Complete Niçoise Salad (Tuna, Eggs, Green Beans, Olives, Tomatoes, Olive Oil) (Low-GI classic)
By the QuiteRecipes team (Jamy & Kaïna) | Food Service Professional, Early Childhood Expert & Parents
The classic composed Niçoise — tuna, firm eggs, green beans, olives and tomatoes under olive oil and vinegar. A low-GI staple that needs no bread to satisfy.
The Niçoise is the salad that proves a low-glycemic plate can be a celebration. Glossy tuna, eggs cooked firm, green beans with a snap, briny olives, and tomatoes run through with olive oil and red wine vinegar — protein, healthy fat, and fiber with barely a starch in sight. Arrange it on a platter and it looks like a chef made it. It takes thirty-five minutes.
🥄 Ingredients
- 🫗 2 cans wild-caught tuna (in olive oil), drained (about 120g / 4 oz drained each)
- 🫗 4 large eggs
- 🫗 250g / 9 oz green beans, trimmed
- 🫗 4 ripe tomatoes, quartered
- 🫗 100g / 3 1/2 oz black niçoise olives
- 🫗 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 🫗 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 🫗 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 🫗 1 handful crisp lettuce (frisée or romaine)
- 🫗 Salt and black pepper
Nutrition Facts*
*Nutritional information is an estimate and may vary based on ingredients, brands and portion sizes. Values are provided per serving.
👨🍳 Instructions
Place the eggs in a saucepan, cover with cold water, bring to a boil, then simmer 9 minutes. Drain and cool under cold water, then peel and halve them.
Meanwhile, boil the green beans 4–5 minutes until crisp-tender; drain and run them under cold water to hold the color.
Whisk the olive oil, red wine vinegar, Dijon, salt, and pepper into a simple dressing.
Lay the lettuce across a platter, then arrange the tuna in chunks, halved eggs, green beans, tomatoes, and olives over the top.
Drizzle with the dressing and serve immediately — a composed salad is arranged, never stirred.
⚠️ Common Mistakes
- ✕
Overcooking the eggs into gray-ringed, dry yolks; respect the 9 minutes.
- ✕
Dressing the salad ahead of time, which saddens the crisp beans and lettuce.
- ✕
Skipping the vinegar — this salad needs its acid as much as its oil.
🔄 Variations
Add boiled new potatoes in a modest portion if you want more carbohydrate.
Swap tuna for grilled sardines or salmon.
Anchovies on top deepen the savor — they're salty, so go easy on the added salt.
🧊 Storage
- 📦
Best composed fresh; the components keep separately in the fridge for 2 days.
- 📦
The eggs and beans hold overnight; assemble and dress at the table.
💡 Chef Tips
Tip 1: Cook the eggs and beans in parallel — the timing works out almost perfectly.
Tip 2: Hard-cooked yolks stay firm and set; no runny center, and they still taste rich against the tuna.
Tip 3: Tuna packed in olive oil dresses the platter as it sits; don't drain it dry.
Tip 4: Arrange instead of tossing — the classic look is half the pleasure.
❓ FAQ
Why is Niçoise low-GI? Green beans, tomatoes, eggs, tuna, and olives bring protein and fiber with almost no starch — a classic that spikes nothing.
Which tuna is best? Solid wild-caught in olive oil; chunk light is fine, but the oil adds the characteristic richness.
Can I use fewer eggs? Yes — though a true composed Niçoise wants its two firm eggs per plate.
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About the Authors
This recipe and guide was developed, tested, and approved in our home kitchen and daily life. Jamy is a retired Food Service District Manager and Early Childhood Program Manager who spent his career overseeing multi-site restaurant operations, large-scale culinary production, and daycare menu management. Kaïna brings the ultimate real-world test: making sure it brings ease and joy to our kids on a busy weeknight.
Read more about our professional background and philosophy →