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Enjoy the best of summer produce with this Easy Green Bean Salad recipe! It’s the perfect side dish – simple and healthy, easy to prepare in advance, and perfect for picnics, potlucks, and family gatherings all year long!
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Vibrant Italian Green Bean Salad Recipe
Is your summer garden producing on overdrive? Or maybe you went a little crazy at your local farmer’s market and bought ALL OF THE VEGGIES, and now you need an excuse to use them up.
This marinated Italian green bean salad is a delicious way to use some fresh herbs, bright, sweet, juicy tomatoes, and crisp green beans at their peak. It’s dressed in a simple vinaigrette, so it pairs perfectly with almost anything – grilled burgers, fresh seafood, kabobs, casseroles, baked chicken…the list goes on!
Summer salads are the perfect way to incorporate more fresh vegetables into your meals. Whether you’re making this cold green bean salad in the summer months or tossing it together for some freshness in the slog of winter, it’s a delicious way to bring fresh, colorful food into your diet!
Ingredients for Fresh Green Bean Salad
This Italian green bean recipe requires only a few simple fresh ingredients and some pantry staples. As always, you can find the full recipe ingredients and directions in the recipe card below! Here’s a brief overview of the ingredients you need for this fresh salad:
- Green Beans: fresh string beans cut into 1-inch pieces.
- Tomatoes: grape or cherry tomatoes are best, but you could also use chopped Roma tomatoes.
- Red Onion: a sharp yet sweet onion flavor for the salad.
- Basil, Parsley, & Oregano: use dried or fresh herbs for an earthy, savory flavor.
- Olive Oil & Balsamic Vinegar: the base of the simple vinaigrette dressing.
Can I use frozen green beans in green bean salad?
I highly recommend using fresh green beans if possible. While frozen green beans are just as nutritious as fresh, they will not have the same texture once cooked. We want those perfectly crisp-tender green beans; frozen green beans will have a softer, more water-logged texture, even if thawed before cooking.
What type of green beans should I use in fresh green bean salad?
Whether you’re at a farmer’s market or grocery store, chances are you’ve seen a variety of green beans available. What’s the difference, and which should you choose for this fresh green bean salad recipe? Simply put, most green bean varieties are pretty similar; here’s a quick overview:
- Ordinary green beans – also called snap beans or string beans – are the most common variety of green beans. They can be steamed, sauteed, or roasted with simple ingredients.
- Haricots Verts – also known as French green beans – are another common variety. They’re longer, thinner, and more expensive as they’re often considered the highest-quality green bean.
- Wax beans are essentially the same as regular green beans, except they’re yellow; they can be prepared all the same ways.
- Purple string beans lose their color when cooked, so they’re best used in recipes that call for raw green beans. They can also be lightly steamed and immediately put into an ice bath to stop the cooking process so they retain their vibrant color.
How to Make Fresh Green Bean Salad
This simple side dish only takes a few minutes of prep – mostly chopping vegetables – and healthy, fresh ingredients. It’s a light, refreshing vegetable salad that’s perfect for summer cookouts or as a side with your favorite protein.
- Prep the fresh vegetables – trim the green beans and chop the onions and tomatoes.
- Cook the green beans in boiling water for 2-3 minutes, then immediately submerge in ice water.
- Whisk together the simple vinaigrette ingredients.
- Assemble the green bean salad, dress, and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Fresh Green Beans and Vegetables
We start this easy salad by prepping the green beans and vegetables. To save some money, trim the raw green beans yourself. It’s a quick job – gather the beans in a small pile, line up the tips, and then cut the tips off with a single slice. Turn the pile over and repeat on the other side. To save time, you can buy pre-trimmed fresh green beans in the produce section. Always wash your fresh produce!
For the rest of the fresh veggies, the prep is simple. Peel and finely dice the red onion and halve the tomatoes. If you’re using Roma tomatoes, cut them into cubes about the size of a halved cherry tomato. Which are better – cherry or grape tomatoes? Aside from their shape, cherry tomatoes are sweeter and softer, while grape tomatoes are meatier and thicker. You can use either in this green bean salad recipe.
Easy Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing
Preparing the simple balsamic vinaigrette could not be easier. Simply mix the dressing ingredients – balsamic vinegar, olive oil, salt, black pepper, and herbs – together in a small bowl or jar. That’s it! You can make a large batch of this dressing to use on other green salads, Cucumber Tomato Onion Salad, Spinach Salad with Bacon and Hard Boiled Eggs, or Couscous Salad.
What to Serve with Green Bean Salad
This cold Italian green bean salad is the perfect side dish for just about any entrée! Here are some recipes to pair with a fresh green bean salad:
- Chicken Dishes: Braised Chicken Thighs with Gravy, Crispy Honey Butter Chicken, Chicken and Rice Casserole from Scratch, Cider Dijon Roasted Chicken Recipe, 3-Ingredient Glazed Apricot Chicken, Roasted Chicken Thighs with Garlic & Herbs, Parmesan Crusted Chicken, Grilled BBQ Chicken Breast
- Beef Dishes: Grilled Steak Tips, Cheeseburger Meatloaf, Ribeye Steak & Roasted Potatoes, Grilled Beef Tenderloin, The Best Stuffed Pasta Shells, Grilled New York Strip Steak Recipe, Filet Mignon in a Cast Iron Skillet
- Pork Dishes: Grilled Pork Tenderloin with Spice Rub, Oven Fried Breaded Pork Chops, Pork Schnitzel & Mushroom Gravy (Jägerschnitzel), Brown Sugar Bourbon Glazed Ham, Baked BBQ Pork Chops, Baked Baby Back Ribs
- Seafood Dishes: Salmon with Dill Sauce, Bourbon Glazed Salmon, 5-Ingredient Parmesan Crusted Tilapia, Marinated Grilled Shrimp, Grilled Scallops Recipe, Easy Tuna Nicoise Salad
Easy Fresh Green Bean Salad Tips and Recipe Variations
- Dropping the cooked green beans in ice water instantly stops the cooking process, which helps to maintain that vibrant green color and crispy texture – don’t skip this step!
