Ina Garten Tuna Salad Nicoise

This easy Ina Garten Tuna Salad Nicoise, hard-boiled eggs, radishes, tomatoes, and a light Dijon dressing is full of flavor from fragrant basil, juicy tomatoes, and crisp radishes. The meal is delicious no matter what day of the week it is!

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Why You’ll Love This Salad:

The Ina Garten Tuna Salad Nicoise platter is a great dish to bring to parties or potluck gatherings because, with all the ingredients on the plate, guests can create their own mini niçoise salad plates.
Canned tuna is probably one of the few ingredients in this recipe that makes it work. With fresh tomatoes, green beans, eggs, potatoes, and salty pops of olives, the flavors are divine. In addition, the light lemon vinaigrette gives the salad an extra punch without overpowering it.
The salad niçoise feels comforting and healthy at the same time if that is possible!
Of course, there is much debate over what should go in a salad niçoise. So let me just say that my version is not a replica of the traditional recipe, nor have I altered it so much that it is unrecognizable.

What Is Salad Nicoise?

You see this salad all over the internet, in magazines, and in cookbooks. Salade niçoise, niçoise salade, nicoise salad or tuna niçoise are all possible names. There are many variations of this classic French salad, and many will argue about what goes into it.

When you see current salad niçoise recipes, you will typically see canned tuna, tomatoes, hard-boiled eggs, olives, haricot vert (French beans), and potatoes. The Ina Garten salad is topped with a simple vinaigrette.

Is Salad Nicoise Healthy?

Generally, salad niçoise is considered a healthy salad due to its balance. It consists of a good mix of vegetables, carbs, and proteins. With fresh, quality ingredients and a light vinaigrette, this would be a delicious and healthy meal. I am not a dietitian, but consuming everything in moderation is always a good idea.

Ingredients That You’ll Need:

Canned tuna: Many recipes call for canned tuna in oil. In the past, I have found most brands to be too oily for my tastes. To make this Ina Garten recipe I use canned tuna in springwater.
Oil: I felt that there was enough oil in the salad with the addition of the niçoise salad dressing. Nevertheless, it is a personal choice, so you can eat tuna in oil if you prefer.
Eggs: Ina Garten recipe calls for hard-boiled eggs or semi-soft-boiled eggs. I wouldn’t serve it with runny eggs because it’s harder to arrange on a platter. But this is purely a personal preference.
Potatoes: I used baby chat potatoes and cut them into quarters in this Ina Garten recipe. If I had used larger potatoes, I might have peeled them.
Green beans: Traditionally, this Ina Garten recipe uses haricot vert or french beans, but since I only had green beans, I opted for those!
Tomatoes: Sweet tomatoes balance out the heavier components in the salad, like tuna, eggs, and potatoes. Use ripe tomatoes for extra sweetness.
Lettuce: For this Ina Garten recipe, I used green oak lettuce, which is similar to green mignonette lettuce. Both have soft, leafy leaves that combine well with the other ingredients.
Black olives: For the Ina Garten recipe, I used pitted Kalamata olives, but you can use any variety you like. Pitted olives are more appealing to me since I don’t enjoy removing the pit when eating salad.
Lemon juice: In this Tuna Salad Nicoise dressing, lemon juice is a natural pairing with tuna and seafood. As an alternative, you can use apple cider vinegar if you don’t have lemon juice on hand.

Where Did Salad Nicoise Originate?

Salad niçoise history is dominated by one fact: where it originated. From the city of Nice, south of France came the salade niçoise. The name literally means “Nice-style salad.”.

Recipe Variations

Other vegetables you can add: It is up to you what you like, but you can also add artichokes, radish, cucumber, capers, beetroot, corn, or red/white salad onions.
Potatoes: can also be replaced with homemade croutons, or I have seen smashed potatoes as well.
Vegan option: Vegan niçoise salads substitute tuna with other vegetables or, more commonly, with beans and lentils. Vegan niçoise salads commonly contain cannellini beans and chickpeas.
Niçoise salad dressing variation: If you prefer less garlic or something more light, drizzle some olive oil and lemon juice over the salad.

How To Make Ina Garten Tuna Salad Nicoise?

For The Salad:

Boil the potatoes until they are tender. Drain and let them cool.
Boil the eggs to your taste. Remove the eggs from the water and peel them. Slice the eggs in half.
Blanch the beans in boiling water for approximately 3 minutes or until al dente. Place in cold water or ice water to prevent them from cooking further. Drain and pat dry for salad.
Cut tomatoes into halves or quarters, depending on their size.
Rinse lettuce leaves and pat them dry.
Remove tuna from the can and drain any liquid. keep tuna into large chunks if possible.

For The Salad Dressing:

Add the grated garlic, Dijon mustard, extra virgin olive oil, and salt and pepper to the mason jar.
Shake until well combined.

Assembly:

You can use a large platter and place oak lettuce leaves on the bottom.
Arrange other ingredients, such as green beans, potatoes, tomatoes, canned tuna, and hard-boiled eggs, evenly on the bottom.
Put the olives on top.
Salt and pepper to taste.
Serve with niçoise salad dressing.

What To Serve Ina Garten Tuna Salad Nicoise?

With this Ina Garten Tuna Salad Nicoise, you’ve got the perfect Summer side dish. As a light lunch or dinner, you can serve it along with other Summer recipes. Listed below are some of my favorites:

Harissa chicken
Baked chicken drumsticks
Vegetable Lasagna With White Sauce
Chicken and mushroom
Mexican Lasagna
Baked chicken thighs
Tzatziki

How To Store Ina Garten Tuna Salad Nicoise?

In The Fridge: Since the tuna and vegetables will become soggy, you should serve Ina Garten Tuna Salad Nicoise as soon as possible. Refrigerated salads can be kept for up to two days if they are stored in an airtight container.
In The Freezer: We do not recommend freezing your Ina Garten Tuna Salad Nicois because it will become soggy and taste awful.

Recipe Tips

Serve as a tossed salad: Instead of composing your salad, combine the ingredients and dressing in a large bowl and toss.
Alternatives to canned tuna: You may substitute seared tuna or tuna tataki for canned tuna.
You can use salmon fillets, either canned or fried. You can also use anchovies, which is a more traditional ingredient.

FAQ Section

What is composed salad vs tossed salad?

Salad nicoise is commonly served as a composed salad (i.e. salad composée) where everything is arranged on a plate, but it can also be tossed with the ingredients thrown together and well mixed.

Can I prepare this salad ahead of time?

If you want, you can prepare the Ina Garten Tuna Salad Nicoise ahead of time. When ready to serve, I would add some niçoise salad dressing.