Marinated Green Bean Salad

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This Marinated Green Bean Salad bursts with fresh flavors and bright summer colors. It’s the perfect chilled side salad, marinated for 4 hours to create a tangy and savory bowl of vegetables with grated parmesan. 

Enjoy this make-ahead cold green bean salad at parties, potlucks, barbecues, or a July 4th Cookout whenever you need a healthy and delicious vegetable salad.  

This light and fresh Green Bean Salad is certain to become one of your Side Dish Recipes. What can I say, it’s irresistible!

Pair it with your favorite main dish, such as Steak Fajita Roll-Ups, Chicken Fajita Stuffed Peppers, Baked BBQ Chicken, or BBQ Chicken Kabobs. It will go along well with your favorite sides such as Cilantro Lime Rice, Classic Pasta Salad, or Potato Salad for a picnic.

Table of Contents

• Why You’ll Love This Recipe
• Why This Recipe Works
• What You’ll Need To Make This Recipe
• 🍽 Equipment
• 🥘 Ingredients
• 🔪  How To Make Marinated Green Bean Salad
• 💭 Recipe Tips
• 📖 Variations
• 🥗 What To Serve With Marinated Green Bean Salad
• FAQs
• More Recipes
• Recipe
• Reviews

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Side or Light Meal. This cold green bean salad can be enjoyed as a delicious side dish or be turned into a light main meal by adding shredded tuna or grilled chicken!
• Potluck Friendly. This fresh green bean salad is ideal for potlucks and parties, served chilled or at room temperature. Since the recipe doesn’t include cream-based ingredients, you don’t need to worry about it turning bad while sitting out. 
• Make Ahead Dish. Marinating this green bean salad makes this recipe a make-ahead dish – add the tomatoes and sliced onions, and you’re done!  
• Green Bean Side Dish Variety: This is a great side dish with crisp-tender green beans, not a typical green bean casserole recipe.

Why This Recipe Works

• Easy Instructions. This marinated green bean salad includes step-by-step instructions with photos for making the salad from start to end. There's no complicated process involved.  
• Inexpensive. These inexpensive salad ingredients are readily available in your local grocery store.
• Same Day Marinade. Marinate this salad in the morning, so it’s ready to be served for lunch or an early dinner. 
• Recipe Tips Included. I've included helpful recipe tips and tricks for making this super easy green bean salad. If you have any of your own, please share them in the comments section below!
• Tried and True. This marinated green bean salad is a regular side dish I've made over the years for summer cookouts and midweek family meals which means that you can trust my suggestions in this recipe post. 
• Customizable. Recipe variations are included if you want to mix things up, keeping things interesting for yourself and the family. 
• Serving Suggestions. Serving suggestions are provided in this recipe that you can use to enjoy this fresh green bean salad to the maximum!

What You’ll Need To Make This Recipe

🍽 Equipment

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• Large Salad Bowl
• Salad Bowls
• Salad Tongs For Serving
• Salad Dressing Shaker

🥘 Ingredients

Below, I discuss the ingredients and possible substitutions if you don't have a specific ingredient. However, if you are looking for the specific measurements of each ingredient, scroll down to the bottom of this article, just above the comments, for the printable recipe card, which includes all the ingredients and the specific amounts of each one.

• Green beans. I’ve used trimmed fresh green beans, but you could use frozen green beans or even canned green beans. Frozen green beans will require even less cooking time since they have already been blanched. 
• Olive oil. Since this recipe combines a simple marinade, high-quality olive oil is key to enhancing flavor. Avocado oil or neutral-tasing oil such as corn oil or sunflower oil can be used too. 
• Red wine vinegar. This is an excellent choice for robust salads like this green bean salad, providing a strong flavor. If you don’t have red wine vinegar, you can easily mix white wine vinegar with a splash of red wine. Lemon or lime juice is also a good substitute for red wine vinegar. 
• Garlic. Freshly minced garlic will create a bolder flavor, but you can use pre-minced garlic instead. 
• Dijon mustard. Yellow mustard can be used instead if you're in a pinch. 
• Salt. I’ve used kosher salt, but fine sea salt or table salt will also be suitable.
• Black pepper. Freshly cracked black pepper or ground black pepper. 
• Red onion. Thinly sliced. These are great salad onions. 
• Tomatoes. Smaller tomatoes, cut in half, such as cherry tomatoes, are delicious. You could also use grape and heirloom tomatoes for a burst of yellow color.  
• Parmesan cheese. Freshly grated parmesan cheese from a block of cheese will always taste better than pre-shredded. Crumbled feta and mozzarella pearls/balls are also delicious options! 

