I’m sharing Green Bean Salad With Cherry Tomatoes And Feta, an easy summer salad that makes the most of fresh green beans and tomatoes and stays crisp and sturdy at picnics and potlucks.

Jump to Recipe

I’m weird about summer salads, but this Green Bean And Feta Salad made me rethink everything. Crisp fresh green beans meet crumbly feta, bright and a little salty, and somehow the whole thing stays firm even after hours in a picnic basket.

I love that it looks simple, yet every forkful throws a new note at you, little surprises that keep people coming back. I bring it when I want something that won’t flop at potlucks, and more times than not someone asks for the recipe.

Sommer Mad. Sometimes I bring it just to watch it vanish.

Ingredients

Print Recipe (No Advertisments)

Green beans: Crisp, fresh source of fiber and vitamins, adds crunch and color
Cherry tomatoes: Juicy, slightly sweet and acidic, they pack vitamin C and bright flavor
Feta cheese: Salty and tangy, supplies protein and calcium, makes salad more savory
Red onion: Pungent bite, small amounts add crunch and a little sweet sharpness
Olive oil: Rich healthy fats, brings silky mouthfeel, helps the flavors mingle
Red wine vinegar: Bright acidity that cuts richness and gives the salad a tangy zip
Basil or parsley: Fresh herbs add green aroma, herbaceous brightness and a lift
Toasted nuts: Adds crunchy texture, nutty depth and extra healthy fats

Ingredient Quantities

1 lb (450 g) fresh green beans, trimmed

1 pint (300–350 g) cherry or grape tomatoes, halved

6 oz (170 g) feta cheese, crumbled

1 small red onion, thinly sliced

3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

2 tbsp red wine vinegar

1 tsp Dijon mustard

1 clove garlic, minced

1/4 cup fresh basil or parsley, chopped

Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1/4 cup toasted almonds or pine nuts, optional

How to Make this

Print Recipe (No Advertisments)

1. Trim the ends off the green beans and cut any long ones in half so theyre a similar size.

2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and set out a big bowl of ice water. This keeps the beans bright green.

3. Blanch the beans 2 to 4 minutes until bright green and just tender but still with a bite, then plunge them into the ice water to stop cooking. Drain and pat dry.

4. While the beans cook, halve the cherry tomatoes, thinly slice the red onion, and crumble the feta. If you want milder onion flavor, soak the slices in cold water for 5 minutes then drain.

5. Make the dressing: whisk together the olive oil, red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, minced garlic, salt and pepper until emulsified. If you hate whisking, put everything in a jar, screw the lid on and shake hard.

6. Toast the almonds or pine nuts in a dry skillet over medium heat until fragrant and lightly golden, shaking the pan a lot so they dont burn. Chop if the pieces are too big.

7. In a large bowl combine the blanched beans, tomatoes, sliced onion, crumbled feta and chopped basil or parsley.

8. Pour most of the dressing over the salad and toss gently to coat. Taste and add more salt, pepper or a splash more vinegar if it needs brightness. Dont overdress since the tomatoes release juice.

9. Scatter the toasted nuts over the salad and give one final gentle toss, or just sprinkle them on top for crunch.

10. Serve at room temperature or chilled. This salad keeps well for picnics so you can make the dressing and toast the nuts a day ahead, toss everything together right before serving for best texture.

Equipment Needed

1. large pot for boiling salted water
2. big bowl for ice water to shock the beans
3. colander or large strainer to drain and dry the beans
4. chef’s knife plus cutting board for trimming beans, halving tomatoes and slicing onion
5. large mixing bowl to combine the salad
6. whisk or a jar with a tight lid to emulsify or shake the dressing (if you hate whisking just shake)
7. small dry skillet to toast almonds or pine nuts
8. measuring spoons and cups, and salad tongs or a big spoon for tossing and serving

FAQ

How do I blanch the green beans so they stay bright and crunchy? A: Boil salted water, add beans for 3 to 4 minutes until bright green and just tender, then plunge them into an ice bath to stop the cooking. Drain very well before using or the dressing gets watery.

Can I make this salad ahead of time? A: Yes, kinda. Blanch the beans and make the dressing up to 3 days ahead. Toss everything together no more than 24 hours before serving, add the nuts right before you eat so they stay crunchy.

What can I use instead of feta? A: Try goat cheese, ricotta salata, or shaved Parmesan for a non salty tang. For a crunchy alternative try toasted chickpeas or crispy capers if you want less dairy.

Can I make this vegan? A: Totally. Leave out the feta and use marinated tofu cubes, smashed avocado, or roasted chickpeas for texture and creaminess. Check your dressing ingredients to keep it vegan.

