Green Bean Salad Recipe

As a food blogger, I’m sharing Green Bean Salad Recipes that pair fresh green beans with ripe tomatoes, briny olives and creamy feta in a Greek-style dressing, with one simple twist.

I love a salad that surprises me, and this green bean salad does. I toss fresh green beans with crumbled feta cheese for a tangy bite, the textures keep me coming back.

It nods to Greek Green Beans tradition but feels lighter, more snack than side, and sometimes I think of a Cherry Tomato Salad though this one stands on its own. It is bright, a little salty and oddly comforting, not too sweet.

I mess up the dressing sometimes but that is part of the fun, you will want to eat it fast or save it for guests who ask what your secret is.

Ingredients

• Fresh green beans add fiber, vitamin C, great raw or lightly cooked.
• Cherry tomatoes bring sweetness, acidity, lycopene and juicy pops of flavor.
• Crumbled feta gives salty tang, protein and creamy slightly briny richness.
• Kalamata olives add savory, fruity saltiness and healthy monounsaturated fats.
• Olive oil brings smooth richness, heart healthy fats and Mediterranean flavor.
• Red wine vinegar gives tang and brightness, cuts richness with a sharp kick.
• Garlic and red onion add bite, aroma and savory depth, dont overdo raw.
• Fresh parsley lifts the salad with herbal freshness and vitamin K.

Ingredient Quantities

• 1 lb (450 g) fresh green beans, trimmed
• 1 pint (about 250 g) cherry or grape tomatoes halved
• 1/2 cup (75 g) crumbled feta cheese
• 1/3 cup (50 g) pitted Kalamata olives, halved
• 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
• 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice (about 1/2 lemon)
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1 tsp dried oregano or 1 tbsp fresh, chopped
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

How to Make this

1. Trim the ends off the green beans and bring a large pot of well salted water to a rolling boil, add the beans and blanch 3 to 4 minutes until bright green and tender crisp, then immediately transfer to an ice bath to stop cooking; drain and pat dry.

2. While the beans cook, halve the cherry tomatoes, thinly slice the red onion, halve the Kalamata olives, mince the garlic, and chop the parsley. If the onion is too sharp, soak it in cold water for 5 minutes then drain.

3. Make the dressing in a small bowl or jar: whisk together the extra virgin olive oil, red wine vinegar, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, oregano, minced garlic, kosher salt and black pepper until combined and slightly emulsified.

4. In a large bowl toss the cooled green beans with the halved tomatoes, olives and sliced red onion so everything is evenly mixed.

5. Pour the dressing over the vegetable mixture and toss gently to coat, making sure garlic is distributed.

6. Fold in most of the crumbled feta gently so it doesn’t completely break down, reserving a little to sprinkle on top for presentation.

7. Let the salad sit at room temperature for 10 to 20 minutes so the flavors meld, or chill for 30 minutes if you want it colder; if chilled, bring back to room temp for 10 minutes before serving so the flavors open up.

8. Taste and adjust seasoning with a little extra salt, pepper or lemon juice if needed, then serve.

Equipment Needed

1. Large pot for boiling the green beans
2. Large bowl for an ice bath to shock the beans
3. Colander or fine mesh strainer to drain the beans
4. Large mixing bowl to toss the salad
5. Small bowl or jar plus a whisk (or fork) for the dressing
6. Chef’s knife for trimming beans and slicing onions and tomatoes
7. Cutting board
8. Tongs or slotted spoon to lift beans from the pot
9. Measuring spoons and measuring cups for the dressing ingredients

FAQ

Green Bean Salad Recipe Substitutions and Variations

• Green beans: swap with blanched sugar snap peas or trimmed asparagus spears. They keep the snap and bright color, cook about the same.
• Feta cheese: use crumbled goat cheese or ricotta salata. Goat cheese is creamier and tangy, ricotta salata gives that salty crumbly bite.
• Kalamata olives: try Castelvetrano olives for a milder buttery taste or use capers for little briny pops if you want smaller bites.
• Red wine vinegar: replace with sherry vinegar for a nuttier note or white wine vinegar. You can also just add a bit more lemon juice for extra brightness.

Pro Tips

1) Blanch then shock, and dry like crazy. Blanch until the beans are bright green and just tender, drop them in ice water to stop the cooking, then pat or spin them very dry or the dressing will slide off and the salad gets watery.

2) Make the dressing in a jar and emulsify it well. Put the mustard and minced garlic in first and mash them a bit with the back of a spoon, add the vinegars and lemon then the oil, screw the lid on and shake it hard so it comes together. Taste before salting because the feta and olives already add a lot of salt.

3) Keep tomatoes and onions from making the salad soggy or too sharp. If your cherry tomatoes are extra juicy, scoop or squeeze a few seeds out, and slice the onion very thin then soak it 5 minutes if it bites too hard, drain well. Also reserve a few whole or halved tomatoes and some feta for a pretty top, looks nicer and people think you tried harder.

4) Handle the feta and leftovers gently. Fold feta in so you still have chunky bits not a paste, save some for sprinkling on top. If you need to make it ahead, keep the dressing separate and toss just before serving; if you chill the whole salad bring it back to room temperature for about 10 minutes so the flavors wake up.