously with kosher salt.
- Bring to a boil and simmer until fork tender, about 12-15 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and transfer to a large bowl to cool.
Pro Tip: Salt the water heavily (like the sea!) for properly seasoned potatoes.
- While potatoes cook, add cherry tomatoes, capers, and 1 tablespoon chopped herbs to a medium bowl. Drizzle in olive oil, season with salt and black pepper, then set aside to macerate.
- Once the potatoes have cooled, toss them with a drizzle of olive oil, zest from half a lemon and 1 tablespoon of herbs, plus salt and pepper to taste.
- Return water to a boil. Add haricot verts and cook 2-3 minutes until tender-crisp. Prepare a bowl of ice water.
- Transfer beans to the iced water bath, then drain and pat dry. Toss with olive oil, lemon zest and juice, herbs, salt and pepper.
Pro Tip: Blanch beans just until crisp-tender. Overcooking kills their texture and color.
- Return water to a boil and gently lower in the eggs. Boil for 8-9 minutes. Shock immediately in ice bath, then peel and halve or quarter.
- Heat a grill pan or skillet over high heat. Pat tuna steaks dry, oil, then season with salt and pepper.
- Sear for 45-60 seconds per side for rare, or cook to your preferred doneness. Rest briefly, then slice against the grain using your sharpest knife.
- Arrange greens on a large serving plate in an even layer.
- Neatly add the dressed potatoes, green beans, and tomatoes.
- Nestle in the eggs, olives, and sliced seared tuna, plus anchovies if using.
- Sprinkle with remaining herbs, a little olive oil, lemon juice, black pepper, and flaky sea salt.
- Serve right away, ideally at room temperature.
Tips for Success
- Shock your eggs in an ice bath to make peeling easier and prevent over-cooking.
- Blanch green beans only until tender-crisp; any longer and they lose that beautiful bright green color and turn mushy.
- Season and taste each component individually for the most flavorful salad.
- Use a high-quality olive oil, good flaky sea salt and ripe fresh tomatoes for best results.
Salad Nicoise Variations
- For more of a salad dressing, dress with some Dijon mustard, lemon juice or vinegar, or make this simple vinaigrette recipe.
- Use canned tuna instead of seared, or use salmon, if that's what you have.
- Swap niçoise olives for Castelvetrano olives or another type of olive you prefer.
- Add artichoke hearts, roasted bell peppers, or red onions for a little extra variety.
- Replace lemon juice with a splash of white wine vinegar, red wine vinegar, or balsamic vinegar for extra zip.
- Grill or roast the baby potatoes after boiling for added texture and flavor.
Serving Suggestions
Serve this tuna niçoise salad as a complete light meal. It's perfect for a warm weather lunch or dinner and works well served family-style on a large platter, or composed on individual plates.
Round out the meal with some crusty bread like this chewy homemade homemade focaccia or a garlicky grilled pan con tomate.
It's lovely with a chilled rosé or crisp white wine, especially during the summer months.
Make Ahead and Storage
Store leftover components in airtight containers in the fridge for up to 3 days. Keep the ingredients separate, especially the sliced seared tuna, and assemble just before serving to maintain the best texture.
To make it picnic-friendly, pack the parts in containers and assemble on-site. Bring a small jar of simple vinaigrette or use the tomato juice as your dressing base.
FAQ
Yes! While fresh tuna is the star of the show in this recipe, canned tuna, packed in olive oil, works well and is traditional in salade niçoise.
Use a very hot pan or grill and sear quickly, just 45-60 seconds per side. Remove promptly and let it rest before slicing.
Niçoise olives are smaller, milder, and less salty than kalamata olives, but both provide a briny richness that's essential to the dish.