How do I toast the almonds or pine nuts without burning them? A: Use a dry skillet over medium heat and shake or stir often, it only takes 3 to 5 minutes. Or spread on a baking sheet and toast at 350 F for 5 to 8 minutes, watch closely they go fast.

Best way to serve this salad? A: Serve room temperature or slightly chilled. It goes great with grilled chicken, fish, or on top of warm grains like farro. If you want a brighter touch add extra chopped basil or a squeeze of lemon before serving.

Green Bean And Feta Salad Recipe Substitutions and Variations

Green beans
- Blanched asparagus – similar snap and bite, trim and cook the same way
- Sugar snap peas – sweeter and crunchy, great raw or briefly blanched
- Broccolini – slightly bitter but pairs well with tomatoes and feta
Feta cheese
- Goat cheese (chèvre) – creamy, tangy and crumbles nicely
- Ricotta salata – milder and crumbly, less salty than feta
- Cotija or queso fresco – firmer, salty alternatives if you want a different flavor
Red wine vinegar
- White wine vinegar – lighter, same acidity and works great
- Apple cider vinegar – fruitier note, still bright enough for the dressing
- Fresh lemon juice – bright citrus kick, no vinegar aftertaste
Toasted almonds or pine nuts
- Toasted walnuts – earthier, chunkier crunch
- Pistachios – slightly sweet and adds a nice color pop
- Pumpkin or sunflower seeds – nut free option with good crunch

Pro Tips

– Pat the beans bone dry before you toss them in the bowl. If theyre even a little wet the dressing gets diluted and the whole salad goes limp, so really press them with a towel or let them sit on a rack a minute.

– Make the dressing ahead and hold some back. Whisk or shake it, taste, then add most of it and save a few tablespoons to brighten the salad at the end. Feta is salty so taste before you add extra salt.

– Watch the nuts when toasting, they go from golden to burnt fast. Toast till fragrant, cool completely, then chop to even sizes so every bite has crunch.

– Keep the tomatoes and onions last-minute players. If you dont want extra juice, salt the tomatoes briefly and drain or just add them right before serving, and soak thin onion slices in cold water for milder bite then dry well.

Green Bean And Feta Salad Recipe

Recipe by Toni Baldesera

0.0 from 0 votes

I’m sharing Green Bean Salad With Cherry Tomatoes And Feta, an easy summer salad that makes the most of fresh green beans and tomatoes and stays crisp and sturdy at picnics and potlucks.

Servings

servings

Calories

273

kcal

Equipment: 1. large pot for boiling salted water
2. big bowl for ice water to shock the beans
3. colander or large strainer to drain and dry the beans
4. chef’s knife plus cutting board for trimming beans, halving tomatoes and slicing onion
5. large mixing bowl to combine the salad
6. whisk or a jar with a tight lid to emulsify or shake the dressing (if you hate whisking just shake)
7. small dry skillet to toast almonds or pine nuts
8. measuring spoons and cups, and salad tongs or a big spoon for tossing and serving

Ingredients

1 lb (450 g) fresh green beans, trimmed
1 pint (300–350 g) cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
6 oz (170 g) feta cheese, crumbled
1 small red onion, thinly sliced
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 cup fresh basil or parsley, chopped
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1/4 cup toasted almonds or pine nuts, optional

Directions

Trim the ends off the green beans and cut any long ones in half so theyre a similar size.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and set out a big bowl of ice water. This keeps the beans bright green.
Blanch the beans 2 to 4 minutes until bright green and just tender but still with a bite, then plunge them into the ice water to stop cooking. Drain and pat dry.
While the beans cook, halve the cherry tomatoes, thinly slice the red onion, and crumble the feta. If you want milder onion flavor, soak the slices in cold water for 5 minutes then drain.
Make the dressing: whisk together the olive oil, red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, minced garlic, salt and pepper until emulsified. If you hate whisking, put everything in a jar, screw the lid on and shake hard.
Toast the almonds or pine nuts in a dry skillet over medium heat until fragrant and lightly golden, shaking the pan a lot so they dont burn. Chop if the pieces are too big.
In a large bowl combine the blanched beans, tomatoes, sliced onion, crumbled feta and chopped basil or parsley.
Pour most of the dressing over the salad and toss gently to coat. Taste and add more salt, pepper or a splash more vinegar if it needs brightness. Dont overdress since the tomatoes release juice.
Scatter the toasted nuts over the salad and give one final gentle toss, or just sprinkle them on top for crunch.
Serve at room temperature or chilled. This salad keeps well for picnics so you can make the dressing and toast the nuts a day ahead, toss everything together right before serving for best texture.

Notes

Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.