Gluten-Free Tuna Nicoise Salad

Gluten-Free Tuna Nicoise Salad

Julia

This classic French salad hails from the sunny city of Nice on the French Riviera, where fresh ingredients and simple preparations reign supreme. Our gluten-free version stays true to the traditional Salade Niçoise while ensuring it's safe for those avoiding gluten. The combination of seared or canned tuna, tender baby potatoes, crisp green beans, hard-boiled eggs, and briny olives creates a symphony of textures and flavors that's both elegant and satisfying.

What makes this salad truly special is its versatility and nutritional balance. It's a complete meal in a bowl, packed with high-quality protein from the tuna and eggs, complex carbohydrates from the potatoes, and essential vitamins and minerals from the fresh vegetables. The bright, tangy Dijon vinaigrette ties everything together with its punchy mustard flavor and hints of garlic, while the anchovies add an authentic umami depth that elevates the entire dish.

Perfect for warm evenings or elegant dinner parties, this Nicoise salad is as beautiful as it is delicious. The colorful arrangement of ingredients on a bed of crisp lettuce makes for an impressive presentation that looks restaurant-quality but comes together easily at home. Best of all, most components can be prepared ahead of time, making it an ideal choice for busy weeknights when you want something nutritious without spending hours in the kitchen.

Julia

Julia

Recipe Author: Gluten-Free & Specialty Diet Chef

Nutrition

40 minutes
None servings
485 calories
Fat 32.00g
Carbs 24.00g
Protein 28.00g

Ingredients

1 lbbaby potatoes, halved if large
12 ozgreen beans, trimmed
4 Nonelarge eggs
12 oztuna steaks or canned tuna in olive oil, drained if canned
1 headromaine lettuce, washed and torn into pieces
1 pintcherry tomatoes, halved
1/2 cupkalamata olives, pitted
1/4 cupred onion, thinly sliced
2 tbspcapers, drained
4 Noneanchovy fillets (optional)
1/2 cupextra virgin olive oil
3 tbspred wine vinegar
1 tbspDijon mustard, ensure gluten-free
1 clovegarlic, minced
1 tspsalt
1/2 tspblack pepper, freshly ground
2 tbspfresh parsley, chopped (optional)

Equipment

Large pot
Whisk
tongs
large serving platter
small mixing bowl
colander
knife and cutting board
medium pot
skillet

Clean Eating

This salad exemplifies clean eating with its whole, minimally processed ingredients including fresh tuna, eggs, vegetables, and a simple homemade vinaigrette, avoiding refined sugars, artificial additives, and processed components.

Gluten-Free Diet

Explicitly designed as a gluten-free recipe, this salad naturally avoids all gluten-containing ingredients. The recipe uses whole food ingredients like tuna, eggs, vegetables, and olive oil, ensuring complete gluten-free compliance.

Mediterranean Diet

This salad perfectly embodies Mediterranean Diet principles with its emphasis on fatty fish, extra virgin olive oil, fresh vegetables, eggs, and minimal processed ingredients. The combination of tuna, olive oil, vegetables, and herbs represents the quintessential Mediterranean approach to nutrition.

Mindful Eating

The Nicoise salad offers a sensory-rich dining experience with varied textures, colors, and fresh ingredients that encourage slow, intentional eating and appreciation of whole food components.

Instructions

1
8 min

Fill a large pot with water, add a generous pinch of salt, and bring to a boil over high heat.

2
15 min

Add the halved baby potatoes to the boiling water and cook for 12-15 minutes until fork-tender. Drain and set aside to cool slightly.

3
10 min

While potatoes cook, fill a medium pot with water and bring to a boil. Gently lower the eggs into the boiling water and cook for 10 minutes for hard-boiled eggs.

4

Transfer the hard-boiled eggs to an ice bath to cool for 5 minutes, then peel and quarter them. Set aside.

5 min
5
4 min

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and prepare a bowl of ice water. Blanch the green beans for 3-4 minutes until bright green and crisp-tender.

6

Immediately transfer the green beans to the ice bath to stop cooking and preserve their color. Drain well and pat dry.

2 min
7

If using fresh tuna steaks, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a skillet over high heat. Season tuna with salt and pepper on both sides.

2 min
8
8 min

Sear the tuna steaks for 2-3 minutes per side for medium-rare, or until desired doneness. Remove from heat and let rest for 5 minutes, then slice or flake into chunks. If using canned tuna, simply drain and flake it.

9

In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, minced garlic, salt, and black pepper until emulsified and well combined.

2 min
10

Arrange the torn romaine lettuce on a large serving platter or divide among four individual plates as the base.

1 min
11

Artfully arrange the potatoes, green beans, quartered eggs, tuna, cherry tomatoes, olives, and red onion slices on top of the lettuce in separate sections for a traditional presentation.

3 min
12

Scatter the capers and anchovy fillets (if using) over the salad.

13

Drizzle the Dijon vinaigrette generously over the entire salad, or serve it on the side for guests to add their own.

14

Garnish with freshly chopped parsley if desired, and serve immediately at room temperature.

Frequently Asked Questions