This Tuna Nicoise Salad is bursting with new season flavours with juicy tomatoes, beans and basil, and delicious salty olives and capers over pasta.
Tuna Nicoise Salad is one of those classic dishes, and for good reason. The flavours of tuna, tomatoes, olives, eggs, basil and green beans all go so well together. We’re turning it into a substantial dinner by adding pasta, (I used pasta shells but feel free to use whatever you want). It’s got a full complement of fresh vegetables with lots of vitamins and minerals, healthy fats with egg and tuna, and carbs in the pasta. It’s also a perfect lunch for the next day. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.
Most people who don’t like tuna, don’t like it because they’ve only had tuna in spring water. And, I have to admit, Tuna in spring water is just a bit sad. Tuna in oil, on the other hand, is a game-changer. It’s so rich and delicious, and the oil enhances the beautiful flavour of the tuna. In this recipe we're going to use the oil from the can in our dressing too.
Looking for some other hearty salad dinner recipes? You could try our Steak Salad with Roast Honey Carrots, or this Pesto Baked Chicken and Bacon Salad, or this Easy Grilled Chicken with Succotash Salad, or this Panzanella Salad (another delicious tomato based salad) with Panko Baked Fish.
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Tuna Nicoise Salad Ingredients
- Eggs
- Green beans
- Baby tomatoes
- Pitted kalamata olives
- Baby capers
- Cucumber
- Basil
- Parmesan (block)
- Conchiglie pasta shells (or other short pasta)
- Good quality tuna in oil
- Olive oil
- Red wine vinegar
- Dijon mustard
- Salt and pepper
See recipe card for quantities.
How to make Tuna Nicoise Salad
1. Put eggs in a saucepan of room temperature water, cover and place on high heat. Once it reaches a rolling boil, take off the heat and place a lid on the saucepan, and set a timer for 6 minutes. Meanwhile continue to the next step >
- 4 eggs
2. Place a large pot of salted water on the stove to boil.
3. Trim green beans and slice into 2 cm lengths. Halve baby tomatoes. Measure out olives and capers. Slice cucumber into half moons. Remove the leaves from the basil. Shave parmesan into flakes using a peeler.
- 150g green beans
- 200g baby tomatoes
- ½ cup pitted kalamata olives
- 2 tablespoon capers
- 1 medium cucumber
- ½ bunch basil
- 40g parmesan (block)
4. Once the pot of water is boiling, add pasta and cook for 8 minutes (or 2 mins less than al dente).
- 350g conchiglie pasta (or other short pasta)
5. Use a fork to remove tuna from the can and flake it into a bowl or onto a plate. Reserve the oil from the can.
- 425g good quality tuna in oil
6. Once the egg timer goes, use a slotted spoon to remove the eggs from the saucepan and into a bowl of cold water. Pop some ice cubes in the water if you have them (but don’t worry if you don’t).
7. To make the dressing, you can use the remaining oil from the tuna, and supplement with additional olive oil to make up the quantity in the ingredients. Mix this with red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, salt and pepper. Think of it like a salad dressing version of a dirty martini! 🙂
- ⅓ cup olive oil
- 2 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
- Salt and pepper
8. Once the pasta timer goes, add green beans and cook for a further 1-2 minutes, until pasta is al dente and beans are green. Drain and place in a large serving bowl.
You can portion out plain pasta and beans for your child now and serve it on their plate.
- 150g green beans
9. Peel eggs and slice in half, and place on top of the beans and pasta. If you served your child plain pasta and beans, add egg to their plates now too.
10. To serve kids, add tomatoes, cucumber and tuna to their plates.
To serve adults, arrange tuna, tomatoes, olives, capers, cucumber, basil leaves, egg and parmesan over the pasta and beans, then pour over dressing.
- 425g good quality tuna in oil
- 200g baby tomatoes
- ½ cup pitted kalamata olives
- 2 tablespoon baby capers
- 1 medium cucumber
- ½ bunch basil
- 40g shaved parmesan
Substitutions
- Alternative protein - Swap tuna for canned or smoked salmon, or bbq chicken.
- Vegetarian - Skip tuna and add more eggs, or add white beans.
- Gluten Free - Use gluten free pasta like this one.
- Dairy Free - This recipe is dairy free.
Kid-Friendly Variations
- Serve pasta, beans, cucumber, tuna, eggs and tomatoes separately.
- Skip dressing or drizzle plain olive oil.
- Skip olives, capers and herbs.
Equipment
You will need a saucepan, a stovetop, a pot.
Top tip
Use good quality tuna like Sirena or Ortiz tuna when making this dish, and you MUST use tuna in oil - none of this spring water nonsense. The great part about this is that we’ll use the oil from the tuna to make the dressing, and it’s imbued with that beautiful flavour.
Recipe
Tuna Nicoise Pasta Salad
Equipment
- Saucepan
- Stovetop
- Pot
Ingredients
- 4 eggs
- 150 g green beans
- 200 g baby tomatoes
- ½ cup pitted kalamata olives
- 2 tablespoon baby capers
- 1 cucumber medium
- ½ bunch basil
- 40 g parmesan block
- 350 g conchiglie pasta or other short pasta
- 425 g tuna in oil good quality
- ⅓ cup olive oil
- 2 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
- Salt and pepper
Instructions
- Put eggs in a saucepan of room temperature water, cover and place on high heat. Once it reaches a rolling boil, take off the heat and place a lid on the saucepan, and set a timer for 6 minutes. Meanwhile continue to the next step >4 eggs
- Place a large pot of salted water on the stove to boil.
- Trim green beans and slice into 2 cm lengths. Halve baby tomatoes. Measure out olives and capers. Slice cucumber into half moons. Remove the leaves from the basil. Shave parmesan into flakes using a peeler.150 g green beans, 200 g baby tomatoes, ½ cup pitted kalamata olives, 2 tablespoon baby capers, 1 cucumber, ½ bunch basil, 40 g parmesan
- Once the pot of water is boiling, add pasta and cook for 8 minutes (or 2 mins less than al dente).350 g conchiglie pasta
- Use a fork to remove tuna from the can and flake it into a bowl or onto a plate. Reserve the oil from the can.425 g tuna in oil
- Once the egg timer goes, use a slotted spoon to remove the eggs from the saucepan and into a bowl of cold water. Pop some ice cubes in the water if you have them (but don’t worry if you don’t).
- To make the dressing, you can use the remaining oil from the tuna, and supplement with additional olive oil to make up the quantity in the ingredients. Mix this with red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, salt and pepper. Think of it like a salad dressing version of a dirty martini! 🙂⅓ cup olive oil, 2 tablespoon red wine vinegar, ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard, Salt and pepper
- Once the pasta timer goes, add green beans and cook for a further 1-2 minutes, until pasta is al dente and beans are green. Drain and place in a large serving bowl.You can portion out plain pasta and beans for your child now and serve it on their plate.150 g green beans
- Peel eggs and slice in half, and place on top of the beans and pasta. If you served your child plain pasta and beans, add egg to their plates now too.
- To serve kids, add tomatoes, cucumber and tuna to their plates.To serve adults, arrange tuna, tomatoes, olives, capers, cucumber, basil leaves, egg and shaved parmesan over the pasta and beans, then pour over dressing.200 g baby tomatoes, ½ cup pitted kalamata olives, 1 cucumber, ½ bunch basil, 40 g parmesan, 425 g tuna in oil, 2 tablespoon baby capers
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