Tuna Nicoise Salad

5 from 1 vote

This is a bight and flavorful salad with a punchy dressing, crisp green beans, sweet tomatoes, salty olives, and sharp onions. I like to make the dressing and green beans a day ahead for easier serving.

Course Main Course, Salad

Cuisine French

Keyword dairy-free, dressing, french, lemon, main, nut-free, olive, salad, tuna

Prep Time 30

Cook Time 20

Total Time 50

Servings

Calories 658kcal

Author Jenny Ross

Ingredients

Dressing

1/2 cup lemon juice 3-4 lemons
1 shallot minced
1 1/2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves minced
2 tablespoons fresh basil leaves minced
1 1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
3/4 cup olive oil extra-virgin
salt and pepper to taste

Salad

4 eggs
1 1/2 pounds tuna preferably sashimi grade
2 heads butter lettuce torn into bite size pieces
1 cup cherry tomatoes quartered
1/4 red onion sliced as thin as possible
3/4 pound green beans preferably haricot vert, stems trimmed and halved
1/2 cup niçoise olives

Instructions

For the Dressing

Whisk together the lemon juice, shallot, thyme, basil, and mustard until evenly combined. Slowly stream the olive oil in while whisking constantly to emulsify. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Set aside (this can be made up to 2 days ahead of time - just whisk again before using).

For the Eggs

Heat large pan or pot with 1/2 inch water in the bottom over high heat until it boils. Add the eggs (up to 6 at once) with a slotted spoon and cover, simmer for 6 minutes and 30 seconds, covered. Transfer the eggs to an ice water bath for 5 minutes then peel.

For the Green Beans

Blanch the green beans. I like to make this easy and bring a small microwave safe bowl of generously salted water to a boil in the microwave. Add in the green beans and microwave on high for about 4-6 minutes (check at 4 minutes and then every 30 seconds or so until just tender crisp). Drain and run under cold water. This can be prepared up to 4 days ahead of time and refrigerated.

For the Tuna

Lightly salt the tuna. Heat a small pan over high heat and add a generous amount of avocado oil. When hot, add the tuna. Cook for 30 seconds, or until just opaque on one side. Flip and cook the second side the same way. Transfer to a cutting board and slice thin.

To Assemble

Add the butter lettuce to a plate. Top with green beans, tomatoes, onions, and olives. Slice the tuna and lay over top. Drizzle with dressing and serve with eggs, halved.

Notes

To blanch the green beans more traditionally, heat a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the green beans and blanch them for 3 minutes, or until tender crisp. Remove the beans to an ice water bath (to retain color, this step can be skipped without affecting taste).

Protein:Energy Quotient [calories]: 0.53, Protein % of calories: 26%

Nutrition