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Tuna Niçoise Salad with Eggs and Green Beans

A Niçoise is only as good as its eggs and its potatoes. Boil the eggs for exactly 7 minutes so the yolks stay soft and jammy, and dress the potatoes while they are still warm, so they soak up the dressing instead of sitting on top of it.

Lunch

30

Serves 2

Tuna Nicoise salad with halved soft-boiled eggs, new potatoes, green beans, cherry tomatoes, black olives and lettuce

Ingredients

  • 300g new potatoes, halved if large
  • 150g green beans, trimmed
  • 4 large eggs
  • 2 x 145g tins tuna in spring water, drained (about 200g)
  • 1 small head lettuce, such as Little Gem or romaine (about 150g)
  • 200g cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 40g black olives, such as Niçoise or Kalamata
  • 2 anchovy fillets, sliced (optional)
  • A small handful of parsley, chopped
  • For the dressing
  • 1 and a half tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 tsp red wine vinegar
  • 1 tsp Dijon mustard
  • Half a small clove garlic, crushed

Method

  1. Whisk the dressing ingredients together with black pepper and a small pinch of salt.
  2. Boil the potatoes in salted water for 12 to 15 minutes, until tender. Add the green beans for the last 4 minutes. Drain, then toss the warm potatoes with half the dressing.
  3. Meanwhile, bring a small pan of water to the boil. Lower in the eggs and boil for exactly 7 minutes for jammy yolks, or 9 to 10 minutes for firm ones. Plunge into cold water, then peel and halve.
  4. Arrange the lettuce on a large platter or two plates. Add the potatoes, beans and tomatoes.
  5. Flake the tuna over the top in large pieces, then add the eggs, olives and anchovies, if using.
  6. Drizzle over the rest of the dressing and scatter with parsley.

Why it works

A serving has about 46g of protein from the tuna and eggs, for around 550 calories. That makes it a lunch that keeps you going all afternoon, and a good one after training.

Tinned tuna is one of the cheapest lean proteins you can buy. Choose tuna in spring water rather than oil or brine if you are watching calories or salt. Note that the NHS does not count tuna, fresh or tinned, as an oily fish, as it is much lower in omega-3 fats than salmon or mackerel, so it does not count towards your weekly portion of oily fish.

The dressing matters. Extra virgin olive oil and olives provide mostly monounsaturated fat, and the fat helps you absorb the fat-soluble nutrients in the vegetables. The potatoes and green beans make it filling without bread.

Pregnant or trying to get pregnant? The NHS advises eating no more than 4 cans of tuna a week (about 140g drained each), because of mercury, and using British Lion eggs if you want the yolks soft. Otherwise, boil the eggs for 9 to 10 minutes.

Olives and anchovies are salty, so taste before adding more salt. For a heart-friendly way of eating around menopause, see menopause and heart health. For another tuna lunch, try the tuna, white bean and red onion salad.