Tuna Pasta Salad (Niçoise Style, Easy 20 Minute Meal)

If you want a pasta salad that actually feels like a full meal, this tuna niçoise pasta salad is it. It’s packed with tuna, hard-boiled eggs, green beans, and pasta, all tossed in a simple dressing and ready in about 20 minutes. Minimal ingredients, minimal effort, and something you can actually rely on for lunch or dinner.

This is one of those recipes I make when I want something easy that I can prep ahead and eat for a couple of days without thinking about it. I tested it a few different ways to keep it simple but still balanced, and using pantry staples like tuna and store-bought dressing makes it come together fast. It has all the classic niçoise-inspired flavors, just in a format that’s way more practical for real life.

Niçoise tuna pasta salad in a white bowl, wood spoons on the side.

If you’re into easy, make-ahead meals like this, you might also love my Mediterranean tuna salad, Greek white bean salad, or a simple roasted vegetable pasta salad. Same low effort energy, just different flavors to keep things interesting.

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Ingredient Spotlight

Green Beans – I love using haricots verts (French green beans) because they’re usually pre-trimmed and cook quickly. If you’re using regular green beans, just be sure to snip off the tough ends. You can also use frozen green beans here to save time, just steam them as directed.
Hard-Boiled Eggs – If you don’t already have hard-boiled eggs on hand, you can use my steamed hard boiled eggs method. They’re ready in about 12 minutes and you can still get this whole meal done in under 20.
Tuna (Packed in Oil) – Use tuna packed in oil for the best flavor and texture. It’s a little less intense and blends better into the salad. Just drain the oil before adding it.
Italian Dressing – Any Italian dressing you like works here. Store-bought keeps this extra easy, but homemade works great too if you have it.

Step by step instructions

Tips for success

Use bow tie pasta (or your favorite) – Farfalle (bow tie pasta) works really well for pasta salad, but any short pasta you like will work here.
Add eggs last for presentation – If you want a prettier salad, toss everything first and add the hard-boiled eggs on top at the end.
Serve it “composed” for guests – For a more elevated look, arrange the ingredients in sections over the pasta and toss right before serving.

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12 oz pasta
½ cup salad dressing
12 oz snipped green beans
4 large hard boiled eggs
3 cups baby spinach – chopped
1 cup tomatoes – chopped
2 cans tuna packed in oil
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon garlic powder

Fill a large pot with water for the pasta and another pot with about 1 inch of water (with a steamer basket). Put them both over high heat and bring to a boil.
Cut the green beans down into bite size pieces.

12 oz snipped green beans
Once the water under the steamer basket is simmering, add the green beans to the steamer basket, cover the pot and cook for 6-7 minutes until green beans are bright green and tender but not mushy.
Transfer green beans to an ice bath.
When water is boiling in large pot, add pasta and cook according to directions on box. When done, drain the pasta and rinse with cold water to stop cooking.

12 oz pasta
Immediately add the pasta to a large bowl and add 2 tablespoons dressing. This will help ensure the pasta doesn’t stick together.

½ cup salad dressing
Chop the spinach and tomatoes, cut the eggs.

3 cups baby spinach, 1 cup tomatoes, 4 large hard boiled eggs
Assemble the pasta salad: Top the pasta with blanched green beans, tomatoes, spinach, eggs, tuna, salt and garlic powder. Add the rest of the dressing and toss until everything is well coated.

2 cans tuna packed in oil, ½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon garlic powder
Serve at room temperature or cold.

Top tips

Trim and cut the green beans – Make sure to trim the ends and cut the green beans into bite-sized pieces before cooking. It makes the pasta salad much easier to eat.
Shock the green beans – After steaming, transfer the green beans to an ice bath or very cold water. This stops the cooking and keeps them bright green.
Rinse the pasta and dress it right away – Rinse the cooked pasta with cold water, then toss it with a little dressing while it’s still slightly warm. This prevents sticking, especially important for gluten-free pasta.
Toss gently – Once everything is combined, toss lightly so you don’t break up the eggs or mash the ingredients.
Serve immediately or store for later. This pasta salad lasts for up to 4 days in the fridge in a well sealed container.