A fresh take on niçoise salad with romaine and mayonnaise: paprika-seasoned tuna, anchovies, jammy eggs and olives.
Romaine leaves glistening with olive oil, tuna seasoned with paprika, salty anchovies and a touch of mayonnaise. This take on niçoise salad departs from the classic version: added mayonnaise, cooked green beans, and tuna and anchovies together on the plate. Designed to serve 2, it makes a fresh, complete lunch that is relatively low in carbs. One to file alongside my keto soups and salads.
What is this take on niçoise salad?
The term niçoise refers to Nice, while “with a twist” signals a deliberate departure from tradition. This version is a main-course salad built around a base of firm, crisp baby romaine lettuce, topped with tuna in water, anchovies, just-cooked eggs, tomatoes, olives and onions.
Its distinctive character comes mainly from the dressing and seasoning. The romaine gets a light mixture of mayonnaise and olive oil, while the salt, pepper and paprika are mixed separately, with some used to season the tuna along with a little olive oil. On each egg half, a small dab of mayonnaise holds a piece of anchovy in place, creating a contrast between crisp leaves, jammy eggs, tuna, tomatoes, olives and paprika.
The origins of the dish: tradition and a fresh take
Traditional niçoise salad is based on raw vegetables and olive oil. It typically includes tomatoes, hard-boiled eggs, anchovies or tuna, niçoise olives, onion, young fava beans and bell pepper, with no cooked vegetables or mayonnaise.
This recipe clearly departs from that tradition. Romaine replaces some of the raw vegetables for a leafier base, the green beans are cooked and then cooled, tuna and anchovies are combined, Kalamata or green olives replace niçoise olives, and paprika adds a gently spiced note. This is a fresh take on niçoise salad with romaine and mayonnaise, distinct from the classic version.
The main ingredients
The 200 g of baby romaine lettuce form the base of the dish: the leaves hold up well under the dressing, provided they are washed and then dried thoroughly, as excess water would dilute the mayonnaise and oil. The 75 g of green beans add a fresh vegetable note and are cooked for 10 minutes, then rinsed under cold water to set their color and stop the cooking. Thorough draining prevents the already-dressed romaine from becoming soggy.
The tuna in water, 160 g or one small can, provides most of the protein: once thoroughly drained, it is mixed with a tablespoon of olive oil and a little more than half the salt, pepper and paprika mixture. The 45 g of anchovies add a briny flavor rich in umami; most are torn up and mixed with the tuna, while eight longer pieces are reserved for the eggs, placed on a dab of mayonnaise.
The 2 eggs cook for 7 to 8 minutes to keep the yolks jammy, then cool under cold water before peeling. Ten cherry tomatoes, halved or quartered, add acidity, juice and color; 6 sliced Kalamata olives or 6 sliced green olives lend their salty flavor; and half a red onion, thinly sliced into rings, adds bite, while half a spring onion brings a fresher note at the end. The sweet paprika, pepper and 2 pinches of salt are mixed separately, and the mayonnaise, 2 tablespoons in total, is not added all at once.
Technique tips and serving
To keep the salad looking its best, the easiest approach is to dress and season the components separately: the romaine gets its mayonnaise and olive oil mixture, the tuna gets its oil and spices, and everything is then plated without vigorous tossing to keep the eggs intact and the leaves crisp. To organize the prep, cook the eggs for 7 to 8 minutes and the green beans for 10 minutes, at the same time in two pans, while washing the romaine, draining the tuna and preparing the salt-pepper-paprika mixture. To plate, start with the dressed romaine, then arrange the tuna, onion rings, anchovy-topped eggs, tomatoes, green beans and olives without mixing too much, finishing with the spring onion and a drizzle of olive oil.
Per serving, according to the recipe, there are 281 kcal, 10 g of net carbs, 29 g of protein, 12 g of fat, 3 g of saturated fat and 6 g of fiber. The 10 g are already net carbs, so the fiber should not be subtracted a second time. The carb count stays low thanks to the absence of potatoes and croutons. It is best to refrigerate the components separately and assemble them at the last moment, as the lettuce loses its crunch and the tomatoes release their juices. Serve cold, without reheating.
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Niçoise Salad with a Twist (Romaine, Mayonnaise)
Ingredients
- 200 g baby romaine lettuce
- 75 g green beans
- 160 g tuna 1 small can (in water)
- 45 g anchovies 1 small can
- 2 eggs
- 10 cherry tomatoes or small snacking tomatoes
- 6 olives Kalamata or 6 green olives
- 0.5 spring onion
- 0.5 red onion
- 0.5 teaspoon paprika
- 0.25 teaspoon black pepper ground
- 2 pinches salt (Celtic sea salt)
- 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil + a generous drizzle to finish
Instructions
- Boil the eggs (not too hard, 7 to 8 minutes). Cool them immediately under cold running water. Are the shells still sticking? First tap the shell all over with the back of a spoon to loosen it, then peel the egg under water.2 eggs
- Cook the green beans for 10 minutes, then rinse them under cold water. Leave to drain or place briefly on paper towels to dry.75 g green beans
- In a large salad bowl, make a dressing with 1 tablespoon of mayonnaise and 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Separate the lettuce leaves and wash them thoroughly. Place them in the bowl with the dressing and use your hands to coat them.2 tablespoons mayonnaise, 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, 200 g baby romaine lettuce
- Mix the salt with the pepper and paprika.2 pinches salt (Celtic sea salt), 0.25 teaspoon black pepper, 0.5 teaspoon paprika
- Drain the tuna (in a small strainer, for example) and mix it in a bowl with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and a little more than half the salt, pepper and paprika mixture.160 g tuna
- Tear the anchovies into pieces (reserve 8 longer pieces) and mix the pieces into the tuna.45 g anchovies
- Wash the small tomatoes and cut them into halves or quarters. Slice the olives into rounds and thinly slice the onion into rings. Cut the eggs into halves or quarters. Thinly slice the spring onion.10 cherry tomatoes or small snacking tomatoes, 6 olives Kalamata, 0.5 red onion, 0.5 spring onion
- Line 1 large plate or 2 smaller plates with lettuce leaves. Distribute the tuna and onion rings over them. Place the eggs on top. Put a tiny dab of mayonnaise on each egg and stick the reserved anchovy pieces onto it. Arrange the tomatoes, green beans and olives around them. Garnish with the spring onion and the remaining salt, pepper and paprika mixture. To finish, add another drizzle of olive oil over the salad.
