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    Green Bean Salad

    July 1, 2025 / By Natalie Mortimer

    My fresh green bean salad recipe is a celebration of the sweet snap of string beans. With a zippy dressing and crunchy almonds, it’s so good! Best of all? You can easily make it ahead of time.

    A vibrant green bean salad tossed in a honey Dijon dressing, topped with toasted almonds, blue cheese and fried shallots
    Photography by Gayle McLeod

    Whether you’re looking for a fresh green bean salad to celebrate your summer garden, or a vibrant spin on green bean casserole alternative for Thanksgiving, my new favorite way to serve green beans just might be yours, too.

    A vibrant green bean salad tossed in a honey Dijon dressing, topped with toasted almonds, blue cheese and fried shallots

    Growing up, my mom’s vegetable garden was a focal point of summer. My sisters and I loved most of what she grew, but weirdly enough, it was her sweet, fresh green beans we all flipped over. I make this green bean salad when I can get fresh string beans that are as gorgeous as hers always were. The trick is to barely cook the green beans with a super quick blanch. This maintains their vibrant green color, and sweet snap. 

    ingredients laid out for a vibrant green bean salad with honey dijon dressing, blue cheese, almonds and fried shallots

    Key Ingredients

    See full recipe below for details and exact measurements. 

    • Green beans: When green beans (some folks call them string beans) are fresh from the garden, they’re so sweet, snappy and crisp. Look for the very best fresh green beans you can find. In this case, frozen green beans won’t work as a sub. 
    • Endive: In case you have to ask where it is at the grocery store, this tender, bitter little chicory is pronounced ‘N-dive,’ and if you love radicchio you will love endive. If you do not love radicchio, you might want to skip it. 
    • Almonds: Just a bit of a crunch to echo the green beans’ snap. 
    • Cheese: A little hit of salty-creamy crumbled blue or feta cheese gives this salad a lot of a depth, however, if you want this recipe to be vegan, it’s OK to leave the cheese off. 
    • Herbs: Fresh parsley and chives. 
    • For the vinaigrette: Lemon juice (you’ll need about 3 lemons), olive oil, honey and Dijon. 
    Fresh green beans being blanched in a pot of boiling water to make them tender for a green bean salad
    a honey dijon dressing being made with lemon juice, olive oil, mustard, honey, chives, shallot, salt, and pepper.

    How To Make Crisp, Fresh Green Bean Salad

    1. Prep the green beans. Always rinse the green beans and then trim any woody ends or as well as the stem-end of the green bean before you blanche them. 
    2. Blanch the green beans. Drop them in boiling water for two minutes, then move them directly to an ice bath. Blanching is key to the vibrant color and crisp texture of the green beans that make this salad so good. 
    3. Make the dressing. Stir the dressing ingredients and let them sit for at least 5 minutes so the shallot flavor mellows a little bit.
    4. Toss the salad, and top it with almonds, cheese, and fried shallots.  
    a bowl of honey dijon dressing to be used on a vibrant green bean salad
    tender, blanched green beans being tossed with a homemade honey dijon dressing

    Make It Ahead

    Yes, this green bean salad is terrific for making ahead of time, so it’s just as holiday-ready as any green bean recipes you’ve made in the past. Even though on the surface, this recipe seems summery, I really love having something green, cool and zingy like this on my Thanksgiving table. To make it ahead of time, make the salad in parts: 

    • Blanche the green beans two days ahead of time, and store them in the fridge. 
    • Make the salad dressing up to four days ahead of time, and store it separately in the fridge. 
    A vibrant green bean salad tossed in a honey Dijon dressing, topped with toasted almonds, blue cheese and fried shallots

    More Gorgeous Green Bean Recipes

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    Green Bean Salad Recipe

    Published July 1, 2025

    By Natalie Mortimer

    • Serves:  6
    • Prep Time:  15 min
    • Cook Time:  10 min
    • Calories:  364
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    Description

    My fresh green bean salad recipe is a celebration of the sweet snap of string beans. With a zippy dressing and crunchy almonds, it’s so good! Best of all? You can easily make it ahead of time.

    Ingredients

    • 1 pound green beans, trimmed
    • 5 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, (from 2 to 3 lemons)
    • ⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil
    • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
    • 1 teaspoon honey
    • 2 tablespoons finely chopped chives
    • 1 medium shallot, thinly sliced
    • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
    • ½ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
    • 1 small head endive, leaves separated
    • ¼ cup chopped Italian parsley
    • ¼ cup slivered almonds, toasted
    • 4 ounces blue cheese or feta cheese, sliced
    • ¼ cup Fried Shallots, (optional)

    Method

    1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the green beans and cook until bright green, about 2-3 minutes. 

      ingredients laid out for a vibrant green bean salad with honey dijon dressing, blue cheese, almonds and fried shallots

    2. Fill a large bowl with water and ice. Using a slotted spoon, immediately transfer the green beans to the ice bath. Let cool completely, then drain. Pat completely dry.

      Fresh green beans being blanched in a pot of boiling water to make them tender for a green bean salad

    3. In a small bowl, combine the lemon juice, olive oil, mustard, honey, chives, shallot, salt, and pepper. Let sit for about 5 minutes, or until shallot is tender. 

      a honey dijon dressing being made with lemon juice, olive oil, mustard, honey, chives, shallot, salt, and pepper.

    4. In a large bowl, toss the blanched green beans with the endive leaves, parsley, and shallot dressing. 

      tender, blanched green beans being tossed with a homemade honey dijon dressing

    5. Arrange the salad on a serving platter. Serve topped with almonds, blue cheese, and fried shallots, if using. 

      A vibrant green bean salad tossed in a honey Dijon dressing, topped with toasted almonds, blue cheese and fried shallots

    Nutrition Info

    • Per Serving
    • Amount
    • Calories 364
    • Protein 14 g
    • Carbohydrates 20 g
    • Total Fat 29 g
    • Dietary Fiber 10 g
    • Cholesterol 14 mg
    • Sodium 347 mg
    • Total Sugars 7 g

    Green Bean Salad

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