Ensalada murciana, also known as Moje or Mojete, is a juicy Spanish salad that is refreshing and delicious. It is originally from the Murcia region of Spain, which is known for its produce.
This salad is quite soupy, so serve it with lots of crusty bread to soak up all the delicious juices. In Spain, it is typically served as a side dish or as a first course.
The peculiarity of this Murcia-style salad lies in the fact that it is made with canned instead of fresh tomatoes.
This is because today it’s normal to find good fresh tomatoes all year round, but in the past, the only way to get good tomatoes in winter was to preserve them.
Using canned tomatoes makes this salad a good pantry staple recipe. And since it includes canned tuna and boiled eggs, it is almost a complete meal on its own.
Ingredients
- Canned whole tomatoes – We usually use “tomate pera” (pear tomatoes) which are very similar to Italian San Marzano canned tomatoes, so those would also be a good option for Ensalada Murciana.
- Spring onion – Spring onions are not the same as scallions/green onions. Spring onions have a larger white bulb at the bottom. If you can’t find spring onions, you can use any sweet white onion or multiple scallions/green onions.
- Eggs – Medium or large eggs. They will be hard-boiled, so if you already have some hard-boiled eggs, you can use those.
- Canned tuna – Preferably canned tuna in water or olive oil. Choose a decent good quality tuna so it does not disintegrate in the salad. Avoid using flavored tuna.
- Small black olives – Use small black olives with the pit for the best taste. If you can’t find any, you can use larger black olives. For an authentic taste, avoid pitted olives since they have a slightly different taste.
- Extra virgin olive oil – Use a good quality extra virgin olive oil for the best flavor. Don’t use another type of oil, since it would impact the flavor of the salad quite noticeably.
- Salt – Enhances the overall flavor of the salad.
Recipe Tips and Substitutions
- Use good quality canned whole tomatoes for the best taste.
- Some people also include green peppers cut into small pieces, which is delicious and refreshing. I’ve not included it here since it’s not considered traditional.
- I recommend using small black olives (with the pit), or larger black olives (with the pit). Why not pitted olives? Pitted olives tend to be softer and have a different flavor since the brine penetrates their flesh more easily. But if you can only find pitted olives, feel free to use them!
- An alternative (not traditional, but delicious) is to add capers or caper berries. If you use Italian capers, desalt them before adding them to the salad.
- Keep in mind: The better the quality of the olive oil, the more delicious the juices of the salad for dipping.
How to Make Ensalada Muriciana – Step by Step Instructions
First, boil the eggs in a small pot or saucepan with water for about 10 minutes until the yolks are set.
Tip: Place the cooked eggs in a bowl with ice-cold water (and a few ice cubes) – this will make it easier to peel them later.
If you already have hard-boiled eggs in the fridge, you can also use those.
While the eggs are boiling, peel the canned tomatoes if they are not already peeled.
Then cut them into small pieces and place them – along with their juices – in the salad bowl.
Next, peel the outer layer of the spring onion and discard the green part. Dice it finely and add it to the bowl as well.
Now peel the eggs and cut them into quarters. Optional: Cut half the eggs into smaller pieces so they are more evenly distributed throughout the salad. Set aside.
Drain the tuna and add it to the bowl along with the (drained) black olives and the smaller egg pieces.
Dress the salad with olive oil and salt. Mix well.
Finally, garnish the salad with the rest of the boiled eggs on top and serve with lots of crusty bread to soak up the juices.
Enjoy this delicious, refreshing salad!
Storage Tips
You can make Ensalada Murciana ahead of time and store it in the fridge for a few hours before serving.
If you have leftovers, store them in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Related Recipes
Here are some other Spanish recipes that are either salads or are made with lots of vegetables:
- Pipirrana (Juicy Spanish Salad)
- Pisto (Spanish Vegetable Stew)
- Spanish Alcachofas con jamón (Artichokes w/ Serrano Ham)
- Escalivada (Cold Spanish Roasted Vegetables)
- Ensalada Mixta (Spanish Mixed Green Salad)
Ensalada Murciana
Ingredients
- 25 ounces canned whole tomatoes, peeled (about 700 grams)
- 1 spring onion, (see notes)
- 3 to 4 eggs
- 1 can tuna, in water or olive oil (about 5 ounces or 150 grams)
- 1 cup small black olives
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 tablespoon salt, or to taste
Instructions
- Boil the eggs for about 10 minutes until the yolks are set.3 to 4 eggs
- While the eggs are boiling, peel the canned tomatoes if they are not already peeled. Then cut them into small chunks inside the salad bowl to save their juices.25 ounces canned whole tomatoes
- Peel the outer layer of the spring onion and discard the green part. Dice it finely and add it to the bowl.1 spring onion
- Peel the eggs and cut them into quarters. Optional: Cut half the eggs into smaller pieces so they are more evenly distributed throughout the salad. Set aside.
- Drain the tuna and add it to the bowl. Also add the black olives and the smaller pieces of egg.1 can tuna, 1 cup small black olives
- Dress the salad with olive oil and salt. Mix well.1/2 tablespoon salt, 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- Garnish the salad with the rest of the boiled eggs on top and serve with lots of crusty bread to soak up the juices.
Notes
- Use good quality canned whole tomatoes for the best taste.
- Spring onions are not the same as scallions/green onions. Spring onions have a larger white bulb at the bottom. If you can’t find spring onions, you can use any sweet white onion or multiple scallions/green onions.
- Some people also include green peppers cut into small pieces (not traditional, but delicious).
- Use small black olives or larger black olives (with the pit) if possible. Why not pitted olives? Pitted olives tend to be softer and have a different flavor since the brine penetrates their flesh more easily. But if you can only find pitted olives, feel free to use them!
- An alternative (not traditional, but delicious) is to add capers or caper berries. If you use Italian capers, desalt them before adding them to the salad.
- The better the quality of the olive oil, the more delicious the juices of the salad for dipping.
Nutrition
This nutritional information has been estimated by an online nutrition calculator. It should only be seen as a rough calculation and not a replacement for professional dietary advice.
