Salade Nicoise Recipe – French Composed Salad

Introduction

The Salade Nicoise is a French classic that captures the vibrant flavors and fresh textures of the Mediterranean coast. This composed salad isn’t just about tossing ingredients together—it’s a beautifully arranged platter that promises elegance with every bite. Whether you’re hosting a luncheon or craving a nutritious weeknight meal, Salade Nicoise is as visually stunning as it is satisfying.

Why You’ll Love this Salade Nicoise

This recipe stands out for its delightful combination of crisp vegetables, briny olives, tender greens, protein-rich tuna, and perfectly boiled eggs—all drizzled with a bright, herbaceous vinaigrette. The artful arrangement of each component allows you to tailor every forkful to your liking. It’s ideal for entertaining since it pleases a crowd and can be made ahead with minimal fuss.

Choosing Fresh, High-Quality Ingredients

For authentic Salade Nicoise, pick the freshest possible produce: sweet cherry tomatoes, crisp green beans, tender new potatoes, and peppery greens. Look for oil-packed tuna or poached fresh tuna for a luxurious texture. French Niçoise olives (or Kalamata as a substitute) provide delicious briny contrast, while capers and anchovies add pop and depth to the overall flavor.

Artful Salad Assembly

A true Salade Nicoise is composed, not tossed. Arrange each ingredient in sections on a platter—greens in the center, surrounded by tomatoes, green beans, potatoes, tuna, olives, eggs, and anchovies. Drizzle the vinaigrette just before serving so everything stays crisp and fresh. This method showcases each element and makes the salad feel special.

Serving Suggestions for an Elegant Presentation

Serve Salade Nicoise chilled or at room temperature as a showstopping light entree, picnic centerpiece, or as part of a French-inspired buffet. Pair with a crusty baguette and a crisp white wine for the ultimate experience. For easy entertaining, prepare all components in advance and assemble just before guests arrive.

Nutritional Information and Serving Size

This recipe serves 4 generously as a main course. Each serving contains approximately 400 to 480 calories, offering a winning balance of lean protein, fresh vegetables, and healthy fats. It’s gluten-free and can be adapted for various dietary preferences.

Salade Nicoise – French Composed Salad (Recap)

Few salads are as timeless or visually enticing as a Salade Nicoise. Its medley of colors and textures makes it a winner for meal prep, entertaining, or simply elevating your everyday lunch.

💡Meal Planning Tip: Save this recipe to automatically generate an organized shopping list with all ingredients sorted by grocery store section—making meal planning and grocery runs effortless and stress-free!

Instructions

1. Cook potatoes: Place potatoes in a saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil, add a pinch of salt, and simmer for 10–12 minutes or until just tender. Drain and let cool slightly.
2. Blanch green beans: While potatoes cook, bring another pot of salted water to a boil. Add green beans and cook for 2–3 minutes until crisp-tender. Immediately transfer to a bowl of ice water to preserve color, then drain.
3. Hard-boil eggs: Place eggs in a saucepan, cover with cold water, and bring just to the boil. Turn off the heat, cover, and let sit for 9–10 minutes. Transfer to ice water, then peel and quarter.
4. Prepare dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, garlic, salt, and pepper.
5. Arrange the salad: On a large serving platter, lay down the greens. Arrange potatoes, green beans, cherry tomatoes, red onion, olives, tuna, anchovies (if using), capers, and eggs in distinct sections. Sprinkle with fresh herbs.
6. Dress and serve: Drizzle with vinaigrette just before serving. Offer extra dressing at the table.

Weekly Meal Planning

Salade Nicoise is perfect for meal planning—it can be prepped ahead with components stored separately, ready to assemble whenever you need a quick, nutritious meal. Save and schedule this recipe with CookifyAI for your weekly meal plan and enjoy:

• Automatic ingredient calculation across all scheduled meals
• Organized shopping lists by store section
• No forgotten items or duplicates
• Streamlined prep for healthy weekday lunches or elegant gatherings

Pro tip: When you plan multiple recipes, schedule them in CookifyAI to ensure overlapping ingredients like eggs or greens are combined—reducing food waste and optimizing your grocery trips.

Cook and Prep Times

Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes