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–+ servings

Salad Niçoise

Dinner, Salads
Tuna, hard-boiled eggs, salty anchovies, briny black olives, artichoke hearts, sweet tomatoes, crisp vegetables all pulled together by a sharp garlicky vinaigrette. Every forkful is special and has something different going on. This is what summer tastes like on the French Riviera!
Salad Niçoise recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings 4

Ingredients 

  • 1 lettuce butterhead (Bibb, Boston)
  • 2 egg
  • 200 gr fava beans shelled and blanched (or substitute with extra radish if unfindable)
  • 3 tomatoes
  • ½ bell pepper green
  • ½ cucumber
  • 6 radishes pink
  • ½ red onion
  • 80 gr tuna in olive oil (drained and flaked)
  • 8 anchovy fillets in olive oil
  • 50 gr black olives Niçoise or Kalamata
  • 4 artichoke hearts in oil or brine, not vinegar
  • 1 handful basil
  • 1 clove garlic
Vinaigrette / Dressing
  • 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
  • 1 tsp mustard from Dijon
  • 1 clove garlic
  • salt and black pepper

Equipment

Instructions

1. Prepare the eggs and beans

  1. Bring a pan to the boil and gently lower in the eggs. Boil for 10 minutes for hard yolks. Remove, cool under cold water, and peel. Blanch the shelled fava beans for 1–2 minutes, then stop the cooking in a bowl of iced water. Slip off the outer skins if the beans are large, for the best texture.

2. Salt the tomatoes

  1. Slice the tomatoes, sprinkle lightly with salt, and leave them to drain for 10 minutes while you prepare everything else. This concentrates their flavour and stops them watering down the salad.

3. Chop and arrange the fresh ingredients

  1. Rub the cut clove of garlic across your platter or plates for a soft hit of garlic. Tear the lettuce and arrange as a base, followed by the drained tomatoes, bell pepper, cucumber, radishes and onion. Scatter the fava beans over the top.

3. Layer on the classics

  1. Arrange the olives, quartered artichoke hearts, anchovy fillets and flakes of tuna in groups rather than scattering them. Quarter the eggs and place on top. Tuck basil leaves here and there.

4. Mix the vinaigrette

  1. Whisk together the olive oil, red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, crushed garlic, salt and pepper until emulsified. Add a squeeze of lemon or a chopped anchovy if you like.

5. Dress and serve

  1. Drizzle the vinaigrette evenly over the platter right before serving. Toss very gently, or let everyone help themselves.

Notes

  • Salade Niçoise is all about presentation: arranging each ingredient separately gives it that composed, market-fresh feel.
  • Don’t skimp on the anchovies or olives, they’re the soul of this salad, bringing salt and richness.
  • This vinaigrette gives your Niçoise real Riviera punch, simple, zesty, and packed with flavour.