Summer Vegetable Niçoise Salad

Name: Summer Vegetable Niçoise Salad
Prep time: 45 min
Cook time: 1 h
Total time: 1 h 45 min
Yield: 4 to 6 servings
Ingredients: 1 small shallot, finely diced; 2 garlic cloves, smashed to a paste; 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar; 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil; Salt and black pepper; 1 pound small round potatoes or fingerlings; Salt and black pepper; 6 eggs; 3 cups shucked fresh shelling beans, such as cranberry beans (about 3 pounds of pods), or use 2 (15-ounce) cans cannellini or cranberry beans, drained and rinsed; 1 pound green beans, preferably a mix of green beans, yellow wax beans and flat Romano beans; 1 pound cherry tomatoes, halved; 5 ounces arugula; 1 handful basil leaves, for garnish; 1 (6- to 8-ounce) can tuna, preferably ventresca (optional); Aioli, for serving

By David Tanis

Updated Oct. 10, 2023

Summer Vegetable Niçoise Salad — David Malosh for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.

Total Time: 1 hour 45 minutes
Prep Time: 45 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Rating: 4(153)
Notes: Read community notes

You’ll find the green beans, wax beans, Romano beans and fresh shelling beans for this salad at the farmers’ market, making it perfect for a summer lunch or supper. With sweet cherry tomatoes and fingerling potatoes, it makes a substantial meal. Add good canned tuna, black olives or anchovy fillets too, if you wish.

Featured in: A Soup and Salad That Beat the Heat

Learn: How to Make Salad

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Ingredients

Yield:4 to 6 servings

For the Vinaigrette

1small shallot, finely diced
2garlic cloves, smashed to a paste
3tablespoons red wine vinegar
¼cup extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and black pepper

For the Salad

1pound small round potatoes or fingerlings
Salt and black pepper
6eggs
3cups shucked fresh shelling beans, such as cranberry beans (about 3 pounds of pods), or use 2 (15-ounce) cans cannellini or cranberry beans, drained and rinsed
1pound green beans, preferably a mix of green beans, yellow wax beans and flat Romano beans
1pound cherry tomatoes, halved
5ounces arugula
1handful basil leaves, for garnish
1(6- to 8-ounce) can tuna, preferably ventresca (optional)
Aioli, for serving

Ingredient Substitution Guide

Preparation

Step 1
Make the vinaigrette: In a small bowl, put shallot, garlic and vinegar. Whisk in olive oil, and season with salt and pepper to taste.
Step 2
Cook potatoes: Place potatoes in a medium pot over high heat, cover with water and add a good pinch of salt. Boil for about 15 minutes, until tender. Let cool, then cut in half.
Step 3
Cook eggs: In the same pot, boil the eggs until runny in the center, about 7 minutes. Transfer to a bowl with ice water to cool. Peel and halve them while the beans cook.
Step 4
Cook fresh shelling beans: Place in a small saucepan and cover with 2 inches of water. Add a pinch of salt and bring to a boil over high heat. Turn heat down to low and simmer until tender, 20 to 30 minutes. Let the beans cool in their own broth. (If using canned beans, skip this step.)
Step 5
Blanch the green beans: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add green beans and cook till just done, about 3 minutes. Remove from water and spread out on a baking sheet or platter to cool. Repeat with wax beans and Romano beans, if using.
Step 6
Assemble the salad: Place drained shelling beans, green beans, potatoes and cherry tomatoes in a large bowl or serving platter. Season everything with salt and pepper, then toss gently, using your hands. Pour the vinaigrette over, then toss gently, again using your hands.
Step 7
Place egg halves over the vegetables, surround with arugula and scatter basil leaves over the top. Top with tuna, if using. Pass a bowl of aioli, if desired.

Ratings

4 out of 5

153 user ratings

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Private Notes

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Cooking Notes

Mediterranean Method converted9 months ago

We absolutely loved this salad. Rather than use canned tuna, we cooked some fresh tuna on the grill and added some salt and pepper and cubed it. The remainder of the recipe was made per the recipe. Definitely makes enough for six servings. Time consuming recipe but we will make this a summer regular recipe. We added 6 pieces of genovese basil per serving and it really gave it a wonderful flavor.

additions9 months ago

This was delicious! I left out the arugula and subbed the basil for fresh dill. I would add capers next time. Great al fresco summer meal :)

Lynn9 months ago

This was very good and quite easy actually. Start potatoes boiling, after 6 or 7 minutes add eggs, remove eggs at desired timing, add green beans for final 3 minutes. Cool all a bit then proceed with recipe using canned cannellini beans.

Bob8 months ago

This is very tasty. Do add a good quantity of tasty olives. We’ve used dry black olives (salt cured) and Kalamata. Adding some capers takes this up a notch. I recommend chiffonading a leaf or two of basil and adding it to the dressing to incorporate more fresh basil flavor.

Dianne8 months ago

A Niçoise salad without olives? Pas possible! Looks tasty all the same but call it something else.

Lori9 months ago

This is perfectly divine. I made it with fresh tuna steaks caught off the coast of Catalina Island. The fresh basil and the arugula add just the right flavors. We loved it. It’s easy and will become a regular at our house.

Helene hassell9 months ago

David , This is wonderful but it's hard to improv on your salad Nicoise in a Platter of Figs, A family favorite.

Stephen9 months ago

Canned Tuna available in US is bland. Either use fresh or get better tuna from Spain or France.

Frances Grahamjones9 months ago

Instead of canned tuna I cooked fresh frozen wild caught salmon. I did a half poach/half sauté: season fish with salt & pepper, powdered garlic, a splash of tamari and white wine. Place in a hot pan, cover and cook gently until internal temp is about 140 and fish appears to be about half cooked or to your liking. Cool briefly, break fish up and lay pieces on top of salad greens mixture. Serve with fresh capers on the side along with fresh bread dipped into jalapeño olive oil.

u.n owen9 months ago

Great recipe of the day! So simple and so satisfying. It’s summer so when I buy potatoes and green beans at the farmers market I cook the potatoes and blanch the beans. So we are always ready to make this salad. It is a great no fuss meal this way.

Ella9 months ago

Delicious. Asparagus looked better at the grocery store than green beans, used baby kale instead of arugula, added sweet habaneros, lots of Thai basil for basil, skipped the eggs out of laziness. Lovely, flexible.

Lynn9 months ago

Mediterranean Method converted9 months ago

additions9 months ago

This was delicious! I left out the arugula and subbed the basil for fresh dill. I would add capers next time. Great al fresco summer meal :)

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