Italian Green Bean Salad
Here's a different green bean salad recipe that's an amazing side dish!
Servings: 4
Calories: 256kcal
Equipment
- Large pot or saucepan
- strainer
- Large bowl
- glass jar with lid
- large spoon
- serving dish
Ingredients
- 1 ½ pounds Green Beans, ends trimmed, cut in half Buy organic, if possible
- ⅓ cup Manchego Cheese, cubed
- ½ cup Kalamata Olives, halved
- 3 tablespoons Italian Parsley, roughly chopped
- ½ teaspoon Kosher Salt Diamond Crystal
- ½ teaspoon Pepper, freshly ground Lemon Pepper
- ¼ cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 2 teaspoons Dijon Mustard
- 2 tablespoons Lemon Juice, freshly squeezed
- 2 teaspoons Maple Syrup
- 2 tablespoons Shallot, finely chopped or thinly sliced
- ¼ teaspoon Garlic Powder
- ½ teaspoon Kosher Salt
- ½ teaspoon Pepper, freshly ground
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water with a rounded teaspoon of salt to a boil. Wash the green beans, trim both ends, cut in half if the beans are long. Add the beans to the boiling water, cook until tender, about 4-5 minutes. Remove and strain the beans, and immediately submerge them in a large bowl of ice water. Let them sit in the ice water bath for about 5 more minutes, then drain the beans and gently blot dry with a clean kitchen towel. (The ice bath stops the cooking and sets the color of the beans). Transfer the beans to a large mixing bowl with the cubed cheese, the Kalamata olives, the Parsley, and the salt and pepper.
- MAKE THE VINAIGRETTE Using a glass canning jar with a lid, (or any type of jar with a tight-fitting lid), add the olive oil, mustard, lemon juice, maple syrup, shallot, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Shake until the ingredients are combined.
- To finish the salad, pour just enough vinaigrette over the bean mixture to coat it - you may not need all of the vinaigrette - and toss gently with a large spoon. Drizzle a bit more on top if needed. Transfer to a serving dish, add more parsley to the top as garnish.
Notes
- Making a homemade, flavorful vinaigrette is simple when you use a small canning jar with a lid. Just add the ingredients, put on the lid and shake! It can be made ahead and will stay fresh for a week refrigerated.
- You may have a bit of leftover dressing and it's great on greens and keeps well in the refrigerator for up to a week.
- This recipe looks nice on a large serving platter, but you can use a bowl or small individual bowls or small plates too.
- Double this recipe for a crowd! It's a nice menu item if you're serving multiple things (think grilled chicken or fish) because it tastes delicious at room temperature.
- This salad is best eaten the same day it's dressed, but the components can be prepared in advance and assembled the day you plan to eat it.
Nutrition
Calories: 256kcal | Carbohydrates: 17g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 12g | Cholesterol: 10mg | Sodium: 943mg | Potassium: 427mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 1550IU | Vitamin C: 28mg | Calcium: 187mg | Iron: 2mg