- This easy salad would taste delicious dressed in your favorite store-bought Italian dressing or a homemade Italian dressing. For a sweeter dressing, try my Italian Balsamic Vinaigrette dressing (which includes a touch of honey).
- Add cheese! Crumbled feta cheese, Parmesan cheese, or mini Mozzarella cheese balls would all be a great addition to green bean salad.
- Add a bit of extra crunch with pine nuts or toasted slivered almonds. For a smoky flavor, stir in cooked, chopped-up crisp bacon or bacon bits.
- Prep ahead! This salad will keep in the refrigerator for 3-5 days. Refresh the salad with more dressing when serving leftovers.
More Easy Green Bean Recipes
Slow Cooker Southern Green Beans
2 hours hrs 5 minutes mins
Roasted Green Beans with Bacon, Onion, and Garlic
35 minutes mins
Corn and Green Bean Casserole
50 minutes mins
Arkansas Green Beans with Bacon
45 minutes mins
Green Bean Salad
Ingredients
- 1 lb. green beans washed, ends trimmed, and cut into bite-sized pieces
- 10.5 ounces grape or cherry tomatoes halved
- ½ cup red onion finely diced
Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing:
- 2 cloves garlic minced or grated
- 1 tablespoon fresh chopped basil (or 1 teaspoon dried basil)
- 1 tablespoon fresh chopped parsley (or 1 teaspoon dried parsley)
- 1 teaspoon fresh chopped oregano (or ½ teaspoon dried oregano)
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Cook beans in boiling water until crisp-tender (about 2-3 minutes).1 lb. green beans
- Drain beans, rinse with cold water, and transfer to a bowl full of ice water. Once cool, drain the beans again and set aside.
- Meanwhile, in a large bowl (or in a jar with a lid) whisk or shake together garlic, herbs, olive oil, and vinegar until completely combined. Season with salt, to taste.2 cloves garlic, 1 tablespoon fresh chopped basil, 1 tablespoon fresh chopped parsley, 1 teaspoon fresh chopped oregano, 4 tablespoons olive oil, 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar, Salt
- Once beans are cool, add them to the bowl along with the onion and tomatoes. Toss everything together until coated in dressing. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.10.5 ounces grape or cherry tomatoes, ½ cup red onion
Notes
- Dropping the cooked green beans in ice water instantly stops the cooking process, which helps to maintain that vibrant green color and crispy texture – don’t skip this step!
- This easy salad would taste delicious dressed in your favorite store-bought Italian dressing or a homemade Italian dressing. For a sweeter dressing, try my Italian Balsamic Vinaigrette dressing (which includes a touch of honey).
- Add cheese! Crumbled feta cheese, Parmesan cheese, or mini Mozzarella cheese balls would all be a great addition to green bean salad.
- Add a bit of extra crunch with pine nuts or toasted slivered almonds. For a smoky flavor, stir in cooked, chopped-up crisp bacon or bacon bits.
- Prep ahead! This salad will keep in the refrigerator for 3-5 days. Refresh the salad with more dressing when serving leftovers.
Nutrition
I always go a little too crazy at the farmers market and usually have a few lonely veggies waiting to be used up! This simple green bean salad is such a great summer side dish! Love me some green beans!
Thanks, Bethany! I’m glad to know that I’m not the only one who always over-buys at the market! Then I’m scrambling to eat all of the veggies before they go bad! 🙂 Love this time of year!
I’ve been going to my farmer’s market just about every week, and I always stock up on green beans! Sometimes the simple recipes really are the best. I love the looks of this salad, Blair! I will definitely have to try this out. Sounds perfect!
Gosh, I love the farmer’s market at this time of year. I get oddly excited by all of the fresh veggies and the delicious options. Green beans are a MUST! 🙂
We love green beans! A tasty summer side dish.
Thanks, Vanessa! They’re a favorite around here, too! 🙂
The colors in this salad are just jumping off the page! This is so pretty and would be such a great side dish all summer long!
Thanks so much, Marcie! The veggies at this time of year are so great for eating and for photographing! 🙂
This salad looks amazing! It will put my herb garden to work 😉
Thanks so much for celebrating with me, Blair! I love your recipes and have a few bookmarked that I will definitely be trying in the coming weeks!
Thanks so much, Megan! And thanks for including me in your celebration!
Simple recipes are the best and… Green beans – LOVE THEM SO SO SO SO SO much! <3
Thanks, GiGi! I totally agree — simple is best!
I wasn’t into green beans when I was a child. Nowadays I am obsessed with them and am always looking for a new recipe to make. Totally adding this to my must make list! Thanks for sharing!
Thanks, Olivia! It’s so easy, you’ve GOT to try it! 🙂
This is real too healthy food, I love Italian Salad From Start and this is something i can eat daily
This is awsome, Blair! I have a similar recipe from an old church cookbook, that includes redskin potatoes. You boil the potatoes, and throw your cut green beans in for the last couple of minutes. That recipe didn’t have bacon, but I added it anyhow, just made sense LOL! I found that recipe looking for a non-mayo salad to take to a pot luck. I have to try your recipe for sure!
Sounds delicious!! I love the idea of adding red potatoes and bacon. YUM! I’ll have to remember that — feel free to send me your recipe if it’s not too much trouble! 🙂 Thank you!