Green Bean Salad with Feta
on Mar 29, 2021, Updated Jul 08, 2024
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This Green Bean Salad with Feta uses fresh, crisp, green beans, salty feta and toasted sliced almonds. Everything is tossed together in a bright lemon vinaigrette. An easy and satisfying side dish to serve alongside your favorite protein!
Easter is next Sunday and if you need an easy side dish to go with your dinner then this Green Bean Salad with Feta is for you! Not only is it easy to make, but you only need seven ingredients to make it and you may already have a few of them.
This green bean salad can be prepped in advance so all you have to do before dinner is quickly assemble it. It’s crunchy, fresh and tastes great the next day too!
Ingredients needed to make green bean salad with feta
- green beans
- feta cheese
- sliced almonds
- lemon
- dijon mustard
- olive oil
- maple syrup or honey (optional)
How to make green bean salad
Blanch the green beans in salted water. Let them cook for about 5 minutes and then drain the plunge them into ice water. Once they’ve cooled remove them from the water into a strainer or onto a clean towel to let them dry.
In a small jar combine the lemon juice, mustard, maple syrup, olive oil, salt and pepper. Put the lid on the jar and shake until the vinaigrette is emulsified.
Put the dried green beans into a large serving bowl along with the crumbled feta and toasted almonds. Pour some of the vinaigrette over the salad and stir everything together. Taste for seasoning and add more salt, pepper, and vinaigrette to the salad as needed.
How to blanch green beans
If you aren’t familiar with blanching, it’s simply a cooking process in which you add vegetables to boiling salted water for several minutes and then immediately plunge them into ice water.
The boiling water softens the cell walls of the vegetable and tenderizes them. The ice water stops the cooking process and retains their crisp texture.
To blanch green beans, start by filling a large bowl with ice cubes and cold water, then set it aside. Next, fill a large pot with with water and a good amount of salt, think ocean water. Once the water comes to a boil add in the green beans.
Let them cook for 3-5 minutes. They should turn bright green. Either drain them or use a strainer to scoop them out of the boiling water and immediately plunge them into the ice water.
Let them hang out in the ice water for a few minutes until they’re no longer warm and then remove them. In the case of this green bean salad you’ll want to pat them dry with a clean dish towel so that the vinaigrette sticks to them.
Frequently asked questions
Can I make the salad ahead of time?
You can prep everything for the salad 1-2 days ahead of time, but don’t assemble until just before serving. You don’t want to add the lemon vinaigrette to the salad too far in advance or the almonds will get soft.
Can I use a different type of cheese?
Yes. Try swapping the feta with goat cheese. If you’re opposed to both of these cheeses try mini mozzarella balls.
More Spring Salads
Strawberry Spinach Quinoa Salad
Carrot Apple Salad with Yogurt Dressing
Green Bean Salad with Feta
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 pounds green beans ends trimmed
- 1/2 cup crumbled feta
- 1/4 cup sliced almonds toasted
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon maple syrup or honey optional
Instructions
- Fill a large with ice and cold water and set aside. Fill a large pot with water and bring it to a boil. Once boiling add a good amount of salt (about a tablespoon) to the water. Add in the green beans and cook for 3-5 minutes, they should turn bright green. Remove the green beans from the pot with a strainer and immediately plunge them into the ice water. Once they are no longer warm, remove them from the ice water onto a clean dish towel and pat them dry.
- Put the green beans into a serving bowl along with the the crumbled feta cheese and toasted almonds.ย
- In a small jar or glass measuring cup, add the lemon zest, juice, dijon, maple syrup, olive oil, salt and pepper. Shake or whisk until well combined. Pour some of the vinaigrette over the salad and stir everything together. Taste for seasoning and add more salt, pepper and vinaigrette to the salad as needed. You may find that you donโt need all of the vinaigrette, just save it for a different salad.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This is really good!
Glad you liked it!