Spanish Tuna, Egg and Green Bean Salad Recipe
This salad is reminiscent of Basque ensalada mixta, which combines tuna, eggs and vegetables. Green beans add crunch, while olive oil and vinegar create a simple yet very aromatic dressing. It’s a great idea for a summer lunch that you can pack in a box to take to work or on a picnic.
This salad combines classic Spanish flavors in a simple, filling dish that works both as a light lunch and a portable meal. The mix of tuna, eggs, potatoes and crisp green beans, finished with a mustardy vinaigrette, makes it satisfying without feeling heavy.
Chef's tips
Don’t overcook the green beans—keeping them slightly firm gives the salad a better texture. If you’re preparing it in advance, keep the eggs and tuna on top and add the dressing at the last moment so the potatoes don’t absorb too much and fall apart.
How to serve
Serve slightly chilled or at room temperature. It pairs well with crusty bread, a simple tomato salad, or a chilled glass of dry white wine. You can also pack it into a lunchbox, keeping the dressing in a separate small container.
Ingredients
- tuna in olive oil drained weight - 160 g
- eggs hard-boiled - 3 pieces
- green string beans fresh or frozen, trimmed - 200 g
- potatoes boiled in their skins, sliced - 200 g
- tomato cut into wedges - 2 pieces
- red onion thinly sliced - 0.5 pieces
- olive oil for the dressing - 3 tablespoons
- white wine vinegar for the dressing - 1 tablespoon
- mustard mild, for the dressing - 0.5 teaspoons
- salt to taste
- black pepper to taste
Preparation
- Cook the green beans in salted water for 5–7 minutes, until tender but still slightly firm. Drain and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking.
- Hard-boil the eggs (about 9–10 minutes from the moment the water starts boiling), cool in cold water, peel and cut into quarters.
- Boil the potatoes in their skins, cool, peel and slice.
- In a small bowl, prepare the dressing: mix the olive oil, vinegar, mustard, a pinch of salt and pepper until you get a smooth dressing.
- On a large plate or in a bowl, arrange the potato slices, green beans, tomato wedges and red onion slices.
- Add the drained tuna, breaking it into smaller pieces, and the egg quarters.
- Drizzle everything with the dressing and gently move the ingredients around with a fork so the dressing reaches most of the vegetables, but without crushing the eggs.
Storage
Sałatkę przechowuj w lodówce, najlepiej szczelnie przykrytą. Jajka po jednym dniu mogą lekko wyschnąć, więc jeśli planujesz jeść sałatkę później, dodaj je tuż przed podaniem.
