Easy Keto Grilled Niçoise Salad Recipe

The first time I made this salad, I didn’t really know what I was doing. I had a tuna steak in the fridge, some green beans that were getting a little bendy, and leftover eggs. And I didn’t want another plate of scrambled eggs and bacon.

So I threw this together, gave it a name, and called it lunch. Then dinner. Then next week, I made it again. It just works, hot or cold, for one or for a few. Let’s get into it.

Ingredients You will Need

Don’t overthink this. Use what you’ve got. I’ll list the ideal, but I’ll also tell you what swaps are totally fine.

The Base

• A few handfuls of leafy greens. Romaine, butter lettuce, spinach—whatever you’ve got.
• 1 cup green beans, ends snapped off.
• A handful of cherry tomatoes, sliced in half.
• 2 hard-boiled eggs. Slice them, quarter them—doesn’t matter.

The Protein

• Tuna steaks, one per person. Not canned. Not packed in water. Real tuna. If that’s not an option, salmon works.
• Salt and pepper.
• A splash of olive oil.
• (If you like a little more flavor, toss on a pinch of garlic powder or dried herbs.)

Extras (they matter)

• A few olives. Niçoise olives if you can find them. If not, whatever you have.
• Thin slices of red onion.
• Capers, if you’re into that salty-briny thing.

Dressing

• 1/4 cup olive oil. Use the good stuff if you have it.
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard.
• Juice of half a lemon. Or a splash of vinegar if lemons are out.
• A bit of salt and a little black pepper.

How to Make this keto Grilled Niçoise Salad

This isn’t complicated. But there’s a rhythm to it.

Step 1: Boil the eggs

Put the eggs in a pot of cold water. Bring it to a boil. Once it starts bubbling, kill the heat and cover it. Wait 9–10 minutes. Drain, run under cold water, peel. Done.

Step 2: Prep the green beans

Boil water in the same pot. Salt it just a little. Drop in the beans for 3 minutes—no more. Then scoop them out and run them under cold water. You want snap, not mush.

Step 3: Make the dressing

Whisk mustard and lemon juice together until smooth. Then slowly pour in the olive oil while stirring. Add salt and pepper. Taste it. If it puckers your cheeks a little, that’s a good sign.

Step 4: Grill the tuna

Heat a grill pan or cast iron skillet until it’s really hot—almost smoking. Pat the tuna dry with paper towels. Brush lightly with oil. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and whatever else you want. Sear it for about 2–3 minutes on each side. It should be just pink in the middle. Like steak. Not dry.

Let it rest for a few minutes. Don’t cut it too soon. Let it sit.

Time to Build It

Layer the greens on a big plate. Scatter the green beans and tomatoes around. Slice the tuna and lay it over the top. Tuck in your eggs, your olives, your onions. Drizzle that dressing over everything. Maybe a crack of pepper if you’re feeling extra.

That’s it.

What Makes This Grilled Niçoise Salad Good?

It’s the contrast. Hot and cold. Crunchy and soft. That smoky tuna with sharp lemony dressing. And it doesn’t feel like a “diet” meal. There’s no fake bread, no cheese bombs. Just solid, straight-up food that fills you up and leaves you feeling like you made something worth eating.

Leftovers? Yes, Please.

This salad actually holds up better than you’d expect. Keep the dressing on the side if you’re packing it for later. The tuna? Tastes great cold. You can throw the leftovers in a wrap or just eat straight from the fridge.

If You Want to Switch It Up:

• No tuna? Use grilled chicken, shrimp, or even canned sardines.
• Hate olives? Skip them. Add cucumbers or avocado instead.
• No Dijon? Use plain yellow mustard. It won’t be fancy but it still works.

This salad’s not trying to be fancy. But when you eat it, you’ll get why it’s a keeper. You don’t need a chef coat. You don’t need perfect ingredients. Just a few things cooked right and put together like someone cared.

