Seared Tuna Niçoise Salad

Healthy, a bit posh, and refreshingly unbloated

Look, we love a cheeky burger or a bowl of creamy pasta as much as the next person (which is to say… a lot). But sometimes you want something that says “I’ve got my life together,” even if that’s only true for the 20 minutes you’re assembling dinner.

Enter the Seared Tuna Niçoise Salad—a French-ish plate of goodness that somehow manages to be light, filling, and a little bit impressive without trying too hard. It’s the meal equivalent of putting on a crisp shirt and pretending you didn’t just binge-watch reality TV all day.

🛒 What You’ll Need (serves one, but very easy to scale up)

Main salad players:

1 fresh tuna steak (about 120–150g)
4–5 baby potatoes
A small handful of green beans
6–8 cherry tomatoes, halved
A few black olives (Kalamata if you’re feeling fancy)
1 hard-boiled egg

Dressing:

1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp red wine vinegar or lemon juice
2 tsp olive oil
Salt & pepper

🍳 How to Make It

1. Cook the potatoes and beans

Boil baby potatoes in salted water until just tender (about 10–12 minutes), then drain and set aside to cool. Bonus points if you chill them in the fridge—cool spuds = better texture.
In the same pot (because less washing up = happiness), blanch green beans for 2–3 minutes. Drain and rinse under cold water to keep them crisp and bright.

2. Boil the egg

You’ve got options here. Soft-boiled (6–7 minutes) if you like a runny yolk, or hard-boiled (9–10 minutes) if you like things neat and tidy. Cool, peel, and slice.

3. Sear the tuna

Rub tuna with a little oil, salt, and pepper. Heat a non-stick pan until very hot and sear tuna for about 1–2 minutes per side for medium-rare. It should be just cooked around the edges and pink in the middle—like a classy steak in swimwear.

4. Make the vinaigrette

Whisk together mustard, vinegar/lemon juice, olive oil, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Taste. Nod approvingly.

5. Assemble your salad

Layer it all up: sliced potatoes, beans, cherry tomatoes, olives, egg slices. Slice the tuna and fan it out on top if you’re feeling arty. Drizzle over the vinaigrette like you’re on MasterChef.

🧠 Why It Works

Protein-packed without the nap attack. Tuna + egg = satisfaction without the sluggishness.
Textural heaven. Crunchy beans, creamy egg yolk, juicy tomatoes, silky tuna. Yes please.
Looks impressive, tastes clean. It’s a salad with serious credentials, not sad desk lunch vibes.

🥄 Swaps & Tips

No tuna? Try salmon, grilled chicken, or even a boiled egg-only version with extra veg.
Make it pescatarian-friendly. Just skip the egg if needed (or sub in some chickpeas).
Low-carb? Drop the potatoes and bulk out with extra greens or steamed broccoli.
Dairy-free? This dish is naturally dairy-free—bonus!
Feeling lazy? Canned tuna will do in a pinch, just flake it on top and keep the dressing punchy.

🧡 Perfect For:

A solo dinner that feels like a holiday in the south of France
Date nights when you want to look like you know what “Niçoise” means
Meal prep without commitment (this salad holds up well if you don’t dress it straight away)

🙌 Wrap-Up

This Niçoise is proof that salads don’t have to be boring bowls of iceberg and regret. With just a bit of prep and a sizzle in a pan, you’ve got yourself a meal that’s light, loaded with flavour, and worthy of a cheeky glass of wine on the side (you know, for balance).

Want more no-fuss meals that still feel like you’ve got your culinary act together? Subscribe to the Plan4One newsletter for new weekly recipes, easy swaps, and encouraging nudges to keep cooking for one feeling fun—not like a chore.