🔪  How To Make Marinated Green Bean Salad

How To Cook The Green Beans

• Place the green beans in a large stock pot. Cover the green beans with water 2 inches above the beans. Place on the stove over high heat, and bring to a boil.

How Long To Blanche The Green Beans

• Once at a boil, lower the heat to medium and simmer for 5 minutes. Strain and set aside.

How To Make The Green Bean Salad Vinaigrette

• In a large bowl whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, garlic, dijon, salt, and pepper.

How Long To Marinate The Green Beans

• Add the warm green beans and onion, toss to coat.
• Cover the bowl with the green bean salad with plastic wrap.
• Place in the refrigerator to chill for 4 hours or longer if you can.

What To Add To The Green Bean Salad Before Serving

• Before serving add the tomatoes and cheese, toss to combine, and serve immediately

💭 Recipe Tips

• Type of Oil. If you change the type of oil used in the salad marinade, ensure it doesn’t clash with the red wine vinegar. Walnut oil, for example, has a strong nutty flavor that can conflict with vinegar.
• Same Day Make Ahead. Since this green bean salad requires time to marinate, it's a great side salad to make ahead of time. You can prepare it in the morning to enjoy for lunch or allow a longer marinating time and serve it for dinner.
• Don’t Overcook. The green beans mustn’t be overcooked, as this salad is incredibly delicious when the beans are still slightly crunchy. An excellent way to stop the beans from cooking further is to run them under cold water or dump them into a bowl of ice water for a minute or two right after cooking. 
• Mellow Onions. While I love the thinly sliced red onions in this salad, they tend to have a strong flavor. You can mellow the flavor by soaking the sliced onion in ice water for 15-20 minutes.   

📖 Variations

• Type of Green Beans. I've used fresh green beans that have been trimmed, as they tend to have the most flavor. If you don't have access to fresh green beans, use frozen green beans as a second choice, followed by canned green beans. Frozen green beans will require even less cooking time since they have already been blanched. 
• Type of Oil. I love using olive oil in salad dressings and when cooking. The fragrance of olive blends beautifully with raw vegetables. If you'd like to use a different oil, I suggest one that's neutral, such as corn oil, or sunflower oil. 
• Add Texture. Add some extra crunch with nuts such as pecans, sliced almonds, or seeds. 
• Add Protein. Turn this marinated green bean salad into a main meal by adding some shredded tuna, grilled chicken, hard-boiled eggs, or crumbled bacon.  
• Double It. Consider doubling the ingredients if you’re serving a crowd – it’s that easy!
• Vary The Vegetables. Add in other veggies such as asparagus (which should be cooked the same way as the green beans), bell peppers, corn, and garbanzo beans.
• More Cheese Please. Mozzarella pearls/balls or crumbled feta cheese are delicious alternatives or additions to the grated parmesan cheese. 
• Fresh Herbs. Give this green bean salad a further flavor boost by adding in some chopped fresh basil or oregano. 
• Additional Flavor. Try adding a squeeze of fresh lemon juice or a splash of balsamic vinegar to the recipe for even more flavor.

🥗 What To Serve With Marinated Green Bean Salad

This marinated green bean salad is the perfect side dish to serve with most main meals, including roasts, grilled meats, meatloaf, hamburgers, fried chicken, and casseroles. It’s a great option if your meal needs a boost of healthy, fresh vegetables. 

FAQs

How Do I Store Leftover Marinated Green Bean Salad?

This green bean salad can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. 

How Long Can Green Beans Last In The Fridge?

If green beans are properly stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator, they can last up to 4 days.

Can I Freeze Marinated Green Bean Salad?

Yes, you can freeze this marinated green bean salad in a freezer-safe airtight container for up to 3 months.

Is This Recipe Vegan-Friendly?

The only ingredient that prevents this cold green bean salad from being vegan-friendly is the parmesan cheese, which you can easily omit. Instead, sprinkle some nutritional yeast over the salad for a cheesy flavor. 

Can I Make Marinated Green Bean Salad Ahead of Time?

Absolutely! This veggie salad is already somewhat of a make-ahead dish since it requires at least 4 hours of marinating time in the refrigerator. 

Ensure that you only add the cut tomatoes and sliced onion into the mix just before serving; otherwise, these ingredients will turn mushy while the beans marinate.

More Recipes

If you want more salad recipes, here are some of our favorite salads.

• Green Bean Potato Salad
• Chopped Vegetable Salad
• Broccoli Salad
• Ramen Noodle Salad with Mandarin Oranges

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