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Loading...Salade Ivoirienne is a beloved composed salad from Côte d'Ivoire featuring crisp iceberg, hard-boiled eggs, canned tuna, pickled beets, olives, and diced cheese arranged in vibrant sections. Often served at family gatherings and casual bistros across Abidjan, it is dressed simply with a light French-style vinaigrette. This recipe delivers a balanced, protein-rich plate in every forkful.
Prep Time20 mins
Cook Time10 mins
Total Time30 mins
Servings4
Yield4 servings
Nutrition Facts
Per serving (estimated)
- 480 kcalCalories
- 28 gFat
- 7 gSaturated Fat
- 26 gCarbs
- 5 gFiber
- 8 gSugar
- 30 gProtein
- 820 mgSodium
- 640 mgPotassium
- 240 mgCalcium
- 4 mgIron
- 18 mgVitamin C
- 210 mcgVitamin A
Ingredients
For the salad base
- 1 large head iceberg lettuce, torn into bite-sized pieces (about 6 cups)
- 2 cans (5 oz / 140 g each) tuna in olive oil, drained and flaked
- 4 large eggs, hard-boiled, peeled, and halved
- 2 large ripe tomatoes, cut into wedges
- 1 English cucumber, sliced into half-moons
- 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
- 1 cup cooked sweet corn kernels, cooled
- 1/2 cup pitted black olives, halved
For the toppings
- 1 cup cooked pickled beets, drained and diced
- 1/2 cup sharp cheddar or Gouda cheese, diced into small cubes
- 4 thick slices French baguette, lightly grilled and cut into triangles
For the French-style vinaigrette
- 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 small garlic clove, finely minced
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt, plus more to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Directions
- Place the eggs in a small saucepan, cover with cold water by 1 inch, and bring to a rolling boil over high heat. Cook for 9 minutes, then immediately transfer the eggs to an ice bath for 5 minutes before peeling and halving them lengthwise.
- While the eggs cook, prepare the vinaigrette by combining olive oil, red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, minced garlic, oregano, salt, and pepper in a screw-top jar. Seal the lid tightly and shake vigorously until the dressing is fully emulsified.
- Arrange the torn iceberg lettuce as a generous, slightly mounded bed on a wide platter or in a large shallow bowl. Drizzle 2 tablespoons of the vinaigrette over the lettuce and toss gently to coat.
- Place the toppings in distinct, colorful sections over and around the lettuce: arrange tomato wedges on one side, cucumber slices next to them, then red onion, sweet corn, black olives, diced beets, and cheese cubes in separate clusters.
- Nestle the flaked tuna between the vegetable sections and tuck the halved hard-boiled eggs around the perimeter, yolk-side up, so each serving can include a piece.
- Drizzle the remaining vinaigrette evenly over the composed salad, or serve it on the side so each person can dress their own portion to taste.
- Toast the baguette slices on a grill pan or under a hot broiler for about 1 minute per side until lightly charred, then cut into triangles and prop them against the salad or arrange around the platter.
- Finish with a final pinch of salt and a few grinds of black pepper, and serve immediately so the lettuce stays crisp and the beets retain their bright color.
Cook’s Notes
- Tuna packed in olive oil gives a noticeably richer, more traditional flavor than water-packed varieties in this composed salad.
- For an even more authentic Ivorian version, swap the tuna for canned sardines or smoked mackerel fillets.
- Boil the eggs and dice the beets up to one day ahead, storing them separately in the refrigerator to speed up final assembly.
- Hold back the vinaigrette until just before serving to keep the iceberg lettuce crisp and the beets from bleeding color across the plate.
- If pickled beets are unavailable, substitute with quartered pickled cocktail onions for a similar sweet-and-tangy accent.