Let me know if you want me to keep going with more stories, variations, or a printable version. This thing’s got legs.

Let’s Talk Tuna

Now, let’s not pretend tuna steaks aren’t a bit pricier. But here’s the thing—when grilled right, they bring a meatiness that’s missing in most salads. It’s not a light nibble. It’s a proper meal. You could also try searing it just 60 seconds a side if you like it rare in the middle. That gives you that buttery bite, like sashimi with a smoky edge.

But if tuna steaks aren’t around or your wallet says “not today,” grab a tin of high-quality tuna in olive oil. Drain it lightly and flake it over the top. Same vibe, less grill.

When It Feels Too Fancy – Pull It Back

Some folks hear “Niçoise” and think they need to plate it like a French bistro. Don’t. You can toss this whole thing in a big bowl, grab a fork, and eat it in your sweats. You made it. You paid attention. That’s what matters.

You want the flavors to hit at once—the tangy, the briny, the charred. That egg, soft and buttery, balancing it all out. And the greens? They’re the canvas. Don’t over-dress them. This salad’s meant to be tasted, not drowned.

From the Fridge: Use-What-You-Have Edition

This salad welcomes substitutes. Maybe too many. But that’s the charm. You’re not locked into a grocery list written by someone with access to twelve kinds of imported olives.

Here’s what I’ve done before when my fridge looked sad:

• Green beans gone? Use steamed broccoli, asparagus, or even zucchini ribbons.
• No fresh herbs? Chop up some green onions or use a pinch of dried tarragon.
• No cherry tomatoes? Sliced regular tomatoes work. Even sun-dried, if you rehydrate them a bit.
• Out of eggs? Grilled halloumi works as a swap. Or skip the egg and add avocado slices for that creamy bite.

When Dressing Your Salad

It’s basic. And that’s the point. Just olive oil, mustard, lemon, salt, pepper. Nothing bottled. Nothing that’s been sitting on a store shelf for a year. When you whisk it by hand, you feel it change texture. It thickens. That’s the mustard working with the oil, not magic.

And if you want to mess with it, go for it. Add a minced garlic clove. Throw in chopped anchovies if you like that bold, briny hit. A spoon of Greek yogurt if you want it creamier. But always taste it before you pour it. Adjust it until it hits that sharp-salty-tangy place where you go, “Oh, that’s good.”

The One-Bowl Version

Some nights, you’re not plating anything. You just want food in a bowl with enough color to convince your brain you’re being healthy. That’s fine too.

Here’s how you do it:

• Chop the greens roughly. Nothing fussy.
• Toss with a little of the dressing.
• Add halved tomatoes, green beans, and olives. Mix again.
• Flake the tuna right in. Sliced egg goes last so it doesn’t turn into a mash.
• Spoon more dressing over the top, sprinkle of salt, pepper, maybe chili flakes if you’re bold.

Eat with a spoon. No judgment.

It’s More Than Just a Salad

This one becomes a regular. Not because it’s the easiest or cheapest—but because it’s flexible, reliable, and it doesn’t make you feel like you’re eating the same thing over and over. It looks good enough for guests and simple enough for Wednesdays when you’ve had it.

It’s the kind of meal you make when you want to eat something real. Not out of a box. Not another keto bar. Not scrambled eggs again.

I’ve eaten this standing up by the kitchen sink. I’ve served it on actual plates with cloth napkins. It fits both moods.

Conclusion

That’s your Keto Grilled Niçoise Salad. No big speech. Just real food that works for your day, your fridge, your hunger. If you’ve got 25 minutes and a pan that gets hot, you’ve got everything you need.

Make it tonight. Make it tomorrow for lunch. Make it when someone shows up and you forgot you invited them.

And when someone asks why you’re still doing keto and not bored out of your mind, give them a plate of this. Then watch their face when they taste that tuna and egg and lemony zing all at once.

You don’t have to say a word.

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