Insalatona di Tonno - Italian-style tuna Niçoise salad
- mammalina3
- 6 days ago
- 2 min read
This vibrant “tuna Niçoise salad” with tuna, eggs, potatoes, green beans, tomatoes, rocket, olives and capers is bursting with flavour and super simple to prepare. Using a handful of store cupboard ingredients, it’s healthy, budget-friendly and absolutely delicious!
Packed with proteins, you can serve it warm or at room temperature – perfect to make in advance. It’s an ideal choice for a meat-free diet and if you are looking for a protein bust. The secret? Quality ingredients and a flavour-packed dressing.
Ingredients (serves 4)
Salad base:
800g baby potatoes, boiled and halved
250g fine green beans, blanched
250g cherry tomatoes, halved
4 soft-boiled eggs
160g tuna in olive oil, drained and flaked
3 finely chopped shallots
1 tbsp dry-salted capers (soaked and drained)
A handful of green or black olives (Taggiasche olives)
A generous handful of rocket leaves
Fresh parsley, finely chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
Sesame and nigella seeds for topping (optional)
For the dressing:
4–5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil (e.g. @filippoberio_uk)
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
Zest and juice of 1 lemon
1 tsp runny honey (optional)
2 tsp finely chopped capers (optional)
Place all ingredients in a jar, seal and shake well to emulsify.
Method
Boil the potatoes in salted water for about 15–20 minutes until just tender. Drain, cool slightly, and cut into halves if necessary, depending on size.
Blanch the green beans in boiling water for 3–4 minutes until crisp-tender. Rinse under cold water and cover with ice to stop the cooking and keep their vibrant green colour.
Cook the eggs in simmering water for 6 minutes for soft-boiled. Transfer to a bowl of cold water, peel once cool, and cut in half.
Prepare the dressing by shaking all the dressing ingredients in a sealed jar until well mixed.
In a large mixing bowl, toss together the potatoes, green beans, cherry tomatoes, shallots, capers and olives with a few spoonfuls of the dressing.
On a serving platter or shallow bowl, lay down the rocket leaves as a base. Top with the dressed vegetable mixture, flaked tuna, and halved eggs.
Drizzle over more of the dressing, season with salt and pepper and sprinkle with sesame and nigella seeds and fresh parsley to finish. Buon Appetito!
Fresh, filling and full of flavour – this “Insalatona di Tonno” is your new go-to for light lunches or Mediterranean dinners.
