Italian green bean salad is fresh, flavorful and so delicious. Great for spring or summer salads and perfect for picnics, bbq’s or weeknight meals. This summer green bean salad is a great make ahead dish that comes together in just 10 minutes.
Why you will love this recipe
- Quick and easy to make – quickly blanch the green beans, make the salad dressing and slice the tomatoes to make this simple summer salad in under 10 minutes.
- Simple ingredients – this italian green bean salad is made with green beans, tomatoes, fresh basil and a simple apple cider vinegar dressing.
- Perfect for cookouts, bbq’s or make ahead meals – this summer green bean salad is perfect for summer meals – whether that is cookouts, picnics or as just a simple side dish served for lunch or dinner. This simple green bean salad can be serve cold or at room temperature and has no mayo or dairy, so it’s great if it’s out in the sun for a bit. I let my sister try this salad while she was here visiting and she was so surprised how yummy this was – trust me it’s a wonderful side dish for any party or gathering.
- Great use for summer produce – if your garden is exploding with fresh basil, tomatoes and maybe even some pole beans or bush beans, this recipe is perfect for you! All the produce from this recipe came right from my garden!
Ingredients
- Green beans – use fresh, frozen or even canned green beans for this salad. Fresh will have the best texture and are my favorite way to make this dish. If you are using fresh green beans, be sure to trim the top of the bean where it attached to the plant (usually just snap this off or cut with a knife). I like to use haricot verts because they typically come already trimmed.
- Tomatoes – I love cherry tomatoes for this salad, but you could easily use any tomato, chopped into bite size pieces.
- Fresh basil – fresh basil really gives this dish so much flavor. If you have it on hand, I really suggest you add it. You could also use fresh mint, flat leaf parsley or dill for some fresh flavor, but I love basil.
Dijon Vinaigrette
- Apple cider vinegar – apple cider vinegar provides the tart background for this vinaigrette. You could also try this with lemon juice or red wine vinegar.
- Olive oil – olive oil helps to balance out the vinaigrette and coats the veggies. You could also use avocado oil if you don’t have olive oil on hand.
- Dijon mustard – Dijon mustard adds flavor to the vinaigrette but also helps to emulsify the dressing, meaning that it helps the oil and vinegar become a homogenous mixture (since oil and water don’t naturally come together on their own).
- Spices – Salt, garlic powder, Italian seasoning – I kept the seasoning simple but it’s delicious. The salt helps to elevate all the flavors of the dish. Garlic powder gives a slight garlic flavor without being overpowering and the italian seasoning really helps to add a lot of flavor to the dish.
How to make italian green bean salad
- Start by bringing a large pot of water to a boil over high heat.
- While the water is coming to a boil, trim the green beans if needed. You will know if the green beans need to be trimmed because there will be a slightly woody stem hanging from the top of the green bean where it was attached to the plant. You can snap off the top or cut off the top to remove this.
- Once the green beans are trimmed, line them up as best you can and cut them into bite size pieces.
- Once the water is boiling, add the green beans and set a timer for 5 minutes.
- Make an ice bath by adding ice and cold water to a large bowl in preparation for the green beans.
- If you have time, you can start cutting the tomatoes in half.
- When the green beans are done cooking 5 minutes, drain the water then add the green beans to the ice bath and let them sit for 3-4 minutes to cool.
- While they are cooling, cut the rest of the tomatoes, and finely chop the basil.
- After 3-4 minutes drain the green beans from the ice water and add them to a large bowl along with the tomatoes and fresh basil.
- Make the vinaigrette by combining all the ingredients in a small bowl.
- Pour the vinaigrette over the green bean salad and stir well to combine. Let rest for 15 minutes for the best flavor.
Top tips
- I recommend buying Haricot verts (French green beans) for this salad as they are thinner and are usually trimmed so they are easy to prep.
- If you are using beans from the garden or other beans you bought at the store, be sure to trim the end of the green bean that was attached to the plant (it’s woody and not pleasant to eat). You can snap off the end of the bean if you aren’t sure.
- Use frozen green beans in place of fresh. Frozen green beans are great because they are already trimmed and they are easy to keep on hand. Using frozen green beans also makes this salad great to make all year long, not just in the summer.
- Allow the salad to sit at least 15 minutes for the best flavor. You can even make this a day in advance if you are short on time and need a dish that can hold up to being made in advance.
- Use canned green beans if that is all you have on hand. Be sure to drain and rinse them before using them in the salad. The texture of the beans will be a little different but still super yummy.
