A protein-packed savory salad! This simple Nicoise salad has romaine lettuce, cucumbers, tomatoes, red onions, tuna, eggs, and a creamy mayo dressing. Make this your go-to lunch option!
Make it simple:
The first time I had Nicoise salad I loved it and decided I will be adding it to my salad rotation. The thing was it was a pretty big deal to make. It has both Italian and French influences and therefore is loaded with different vegetables from those origins. Generally, it has a base like romaine or spinach, and it’s topped with green beans, olives, lots of chopped veggies, eggs, and tuna. Of course, there are all different variations but those are some of the most common ingredients found in them.
When I have time (which is never!), I would maybe make the salad with all of the fancy ingredients. But what I remember most was the combo of tuna and eggs and how well they went together. So I decided to make a quicker and easier version.
The great thing about this salad is that I usually always have the ingredients to make it on hand, and the unique combinations can quickly elevate a simple salad. Quite often I have extra lettuce, cucumbers, and tomatoes in the fridge that I want to use up. I almost always have a purple onion, tuna, eggs, and mayo on hand. This recipe takes all of that and turns it into a nutritious salad. I love that kind of no-nonsense convenient dish so this one works really well for me, and should for you too.
simple Nicoise salad ingredient list:
- Romaine lettuce
- Cucumbers
- Tomatoes
- Purple onions
- Tuna
- Eggs
- Creamy mayo dressing (see instructions below)
A great meal prep option!
This simple Nicoise salad is a great option to make ahead of time on Sunday and have for lunches throughout the week. A couple of things to keep in mind when meal prepping:
You can make things easier by placing the ingredients straight into salad containers instead of making them in a salad bowl and then transferring it. This way you’ll have fewer dishes to wash. Keep the dressing separate so that it doesn’t get soggy. Do this by making the dressing in a bowl and then transferring it to small dressing containers that are perfect for on the go. Add the dressing right before eating the salad and it will taste fresh!
Variations and substitutes:
- You can use any salad base you’d like. Spinach, kale, and cabbage are a few other options that come to mind.
- Add any proteins that you have on hand. If you only have tuna or eggs or if you only like one of them just use one.
- I chose a mayo-based dressing because I think it goes well with eggs and tuna, but you can use any dressing you like.
- Feel free to add any additional vegetables you like!
Make it for dinner…
In addition to being a great meal prep option, making a big bowl of this salad for dinner will work too! You can make it alongside a protein or soup or have some rolls with it. Some great options are our creamy celery soup and honey whole wheat rolls. It will be filling and healthy!
Simple Nicoise Salad
Ingredients
For the Salad:
- 1 bag romaine lettuce (around 8 oz.)
- 1 cup chopped cucumbers
- 1 cup chopped tomatoes
- 1/4 cup purple onions
- 1 can of tuna
- 2 hardboiled eggs
For the Dressing:
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1/2 teaspoon sugar
- 1 clove of garlic minced
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon water (adjust to the consistency you want)
Instructions
- Add romaine lettuce to a medium-sized salad bowl.
- Boil your eggs by cooking them in water for around 5 mintues.
- Add the chopped vegetables to the salad.
- Add the tuna and hard-boiled eggs to the salad.
- Make the dressing. Make sure to slowly add water to get the consistency you like.
- Pour the dressing over it and mix well.