Salade Nicoise
This keto-friendly Salade Nicoise is fresh, savory, and satisfying, with seared tuna, jammy eggs, crisp green beans, olives, and a punchy anchovy-Dijon dressing. It delivers the classic Mediterranean character of the original while keeping the carbohydrates low and the flavors vivid.
Ingredients
Salad
- 300 gtuna steak
- 120 ggreen beans, trimmed
- 2 largeeggs
- 120 gcherry tomatoes, halved
- 80 gromaine lettuce, torn
- 60 gblack olives
- 40 gradishes, thinly sliced
Anchovy dressing
- 4 fillets (20 g)anchovy fillets
- 15 gcapers, drained
- 15 gDijon mustard
- 45 mlextra-virgin olive oil
- 15 mllemon juice
- 1 small clove (3 g)garlic, finely grated
- 1 gblack pepper
For searing and finishing
- 10 mlextra-virgin olive oil
- 3 gfine salt
- 1 gblack pepper
Instructions
- 1
Bring a small saucepan of water to a boil for the eggs and a second small pan or skillet of salted water to a boil for the beans. While the water heats, pat the tuna steak very dry, season it with fine salt and black pepper, halve the cherry tomatoes, tear the romaine, and slice the radishes. Dry tuna sears faster and browns better in the short cooking time.
- 2
Lower the eggs into boiling water and cook for 7 minutes for jammy centers. At the same time, boil the green beans for 2 to 3 minutes until bright green and just tender. Drain the beans and rinse briefly under cold water to stop the cooking. Cool the eggs under cold running water, then peel and halve them.
- 3
Make the dressing by finely chopping the anchovy fillets and capers together into a paste, then whisking in the Dijon mustard, lemon juice, grated garlic, extra-virgin olive oil, and black pepper. If you chop the anchovy very fine before whisking, the dressing emulsifies quickly and tastes balanced rather than fishy.
- 4
Heat a heavy skillet over high heat until very hot. Add the extra-virgin olive oil, then sear the tuna steak for about 1 to 1 1/2 minutes per side for rare to medium-rare, depending on thickness. The outside should be well colored while the center stays pink; overcooking will dry it out. Transfer to a board and rest for 2 minutes.
- 5
Arrange the romaine on two plates. Add the green beans, cherry tomatoes, black olives, radishes, and halved eggs. Slice the rested tuna across the grain into thick pieces and place on top.
- 6
Spoon the anchovy dressing over the salads and serve immediately. For the best texture, dress just before eating so the lettuce stays crisp and the warm tuna contrasts with the cool vegetables.
Nutrition per serving
Notes
- •For a stricter keto version, this recipe omits potatoes and keeps tomatoes moderate while emphasizing tuna, eggs, الزيت and olives.
- •If using good-quality canned tuna in olive oil instead of fresh tuna steak, use about 240 g drained tuna and skip the searing step; total time drops by a few minutes.
- •Nicoise olives are traditional if available, but other small black olives work well.
- •A microplane is ideal for the garlic so it disappears smoothly into the dressing.
Background
Salade Nicoise comes from Nice in the south of France, where it developed as a composed salad built from Mediterranean ingredients such as olives, anchovies, tomatoes, and tuna. Over time, many versions appeared, but the dish remains known for its bright, briny flavors and elegant simplicity.
Love this recipe?
Get personalised AI-curated recipes, meal plans and smart shopping lists — free.
Download Gourmate – Free