Looking for something light and tasty? Try this bright green bean salad perfect for summer. It mixes crunchy green beans, ripe tomatoes, and a from-scratch vinaigrette dressing. This salad is easy to make and nutritious. It is a favorite at summer events like potlucks and Fourth of July picnics, so be prepared to give out the recipe!
Why I Love Green Bean Salad
Green beans are not as flashy as tomatoes, and they’re not exotic, like okra. But to me, green beans are about making memories with family, sitting on the porch snapping or shelling beans.
And because your hands are busy, there are no devices or distractions. You’re just talking and laughing over old stories or sitting together in a quiet, comfortable silence.
If you’re a new gardener, you’ll love green beans because they’re really easy to grow. And if you’re a cook, then you probably already love green beans. They’re so simple to preserve as fermented pizza beans, and just like this healthy broccoli salad, fresh green beans dress up or down. As an added bonus, they go with nearly everything!
Tips for the Best Green Bean Salad
To make the perfect green bean salad, follow these key steps.
- Choose Fresh Green Beans – When picking green beans for your green bean salad, focus on finding beans that break with a snap. This snap shows they are fresh and tender. Tough, old green beans need more cooking time and won’t be as crispy.
- Blanch Your Beans – The secret to a crisp texture and vibrant color is blanching the green beans briefly in a large pot of salted boiling water for a couple of minutes.
- Use an Ice Bath – Once the beans have been blanched, quickly put them in a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking. This keeps their bright green color and prevents them from getting too soft.
- Alternative to Blanching – Instead of blanching, you can steam or microwave the green beans. Cook them until they’re just tender but still a bit crisp.
- Double the Recipe – This salad is great for meal prep or as a leftover. It stays fresh and doesn’t turn soggy like other salads might.
In the Homestead Kitchen
This recipe was featured in the In the Homestead Kitchen Magazine issue No. 35, Green Beans.
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Supplies Needed
- Large Pot – Use a pot large enough to prep your green beans all at once to make sure they are equally blanched.
- Slotted Spoon – A slotted spoon allows you to safely and quickly transfer the green beans from the pot to the ice bath.
- Bowls – Fill one large bowl with ice and water to stop the green beans from becoming overcooked. Use a second large bowl as your serving bowl for your salad, and have a third small bowl handy for mixing the dressing.
- Lint-Free Towel – A tea towel will help absorb excess moisture from the green beans after they have been blanched.
- Cutting Board – Learn how to naturally sanitize your cutting boards here.
- Sharp Knife – Learn knife sharpening basics to keep your kitchen tools in good working condition.
Ingredients Needed
For the Salad:
- 1 lb Green Beans – Trim the green beans and cut them into bite-size pieces.
- ½ Red Onion – Peel the onion and slice it thinly.
- 2 Medium Tomatoes – Chop the tomatoes into bite-size pieces.
- ½ Cup Crumbled Soft Cheese – This cultured soft cheese works well, but you can also use store-bought feta.
- ¼ Cup Chopped Nuts of Choice – If you have a nut allergy, try swapping them for sunflower or pumpkin seeds.
For the Dressing:
- 1 ½ Tbsp Vinegar – I use white wine vinegar, but you can use whatever you have on hand, like apple cider vinegar, balsamic vinegar, red wine vinegar, or seasoned rice wine vinegar.
- ¼ Cup Olive Oil – I like to buy my olive oil in bulk from Azure Standard. Homesteading Hack: If you’re a first-time Azure Standard customer, use coupon code “HOMESTEADINGFAMILY15” at checkout for 15% off your order of $100 or more! You can also use avocado oil or sunflower seed oil instead.
- 1 tsp Mustard – We typically have our homemade grainy mustard on hand, but Dijon or even yellow mustard are fantastic.
- 1 tsp Molasses – Molasses is a key emulsifying ingredient that keeps your vinaigrette from separating.
- Salt and Pepper – Start with just a dash of each, and increase as desired. I love Redmond Real Salt. It really brings out all the flavors in the salad dressing. (Using that link for Redmond Salt will automatically give you 15% off your order!)
How to Make Green Bean Salad
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat, and set a bowl of ice water nearby.
- Drop the green beans into the boiling water and cook for two minutes.
- Remove the beans with a slotted spoon and immediately immerse them in the ice water bath.
- Leave them in the ice bath for two minutes, then remove them to a kitchen towel to dry completely.
- In a serving bowl, toss together the beans, tomato, and onion.
- In a small bowl or jar, mix together all of the dressing ingredients and shake or whisk them until completely integrated.
- Pour half of the dressing over the vegetables and toss to coat.
- Top the vegetables with crumbly cheese and nuts, then finish with the remaining dressing and serve.
- Refrigerate any remaining salad in a sealed container for up to five days.
Did you make this recipe? If so, please leave a star rating in the recipe card below. Then snap a photo and tag us on social media @homesteadingfamily so we can see!
Other Posts You May Enjoy
- Homemade Vinaigrette That Doesn’t Separate
- Fresh Peach Salad Recipe – Easy Summer Dinner
- Healthy Broccoli Salad
- Easy Cowboy Caviar Recipe – Simple & Delicious Appetizer
- Harvest Pear Salad
Green Bean Salad
Equipment
- Large Pot for blanching
- Slotted spoon
- Bowls two large and one small
- Lint-Free Towel
- cutting board
- knife
Ingredients
For the Salad
- 1 pound green beans trimmed and cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1/2 red onion peeled and sliced
- 2 medium tomatoes sliced or chopped
- 1/2 cup feta cheese
- 1/4 cup nuts chopped
For the Dressing
- 1.5 Tablespoons white wine vinegar
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 teaspoon mustard
- 1 teaspoon molasses
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat, and set a bowl of ice water nearby.
- Drop the green beans into the boiling water and cook for two minutes.
- Remove the beans with a slotted spoon and immediately immerse them in the ice water bath.
- Leave them in the ice bath for two minutes, then remove them to a kitchen towel to dry completely.
- In a serving bowl, toss together the beans, tomato, and onion.
- In a small bowl or jar, mix together all of the dressing ingredients and shake or whisk them until completely integrated.
- Pour half of the dressing over the vegetables and toss to coat.
- Top the vegetables with crumbly cheese and nuts, then finish with the remaining dressing and serve.
- Refrigerate any remaining salad in a sealed container for up to five days.
Notes
- The nutrition facts are calculated without salt and pepper and are a rough estimate.
