Nicoise salad: the French recipe for a fresh and tasty single dish

Niçoise salad is a typical recipe from Nice which however contains all the flavors of the Mediterranean. Here is the recipe to prepare it.

Nicoise salad, also called salade niçoise , is a unique French dish spread throughout the world and which lends itself to many variations. We could define it as a salad due to the multitude of ingredients that compose it but for it to be called an authentic Niçoise salad there must be: hard-boiled eggs, tuna, anchovies, tomatoes and seasonal vegetables.

The process, as with all salads, is very simple. In fact, the only cooked ingredient are the eggs, which will need to be hardened and left to cool. For the rest, the important thing is to choose quality ingredients. Let's see all the steps to prepare it and what the most famous variations are.

How to make Nicoise salad: the original recipe

1. The preparation of this dish is really simple. First, boil the eggs, starting with cold water and allowing 8 minutes after boiling. When they have cooled completely, peel them and cut them into quarters.
2. Combine the salad, the cherry tomatoes cut into quarters (copper tomatoes are also fine), the sliced ​​spring onion, the olives and the anchovies chopped with your hands in a bowl .
3. Mix well to distribute the flavors, then arrange the boiled eggs and drained tuna on the surface .
4. Season with salt, pepper and extra virgin olive oil just before serving.

Niçoise salad with green beans… and more: here are the variations

One of the most classic versions of the Niçoise salad involves the addition of steamed green beans (when they are nice and fresh and in season), for the freshly prepared recipe approximately 150 g will be enough. Then add the boiled potatoes , about 1-2 large ones, peeled, cut into squares and a sprig of fresh basil to the green beans. This variant is especially known in Liguria under the name condiglione , the Ligurian Nicoise salad.

As with all salads, even in this case there are so many variations. If you want to give an extra touch of deliciousness to this recipe, you can add some broad beans or artichokes, or make one of the most popular versions: the one with salmon! In this case, however, we advise you not to use the tuna and to add the fillets cooked in a pan and cut into small pieces .

Tips for a perfect Niçoise salad

Here are some little tricks to make this dish perfectly. First of all, let's start with the ingredients. As for vegetables, try to get seasonal vegetables and pay particular attention to the choice of tomatoes, which according to tradition must be nice and crunchy, and therefore not too ripe.

As for the fish, tuna and anchovies are the absolute protagonists in this dish, so make sure you buy quality products. A tip: also try with pan-seared fresh tuna. The result will be exceptional…

storage

We recommend consuming the salade niçoise immediately, as soon as it is ready. You can keep it in the fridge for a maximum of one day, well covered in cling film, preferably not yet seasoned.

Origin and history of salad nicoise

Nicoise salad was born in Nice when the city was still Italian (before 1860). Then it transformed into a typical French dish, particularly from the Côte d'Azur and from there it spread throughout the world. Originally it was a much simpler dish composed of ripe tomatoes, anchovies and oil . Never, not even in the most modern versions, should vinegar be used.

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