Other additions
- Red onion
- Roasted red pepper (sliced thin)
- Radish, thinly sliced
- Fresh mint, dill, flat leaf parsley
- White beans (like cannellini beans or chickpeas)
- Sliced almonds, pistachios or walnuts for crunch
- Cooked potatoes (diced)
- Feta cheese or goat cheese
What to serve with this summer green bean salad
Common questions
Can you use frozen green beans to make salad
Yes! Since you blanch the green beans (put them in boiling water to cook for 5 minute) the frozen green beans will defrost and cook just enough before you add them to the cold water to shock them.
The best flavor and texture will be using fresh green beans, but frozen are the best next option.
Can you make green bean salad with canned beans?
Yes, if you want to use canned green beans to make this italian green bean salad you can. Be sure to drain and rinse the beans to get any of the liquid they are packed with off the beans. You do not need to cook these at all, just add them to the bowl with the tomatoes and basil.
Do you have to cook the green beans for salad?
It’s best to cook the green beans before using them in the salad. Blanching the green beans makes them crisp-tender, meaning they do not get soggy or mushy. Cooking the green bean softens them slightly, making them easier to eat. Also, it is advised that you always cook green beans as they contain lectins, which can trigger upset stomach if eaten raw.
Can you double this recipe?
Yes, you can double to triple this recipe based on how many people you need to serve. Be sure to have a large enough bowl to cool the green beans in the ice bath after cooking.
What if you don’t have ice on hand?
If you don’t have ice to make an ice bath, you can put a bowl of water in the fridge overnight to help cool it off before adding the green beans. You want the water to be cool enough to stop the cooking process after they were boiling.
Storing leftovers
- Fridge – Store any leftover Italian green bean salad in the fridge in an airtight container for 3-4 days.
- Freezer – I don’t recommend freezing the leftovers as the texture will change.
Substitutions
- Green beans – use fresh, frozen or even canned green beans in this recipe. You could also try this recipe with finely chopped broccoli or cauliflower.
- Tomatoes – Use any fresh tomatoes you have on hand, just chop them into bite-size pieces. If you don’t have tomatoes, you could use roasted red pepper.
- Fresh basil – if you don’t have fresh basil, you can substitute it with fresh mint, fresh dill or fresh flat leaf parsley.
- Apple cider vinegar – use lemon juice or red wine vinegar in place of the ACV.
- Olive oil – use avocado oil or another neutral oil in place of the olive oil.
- Dijon mustard – Dijon really adds flavor and helps to bring the dressing together. If you don’t have Dijon, you can skip it but the dressing won’t be as flavorful.
- Spices – If you don’t have garlic powder, you could use onion powder or simply omit it. If you don’t have italian seasoning, you can make your own italian seasoning or use herbs de provence or some dried basil, parsley and oregano (equal measurements of each).
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- 1 pound green beans – trimmed
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, sliced
- 2 tbsp chopped basil
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Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat.
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Trim the green beans (remove the woody top if needed). Cut the green beans into bite size pieces. I like to line them up together and chop them all at once.
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Once the water has come to a boil, add the green beans and cook for 5 minutes.
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While the green beans are cooking, fill a large bowl with cold water and ice.
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Slice the tomatoes in half (or if using larger tomatoes, cut into bite size pieces).
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When the green beans are done cooking, drain them from the boiling water and transfer them to the bowl with the ice water.
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Finish chopping the tomatoes if needed, chop the fresh basil.
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Drain the green beans, add them to a large bowl along with the tomatoes and basil.
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Make the dressing in a small bowl by combining all the ingredients together. Stir with a fork.
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Pour the dressing over the green bean mixture and stir well. Let sit at least 15 minutes for the best flavor.
- I recommend buying Haricot verts (French green beans) for this salad as they are thinner and are usually trimmed so they are easy to prep.
- If you are using beans from the garden or other beans you bought at the store, be sure to trim the end of the green bean that was attached to the plant (it’s woody and not pleasant to eat). You can snap off the end of the bean if you aren’t sure.
- Use frozen green beans in place of fresh. Frozen green beans are great because they are already trimmed and they are easy to keep on hand. Using frozen green beans also makes this salad great to make all year long, not just in the summer.
- Allow the salad to sit at least 15 minutes for the best flavor. You can even make this a day in advance if you are short on time and need a dish that can hold up to being made in advance.
- Use canned green beans if that is all you have on hand. Be sure to drain and rinse them before using them in the salad. The texture of the beans will be a little different but still super yummy.
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Nutrition Information
Where does nutrition info come from? Nutrition facts are provided as a courtesy, sourced from the USDA Food Database.