This Nicoise salad is fresh, hearty, and built from straightforward ingredients that complement each other. Tender potatoes, crisp green beans and spinach, firm tuna, hard‑boiled eggs, olives, and a bright caper vinaigrette make a satisfying main‑course salad that’s ready in under an hour.
This Nicoise salad is one of my go‑to meals when I want something that feels both light and filling. As a certified nutrition coach I appreciate how well rounded it is: lean protein from tuna and eggs, healthy fats from olives and olive oil, complex carbohydrates from potatoes, and plenty of fiber from leafy greens.
It comes together quickly and makes for a balanced, portable lunch or an elegant yet simple dinner. If you like warm‑weather salads, try pairing it with other seasonal recipes for easy weeknight menus.
Recipe Overview
Key Ingredients
Below are the core ingredients for a classic Nicoise. Quantities are provided in the recipe card further down.
- Tuna in olive oil: Use tuna packed in olive oil for richer flavor. Flake it into large pieces so it stays substantial on the salad.
- Hard‑boiled eggs: Provide additional complete protein and creaminess.
- Baby potatoes: Small, waxy potatoes add texture and keep the salad satisfying.
- Green beans: Blanch briefly so they remain bright and crisp.
- Baby spinach: A nutrient‑dense base; you can substitute other greens if preferred.
- Capers: Key to the vinaigrette—minced or blended they add a briny lift.
- Pickled red onion: Quick pickling adds tang and cuts through richer ingredients.
How to Make Nicoise Salad
Step 1: Make quick pickled red onion. Combine vinegar, warm water, honey, and salt in a small bowl. Add thinly sliced red onion and let sit 20–30 minutes while you prepare the other components.
Step 2: Cook the baby potatoes in salted boiling water until fork‑tender, about 12–15 minutes. Drain and halve.
Step 3: Place eggs in a pot of cold water, bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook 7–8 minutes for firm, set yolks. Transfer to an ice bath, peel, and halve.
Step 4: Blanch trimmed green beans in boiling water 2–3 minutes until bright green. Shock in ice water, then drain.
Step 5: Prepare the caper vinaigrette by combining capers, Dijon, vinegar, lemon juice, olive oil, honey, salt, and pepper in a blender or whisking vigorously until smooth and emulsified.
Step 6: On a large platter arrange cooked green beans, potatoes, and baby spinach. Toss with half the dressing so the warm potatoes absorb flavor.
Step 7: Top with halved cherry tomatoes, drained tuna in large flakes, boiled eggs, olives, and the pickled red onion. Drizzle remaining vinaigrette over the assembled salad and serve.
Variations & Tips
- For a softer yolk, cook jammy eggs: lower eggs into boiling water and cook 7 minutes 30 seconds, then ice bath and peel.
- Choose canned tuna steaks rather than small chunks for a firmer texture and larger flakes.
- Fresh tuna steaks can be lightly seared and thinly sliced as an upgrade from canned tuna.
- Swap spinach for arugula for a peppery bite.
- To make the salad vegetarian, replace tuna with drained chickpeas.
- Dress the warm potatoes first so they soak up more vinaigrette flavor.
- Avoid overcooking the potatoes; they should be fork‑tender but not falling apart.
Common Questions
Store the salad components separately when possible and keep the dressing in a separate airtight container. Assembled salad without dressing will keep in the refrigerator up to 3 days; add dressing just before serving to avoid wilted greens.
Nicoise means “in the style of Nice,” the city on the French Riviera where this salad originated.
Yes—hard‑boiled eggs are traditional, though you can omit them if you prefer.
For firm yolks, simmer eggs 7–8 minutes from a gentle boil, then cool in an ice bath.
Yes. Prepare components—eggs, beans, dressing, and pickled onions—ahead of time and assemble when ready to serve.
Grilled salmon or sliced grilled chicken breast are excellent alternatives that keep the dish high in protein.
The caper vinaigrette gives the salad its signature briny brightness, but a simple lemon‑Dijon vinaigrette also works well if you prefer.
More Fresh & Filling Salads
- Mediterranean Chickpea Salad
- Greek Chicken Salad
- Dill Pickle Pasta Salad
- Tortellini Pasta Salad
- Shrimp Caesar Salad
- Mustard Potato Salad
- Waldorf Salad
- Black Bean Quinoa Tabbouleh Salad
Thanks for trying this recipe. If you make it, leave a rating or a comment to share how it turned out—I appreciate the feedback.
Nicoise Salad with Caper Vinaigrette
Ingredients
- 1 pound baby potatoes
- 4 large eggs, hard‑boiled
- 10 ounces tuna in olive oil, drained (2 x 5 oz cans)
- 6 ounces trimmed green beans
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 cup pitted olives
- 2 cups baby spinach, roughly chopped
Quick Pickled Red Onion:
- 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
- 3 tablespoons vinegar
- 3 tablespoons warm filtered water
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
Caper Vinaigrette:
- 2 tablespoons capers, finely chopped or crushed
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoons vinegar
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 teaspoons honey
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Make the quick pickled red onion: whisk 3 tablespoons vinegar, 3 tablespoons warm water, 1 teaspoon honey, and 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt. Add thinly sliced red onion and let sit 20–30 minutes.
- Boil the baby potatoes in salted water until tender, about 12–15 minutes. Drain and halve.
- Add eggs to a pot of cold water. Bring to a boil, then simmer 7–8 minutes. Transfer to an ice bath, peel, and halve.
- Blanch the trimmed green beans in boiling water 2–3 minutes until bright green. Shock in ice water and drain.
- Make the vinaigrette: combine 2 tablespoons capers, 1 teaspoon Dijon, 2 tablespoons vinegar, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 4 tablespoons olive oil, 2 teaspoons honey, and salt and pepper. Blend or whisk until emulsified.
- On a deep platter, arrange cooked green beans, potatoes, and chopped spinach. Toss with half the dressing. Top with halved cherry tomatoes, drained tuna in large flakes, boiled eggs, olives, and pickled red onion.
- Drizzle remaining vinaigrette over the salad and serve immediately.
Notes
- Make the pickled onions first so they have time to develop flavor while you prep other components.
- Keep the tuna in large flakes when adding it to the salad for the best texture.
- Shock green beans in ice water immediately after boiling to preserve color and crunch.
- The vinaigrette will keep in the refrigerator up to a week; shake or whisk before using.
- If meal prepping, store components separately and assemble just before serving.
- Grilled salmon or chicken are easy swaps for tuna.
Nutrition
Carbohydrates: 34 g
Protein: 32 g
Fat: 30 g
Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should be used as an approximation.