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Fresh French Niçoise Salad Recipe with Seared Tuna and Soft-Boiled Eggs

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A vibrant and satisfying Niçoise salad featuring seared tuna, soft-boiled eggs, fresh vegetables, and a bright lemon-Dijon dressing. Perfect for a quick, elegant lunch or light dinner.

Ingredients

  • Fresh tuna steaks (about 6 oz / 170 g each) – sushi-grade if possible
  • Large eggs (4) – for soft boiling
  • Green beans (8 oz / 225 g), trimmed and blanched
  • Baby potatoes (12 oz / 340 g), small and waxy, boiled until tender
  • Cherry tomatoes (1 cup / 150 g), halved
  • Kalamata olives (1/3 cup / 50 g), pitted
  • Mixed salad greens (4 cups / 120 g), washed and dried
  • Red onion (1 small), thinly sliced (optional)
  • Capers (2 tablespoons), drained
  • Extra virgin olive oil (1/4 cup / 60 ml)
  • Fresh lemon juice (3 tablespoons)
  • Dijon mustard (1 teaspoon)
  • Garlic (1 clove), finely minced
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Instructions

  1. Prepare Soft-Boiled Eggs (about 8 minutes): Bring a pot of water to a gentle boil. Carefully add eggs and boil for exactly 6 minutes for slightly runny yolks or up to 7 minutes for more set yolks. Remove eggs with a slotted spoon and transfer to an ice bath to stop cooking. Once cooled, gently peel and set aside.
  2. Cook Potatoes (about 15 minutes): In the same boiling water, add baby potatoes and cook until tender but firm, about 15 minutes. Drain and let cool slightly, then slice in halves or quarters depending on size.
  3. Blanch Green Beans (about 3 minutes): Bring a separate pot of salted water to boil. Add green beans and cook for 2-3 minutes until bright green and crisp-tender. Drain and immediately plunge into ice water to keep their color and crunch.
  4. Prepare Dressing: In a bowl, whisk together lemon juice, Dijon mustard, minced garlic, salt, and pepper. Slowly drizzle in olive oil while whisking vigorously to emulsify. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
  5. Season and Sear Tuna (about 6 minutes): Pat tuna steaks dry and season both sides generously with salt and pepper. Heat a heavy skillet over medium-high heat with a splash of olive oil. Sear tuna for 2-3 minutes on each side, depending on thickness, until a golden crust forms but the center remains pink. Remove from heat and let rest for a few minutes. Slice into thick strips.
  6. Assemble Salad: On a large platter or individual plates, arrange salad greens as the base. Neatly place potatoes, green beans, halved cherry tomatoes, olives, sliced red onion, and capers around. Add the seared tuna strips and gently place peeled soft-boiled eggs, halved, on top. Drizzle dressing over the salad just before serving.
  7. Final Touch: Give everything a light toss if you like, or serve as is for a more elegant presentation. Add cracked black pepper or a sprinkle of fresh herbs like parsley or chives if desired.

Notes

Use a kitchen timer for soft-boiled eggs to avoid overcooking. Pat tuna dry before searing to get a good crust. Immediately plunge green beans into ice water after blanching to keep color and crunch. Keep dressing separate if prepping ahead to maintain crispness of greens. Rest tuna after searing to redistribute juices.

Nutrition

Keywords: Niçoise salad, seared tuna, soft-boiled eggs, French salad, healthy lunch, easy salad recipe, fresh vegetables, lemon Dijon dressing

Find it online: https://merrymorsel.com/fresh-french-ni-c-oise-salad-recipe-with-seared-tuna-and-soft-boiled-eggs-perfect-easy-lunch/