Tuna Nicoise Salad

How to Make Tuna Nicoise Salad

1. 1

   Step 1: Cook potatoes and hard-boil eggs

   Place baby potatoes in a pot, cover with cold water, season with a pinch of salt, and simmer until just tender (about 12–15 minutes). In the last 9 minutes of the potatoes' cooking time, add the eggs to the same pot or a second pot and simmer 9 minutes for firm yolks; transfer eggs to an ice bath, drain potatoes and cool slightly, then halve the potatoes.

   For this step

   • 1 lbBaby potatoes
   • 4 piecesLarge eggs
   
2. 2

   Step 2: Blanch green beans

   Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and add the haricots verts; cook until crisp-tender, about 2–3 minutes. Immediately transfer to an ice bath to stop cooking, then drain and pat dry.

   For this step

   • 8 ozHaricots verts (or green beans)
   
3. 3

   Step 3: Make the Dijon vinaigrette and prep salad base

   Whisk together extra-virgin olive oil, Dijon mustard, red wine vinegar, and a generous pinch of salt and pepper until emulsified. In a large bowl, toss the mixed greens, halved cherry tomatoes, olives and the warm (or room-temperature) halved potatoes with about half the vinaigrette; reserve the rest for finishing.

   For this step

   • 1 1/2 cupsCherry tomatoes, halved
   • 1/2 cupNiçoise (or pitted Kalamata) olives
   • 6 cupsMixed salad greens
   • 4 tbspExtra-virgin olive oil
   • 1 tbspDijon mustard
   • 2 tbspRed wine vinegar
   • 1 pinchPepper
   
4. 4

   Step 4: Pan-sear the tuna

   Pat tuna steaks very dry and season with salt and pepper. Heat a heavy skillet over high heat with a thin film of oil and sear the tuna 1–1½ minutes per side for rare (2–3 minutes per side for medium), then let rest 2–3 minutes before slicing thinly across the grain.

   For this step

   • 2 piecesFresh tuna steaks
   
5. 5

   Step 5: Assemble the Niçoise

   Arrange the dressed greens and potatoes on a platter or individual plates, top with blanched green beans, halved eggs, cherry tomatoes and olives. Fan the sliced tuna over the salad, drizzle with the remaining vinaigrette and season with freshly ground pepper; serve immediately.
   

1. Place baby potatoes in a pot, cover with cold water, season with a pinch of salt, and simmer until just tender (about 12–15 minutes). In the last 9 minutes of the potatoes' cooking time, add the eggs to the same pot or a second pot and simmer 9 minutes for firm yolks; transfer eggs to an ice bath, drain potatoes and cool slightly, then halve the potatoes.
2. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and add the haricots verts; cook until crisp-tender, about 2–3 minutes. Immediately transfer to an ice bath to stop cooking, then drain and pat dry.
3. Whisk together extra-virgin olive oil, Dijon mustard, red wine vinegar, and a generous pinch of salt and pepper until emulsified. In a large bowl, toss the mixed greens, halved cherry tomatoes, olives and the warm (or room-temperature) halved potatoes with about half the vinaigrette; reserve the rest for finishing.
4. Pat tuna steaks very dry and season with salt and pepper. Heat a heavy skillet over high heat with a thin film of oil and sear the tuna 1–1½ minutes per side for rare (2–3 minutes per side for medium), then let rest 2–3 minutes before slicing thinly across the grain.
5. Arrange the dressed greens and potatoes on a platter or individual plates, top with blanched green beans, halved eggs, cherry tomatoes and olives. Fan the sliced tuna over the salad, drizzle with the remaining vinaigrette and season with freshly ground pepper; serve immediately.