About this recipe

A timeless French composed salad from the sun-drenched coast of Nice, featuring seared or canned tuna, tender haricots verts, jammy soft-boiled eggs, briny olives, and ripe tomatoes — all arranged beautifully over crisp lettuce and drizzled with a bright Dijon vinaigrette. This home-friendly version is reliable, flexible, and as stunning to look at as it is satisfying to eat.

Instructions

1. 1

   Make the vinaigrette: In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the red wine vinegar, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, garlic, kosher salt, and black pepper. While whisking constantly, slowly drizzle in the extra-virgin olive oil until fully emulsified. Taste and adjust seasoning; add honey if you prefer a slightly less sharp dressing. Set aside.

2. 2

   Cook the potatoes: Place the halved potatoes in a medium pot, cover with cold salted water, and bring to a boil over ^[medium-high heat]. Cook until just fork-tender, about 12–15 minutes. Drain and let cool slightly. While still warm, drizzle with 1–2 tablespoons of the vinaigrette and toss gently — this helps the potatoes absorb flavor.

3. 3

   Soft-boil the eggs: Bring a small saucepan of water to a boil. Gently lower the eggs in with a slotted spoon. Cook for exactly 7 minutes for jammy, slightly soft yolks (or 8 minutes for fully set). Transfer immediately to a mixing bowl of ice water and let sit for 5 minutes. Peel carefully and halve lengthwise.

4. 4

   Blanch the green beans: Bring the same pot of water back to a boil (or use a fresh pot of salted water). Add the haricots verts and cook for 2–3 minutes until bright green and crisp-tender. Drain and transfer immediately to the ice water bath to stop cooking. Pat dry with a clean towel.

5. 5

   Arrange the salad: Lay the butter lettuce leaves across a large serving platter as the base. Arrange the components in separate clusters or rows: the potatoes, green beans, tomato wedges, tuna in olive oil (broken into large chunks), and halved eggs. Scatter the olives, capers, radishes, and anchovy fillets (if using) over the top.

6. 6

   Dress and serve: Drizzle the Dijon vinaigrette generously over the entire salad. Garnish with fresh flat-leaf parsley. Serve immediately with extra dressing on the side. Do not toss — a Niçoise is a composed salad meant to be served and admired before eating.