Yes! Just keep components separate and combine before serving. Don't slice the tuna steaks until right before eating for best textur
Not at all. Use whatever you have, but if you're choosing just one, go with basil. It brings out the best summer flavor in this classic recipe
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Salade Nicoise with Fresh Tuna
Ingredients
- 12 baby Yukon Gold or red potatoes, halved
- Kosher salt
- 4 oz green beans or haricots verts, trimmed
- 4 large eggs
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes halved
- 4 tablespoons assorted soft fresh herbs chopped, basil, parsley, chives, tarragon, chervil, dill, divided
- 2 tablespoons capers drained and rinsed
- Extra virgin olive oil for grilling and drizzling
- Flaky sea salt such as maldon
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1 lb yellowfin tuna sushi-grade, about 1 to 1 ½ inches thick
- 1 lemon zested and juiced, divided
- ½ cup black olives such as Niçoise or Kalamata
- 4 to 6 anchovy fillets optional
- A handful of tender greens arugula, frisée, little gem, etc.
Instructions
Cook the Potatoes
- Place the halved potatoes in a pot, cover with cold water, and season generously with salt.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook until fork-tender, about 12 to 15 minutes.
- Remove the potatoes with a slotted spoon or spider strainer and transfer to a bowl. Let cool.
Prepare the Tomatoes and Capers
- While the potatoes are cooking, combine the cherry tomatoes, capers, and 1 tablespoon of chopped herbs in a bowl.
- Add a generous glug of olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and set aside to allow the tomatoes to release their juices.
Dress the Potatoes
- Once the potatoes are no longer piping hot, drizzle generously with olive oil.
- Add the zest from half a lemon, 1 tablespoon of chopped herbs, and season well with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Toss gently to combine.
Blanch the Green Beans
- Bring the same pot of water back to a boil.
- Add the green beans and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until crisp-tender.
- Meanwhile, prepare an ice bath.
- Transfer the beans directly to the ice bath to stop the cooking.
- Once cooled, drain and pat dry.
- Toss with olive oil, the zest from half a lemon, the juice of half a lemon, 1 tablespoon of herbs, sea salt, and pepper.
Cook the Eggs
- Bring the water back to a boil again.
- Gently add the eggs and cook for 8 to 9 minutes - 8 minutes will yield jammy centers, while 9 minutes will be more firm.
- Transfer immediately to the ice bath. Once cooled, peel and cut into halves or quarters.
Grill the Tuna
- Preheat a grill or grill pan over high heat.
- Pat the tuna dry, then rub with oil and season both sides with salt and pepper.
- Grill for 45 to 60 seconds per side, or until the outside is nicely charred and the center remains rare (or to your preferred doneness).
- Alternatively, you can sear the tuna in a sauté pan or cast iron skillet.
- Let rest for a few minutes, then slice thinly against the grain.
Assemble the Salad
- On a large platter or individual plates, arrange the greens in a thin, even layer.
- Pile the potatoes neatly, followed by the green beans, then the marinated tomatoes.
- Arrange the eggs, olives, and sliced tuna wherever they fit best. Add anchovies, if using.
Finish and Serve
- Sprinkle with the remaining tablespoon (or more) of chopped herbs.
- Drizzle with additional olive oil, squeeze the remaining lemon half over the top, and finish with a generous sprinkle of flaky sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper.
- Serve immediately.
Notes
- Shock your eggs in an ice bath to make peeling easier and prevent over-cooking.
- Blanch green beans only until tender-crisp; any longer and they lose that beautiful bright green color and turn mushy.
- Season and taste each component individually for the most flavorful salad.
- Use a high-quality olive oil, good flaky sea salt and ripe fresh tomatoes for best results.
Made this last night. Delicious. All the pre-dressed items, potatoes, green beans, and the tomato-capers were really great. Had very nice slab of sushi-grade tuna from Wegman's that I pan-seared trying to make tuna tataki-ish. Really a great recipe! Thanks!
Thanks Greg! I'm so glad you loved the recipe. It's been on repeat here all summer. Probably the best thing I've made this season. Appreciate the review!