Description

This Tuna Niçoise Salad is a vibrant and refreshing dish featuring seared ahi tuna steaks served tataki-style on a bed of marble potatoes, blanched green beans, cherry tomatoes, black olives, watercress, and parsley. Accented with boiled eggs and tangy caperberries, it’s finished with a zesty lemon and Dijon mustard dressing. Perfect for a light yet satisfying meal that combines fresh vegetables and tender tuna with Mediterranean flavors.

Ingredients

Scale

Protein

4 ahi tuna steaks, seared and sliced tataki-style
4 eggs, boiled for 7 minutes and halved

Vegetables & Greens

4 cups marble potatoes, cooked and halved
12 oz green beans, blanched and halved lengthwise
2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
1 cup black olives, halved
1 bunch watercress
1 cup fresh parsley leaves
8 caperberries, halved

Dressing

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp dried oregano
Pink Peruvian salt or sea salt, to taste
Fresh cracked black pepper, to taste

Instructions

Boil the Eggs: Place the eggs in boiling water and cook for exactly 7 minutes to achieve a slightly soft but set yolk. Immediately transfer the eggs to a bowl of ice water to stop cooking. Once cool, peel the eggs carefully and cut each in half.
Blanch Green Beans: Boil green beans in a pot of salted water for 2 to 3 minutes until just tender-crisp. Quickly plunge them into ice water to retain their vibrant color and crispness. Drain well and pat dry.
Sear the Tuna: Season ahi tuna steaks with salt and freshly cracked black pepper. Heat olive oil in a skillet over high heat. Sear each steak for 30 seconds up to 1 minute per side, aiming for a rare center. Remove from heat and let the tuna rest before slicing thinly tataki-style.
Make the Dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together fresh lemon juice, Dijon mustard, dried oregano, and extra virgin olive oil until the mixture is thoroughly emulsified and smooth.
Assemble the Salad: On individual plates or a large platter, arrange a bed of watercress. Neatly layer cooked marble potatoes, blanched green beans, halved cherry tomatoes, black olives, parsley leaves, and halved caperberries. Add the boiled egg halves throughout.
Finish and Serve: Place the sliced seared tuna atop the assembled salad. Drizzle generously with the prepared lemon-mustard dressing. Season with additional pink Peruvian salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste. Serve immediately for best flavor and texture.

Notes

For perfectly cooked eggs, start timing once water is boiling and use an ice bath to cool quickly.
Blanching preserves the green beans’ vibrant color and crunchiness, enhancing the overall salad texture.
Use fresh ahi tuna for the best flavor and texture; avoid overcooking to maintain a tender, rare center.
This salad is best served immediately after assembling to enjoy optimal freshness.
Pink Peruvian salt adds a subtle, unique mineral flavor but can be substituted with sea salt.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Category: Salad
Method: Stovetop
Cuisine: French / Mediterranean

Keywords: Tuna Niçoise Salad, seared ahi tuna, Mediterranean salad, healthy tuna recipe, low carb salad, French salad, tataki tuna, fresh vegetable salad, lemon mustard dressing