📌 Potato Salad with Tuna and Boiled Eggs
Posted 20 April 2026 by: Admin
It’s a Sunday lunch with no great ambitions. You have some eggs, a can of tuna, and a few potatoes that have been waiting since the start of the week. In an hour, without any effort, you’ll put a truly satisfying dish on the table. This salad is the comfort food for those who don’t want to pretend.
In the bowl, the ivory-colored potato cubes shine lightly under the dressing. The tuna flakes slip between them, beige and golden. The egg wedges display their sharp-cut sun-yellow yolks, dense and almost silky. Red onion brings an unexpected touch of purple. The rising scent is fresh and tangy—lemon and mustard make themselves known before the first bite.
Why you’ll love this recipe
Ingredient Notes
All ingredients together: potatoes, tuna, eggs, crunchy vegetables, and fresh herbs for a complete and balanced salad.
- The potatoes : Exclusively choose a waxy variety—Charlotte, Fingerling, or Baby potatoes. Floury potatoes (like Russets or Bintje) will turn into mash at the slightest stir. Waxy flesh is non-negotiable here.
- Canned tuna : Canned tuna in water is a must. Tuna in oil is excellent on toast, but in an already dressed salad, it adds unnecessary fat. Choose a brand whose smell you know—it really changes the final result.
- Mustard vinaigrette : This is what does all the work. The mustard emulsifies and gives body, the lemon lightens it up, and the mild vinegar rounds it all out. Whisk well until the texture becomes slightly creamy—you’ll see the change.
- Fresh herbs : Parsley and chives aren’t just for decoration. They bring a green, slightly peppery note that keeps the salad from being bland. Dried? They don’t work the same way. Fresh only.
Don’t boil the potatoes too vigorously
Start cold, salted water, medium heat. That’s the method. Boiling too violently cracks the potatoes and makes them absorb too much water—you end up with a cottony texture, and the salad becomes heavy. Twenty minutes at a gentle simmer. Check with the tip of a knife: it should go in without force but feel a slight resistance. Not mash. Not wood. Somewhere in between. Drain them and let them cool for five minutes before cutting.
Season while still hot—it’s now or never
Tepid potatoes absorb dressing like a sponge. If you wait until they cool completely, the sauce slides off the surface without penetrating. Pour half of the vinaigrette over them as soon as you have cut them into cubes. Mix gently with a spatula. You’ll see the matte surface become shiny in seconds—it smells like lemon and mustard, which is exactly the right sign. Keep the other half of the dressing for the final assembly.
Treat the eggs with a minimum of respect
Nine minutes in boiling water, not a second more. Past that time, the yolk turns grey-green around the edges and the texture becomes rubbery. A good hard-boiled egg has a sun-yellow yolk, dense and slightly soft in the center. Plunge them immediately into very cold water as soon as they come out of the pot—use ice cubes if you have them. The shell will peel away cleanly and the cooking stops immediately. Cut them into wedges with a sharp knife for clean slices.
Let it rest for 30 minutes. Really.
I know. You’re hungry now. But this rest in the fridge transforms the salad. The dressing settles everywhere, flavors melt together, and the red onion loses its aggressive bite to become softer and almost sweet. Cover the bowl. Thirty minutes minimum, an hour is even better. Take the salad out five minutes before serving—if eaten ice-cold, it loses some aroma. Chop the herbs just before bringing the bowl to the table.
Tips & Tricks
- Chop parsley and chives at the last moment, never in advance. Added too early, they turn black and their fragrance completely disappears.
- For a creamier version, mix a spoonful of Greek yogurt into your vinaigrette. It coats the potatoes differently without making the whole thing heavy.
- Leftovers keep for 48h in the fridge. Before serving, add a squeeze of lemon and a pinch of salt—the salad dries out slightly while resting and needs a little wake-up call.
How long can this salad be kept in the refrigerator?
The salad keeps for up to 48 hours in the refrigerator, covered with plastic wrap. Before serving the next day, add a squeeze of lemon and a pinch of salt—it tends to dry out slightly and needs to be refreshed.
Can you prepare the potato salad the day before?
Yes, and it’s even recommended. Prepare everything the day before except for the fresh herbs, which you should chop at the last moment. A night in the fridge allows flavors to meld, and the dressing deeply permeates the potatoes.
What variety of potatoes should I use?
Absolutely a waxy variety: Charlotte, Fingerling, or Baby potatoes. Floury varieties like Russets will crumble when mixed and turn the salad into mash. Waxy flesh holds up even after a night in the fridge.
My tuna is in oil, does that still work?
It works, but drain it very carefully and rinse it briefly under cold water if necessary. Tuna in oil is greasier and can make the salad heavy, especially with an olive oil dressing. Tuna in water remains the best choice here.
How do I prevent eggs from turning green around the yolk?
Do not exceed 9 to 10 minutes of cooking, and plunge them immediately into a very cold water bath with ice cubes as soon as they come out of the pot. The thermal shock stops the cooking and preserves the sun-yellow color.
Can I replace the tuna with another protein?
Yes, shredded cold cooked chicken works very well, as do peeled shrimp or canned salmon. The potato + egg base supports many variations—just keep the mustard vinaigrette, as it structures everything.
Potato Salad with Tuna and Boiled Eggs
French
Main course
A complete and satisfying salad combining melt-in-the-mouth potatoes, flaked tuna, and hard-boiled eggs in a lemony mustard vinaigrette. Ideal when prepared in advance.
Ingredients
- 800g waxy potatoes (Charlotte or Fingerling)
- 160g canned tuna in water, drained
- 4 eggs
- 1 small red onion
- 2 tomatoes
- 1 cucumber (optional)
- 60g pickles (optional)
- 1 bunch fresh parsley
- 1 bunch chives
- 3 tbsp olive oil (45ml)
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 tbsp mild vinegar (white balsamic or rice vinegar)
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp ground black pepper
Instructions
- 1Place whole potatoes in a large pot of cold salted water. Bring to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes over medium heat until a knife sinks in with light resistance.
- 2Meanwhile, cook the eggs for 9 minutes in boiling water. Plunge them immediately into an ice water bath, peel, and cut into wedges.
- 3In a bowl, whisk the olive oil, mustard, lemon juice, vinegar, salt, and pepper until you get a smooth and slightly creamy sauce.
- 4Drain the potatoes, let them cool for 5 minutes, peel if desired, and cut into large cubes. Immediately pour half of the dressing over them and mix gently.
- 5Finely slice the red onion. Dice the tomatoes and slice the cucumber into rounds. Flake the tuna with a fork without over-mashing.
- 6In a large salad bowl, combine the potatoes, tuna, tomatoes, onion, cucumber, and pickles. Pour the rest of the dressing and mix gently.
- 7Add the egg wedges by arranging them on top. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
- 8Just before serving, chop the parsley and chives over the salad. Add a turn of the pepper mill.
Notes
• Storage: up to 48h in the refrigerator covered. Add a squeeze of lemon and some salt before serving the next day.
• Make ahead: prepare everything the day before except the fresh herbs. The salad is even better after a night in the fridge.
• Creamy variant: stir 1 tablespoon of Greek yogurt into the vinaigrette for a smoother texture without weighing the dish down.
Nutrition Facts (per serving, estimated)
| 320 kcalCalories | 16gProtein | 32gCarbs | 13gFat |
