This green bean salad is made with fresh green beans, tomatoes, feta cheese and olives, all tossed in a Greek style dressing. An easy and satisfying salad that’s full of bright flavors and colors.
Salads don’t need to contain lettuce. In fact, some of my favorite salads are lettuce-free such as black bean and corn salad, cherry tomato salad and this amazingly delicious green bean salad.
I’m always looking for chunky, veggie based salads to take to my next gathering. Lettuce tends to wilt and get soggy when it sits on a buffet, but chopped salads fare much better. This green bean salad is a unique take on a Greek salad, with many of the same ingredients. This salad is sure to get rave reviews at any potluck!
How do you make green bean salad?
The base of this salad is blanched green beans, which are cut into bite sized pieces. The green beans are combined with thinly sliced red onion, cherry tomatoes, feta cheese, olives and herbs. A homemade Greek dressing goes over the top and you’ll be ready to eat!
How do you prepare fresh green beans?
To get your green beans ready to be blanched, all you need to do is give them a good wash, then trim off the stem end. The fastest way to trim off the stem end is to line up a handful of green beans, then cut the stems off all at once. It makes prep time go much faster.
Tips for Green Bean Salad
- This recipe calls for blanching the green beans. Blanching is a process where you simmer the beans in salted water until they’re just tender, then the beans get transferred to an ice bath to stop the cooking process. The end result is perfectly cooked, bright green beans!
- The dressing for this salad can be made up to 5 days in advance.
- This salad can be made with any type of fresh bean such as wax beans, romano beans, or even french haricot vert green beans.
- I like to use a combination of fresh chopped parsley and dill in this salad. Other great options are chives, green onions or basil.
Are green beans healthy?
Green beans are a very healthy vegetable and are packed with nutrients such as Vitamin A, C and K, potassium, iron, and calcium. Green beans are also low in calories, low sodium, low carb and high in fiber.
Green Bean Salad Variations
There are so many different ways to customize green bean salad to your taste preferences!
- Nuts: Add 1/4 cup toasted pine nuts, sliced almonds or chopped walnuts.
- Cheese: Substitute goat cheese or shaved parmesan cheese for the feta.
- Vegetables: You can use other vegetables such as marinated artichoke hearts, roasted red peppers, cucumber or diced green bell pepper.
I love to make this salad in the warmer months when green beans are in season, but it’s really a great choice all year round. You’ll get tons of compliments on this unique side dish!
More great salad recipes
Green Bean Salad
Ingredients
For the salad
- 1 pound green beans trimmed and cut into 2 inch pieces
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes halved
- 1/4 cup red onion thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup feta cheese crumbled
- 1/3 cup kalamata olives sliced
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh herbs such as dill, parsley, chives and/or basil
For the dressing
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add the green beans and cook for 2-3 minutes until just tender.
- Drain the green beans and place them in a bowl of ice water to cool. Place on a paper towel and pat dry.
- Add the green beans, tomatoes, onion, feta cheese, olives and herbs to a large bowl.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, Dijon mustard, red wine vinegar, lemon juice, garlic powder, onion powder, dried oregano and salt and pepper.
- Pour the dressing over the vegetables and toss to coat, then serve.
Lise says
Should the dressing go on just before serving.. or can it go in ahead of time ?
Sara says
I’d do it right before serving!
Billie says
This salad is like a full meal! Tons of flavor!
Sarah Pecoreno says
I was looking for a quick green bean salad for dinner last night when I found this recipe. I did not have feta or olives on hand. I made the Greek dressing using fresh oregano instead of dried. And I made the salad as the recipe directed and my herbs were curly parsley Thai basil and a green onion that I cut up really fine. It came out absolutely delicious even with the missing ingredients . I will definitely be making this again!!
Carmen says
Great recipe! Enjoyed the combination of feta and kalamata olives. Thanks for sharing!
Diane Villegas says
Can this be made with frozen green beans?
Sara says
Yes just thaw and pat them dry!
Lisa says
CAN you make this ahead of time?
Sara says
That’s fine, add the feta right before serving!
Deb says
Very flavorful salad! I served it with warm bread and we loved it!
Jessica says
Is there a store-bought dressing I could pair this with?
Sara says
Any Greek style dressing should work!
Sandra says
I love everything about this salad! Packed full of flavors!
Jacque Hooper says
Such an easy salad to throw together, yet so full of flavor too! Perfectly light and filling!
Ashley F says
This is such a great salad for barbecues! Light and fresh.
Katerina @ diethood .com says
YUM!! I LOVE green beans!! This is perfect for lunch!
lauren kelly says
I love a good green bean salad! Thesis a huge crowd pleaser!
Kristyn says
This looks really delicious!! It might be a great way for me to get my kids to eat green beans! Looks super easy to make, too!
Krista says
I love everything about this salad! Who doesn’t love green beans?!
Catalina says
I’ve never made a green bean salad, but this one looks fabulous! A must try recipe!
Erin | Dinners,Dishes and Dessert says
I know for sure this would be a huge hit in my house!
Melanie Bauer says
Looks so delish! Such a hearty and easy to make recipe, definitely having this in our house!
Jade Manning says
I have never tried a Green Bean Salad, this looks so delicious!
Lora says
I love this green salad salad idea. So perfect for a summer barbecue!