Italian Green Bean Salad is a delicious and easy recipe using fresh green beans, cherry tomatoes, and red onion. Tossed in a simple dressing, this is a great salad to have during the summer months or any time of the year!
If you are looking for a way to use your fresh green beans, you have to give this simple Italian green bean salad recipe a try. Made with just a few ingredients, this is a great cold salad recipe to have on hand and pairs perfectly with any main course or grilled meats.
Serve this salad with Italian Chicken Cutlets, or it would be a delicious side for this Authentic Italian Braciole recipe. If you love to grill, try these Chicken Kabobs or Balsamic Chicken Marinade. For more delicious sides, try my Italian Potato Salad, or Pesto Pasta Salad recipes!
The Best Italian Green Bean Salad!
This Italian Green Bean Salad was a staple at my family gatherings growing up and I’m excited to share it with you. It’s a simple recipe using fresh vegetables and perfect when green beans are in season.
I love to have this salad on hand because it’s easy to make and a great make-ahead dish. It’s the perfect side dish because it goes well with any meal and is great served cold or at room temperature.
This is a great recipe to serve immediately but keeps well for the next day. Plus, it’s customizable and you can add in whatever other fresh vegetables or marinated vegetables you have on hand.
My tested and perfect recipe for Italian Green Bean Salad is my favorite way to prepare fresh beans. It’s a great addition to your summer table and is the perfect Italian green bean recipe!
Ingredients
- Green Beans: use fresh green beans with the tops and bottoms trimmed off.
- Cherry Tomatoes: you can use halved cherry tomatoes or smaller whole grape tomatoes.
- Red Onion: a bit of red onion adds a great crunch and bite to the salad.
- Garlic: minced garlic adds great flavor to the Italian green bean salad.
- Olive Oil: use a good quality extra virgin olive oil.
- Vinegar: red wine vinegar adds a great acid to the salad. You can use balsamic vinegar or lemon juice if you’d like.
- Basil: I like to finish off this salad with chopped fresh basil but you can use whatever fresh herbs you have.
How to Make Italian Green Bean Salad
Italian Green Bean Salad comes together in just minutes. However, I recommend making it at least 30 minutes in advance of when you plan to serve it so the flavors have time to marinade. You can even make it a day in advance then bring to room temperature before serving.
Cook the Green Beans
Trim the tops and bottoms off your green beans. Then, bring a pot of salted water to boil. Drop the green beans in the water and let them simmer for 4-5 minutes, or until tender.
Use a slotted spoon to remove the green beans from the water and then immediately drop them into a large bowl of ice water. The cold water ice bath will stop them from cooking and keep them a vibrant green color.
Remove from water to a paper towel or kitchen towel and pat dry.
Make the Dressing
This simple dressing is just a combination of olive oil, vinegar, minced garlic, salt and pepper. Whisk the ingredients together well. You can also place the ingredients in a glass jar and shake the dressing to combine.
Prepare the Salad
In a large bowl combine the green beans with the tomatoes and red onion. Pour on the vinegar dressing and toss gently. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Before serving, bring to room temperature (or cold) and top with chopped fresh basil or whatever other herbs you are using.
Recipe Tips
- Blanching the green beans in ice water will stop the cooking process and leave the beans tender and not mushy. Plus, it keeps the green beans a beautiful green color.
- For best flavor, let the cold green bean salad marinate for at least 30 minutes before serving.
- If making ahead, let the salad warm up slightly at room temperature before serving. Toss again before serving.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to four days.
More Italian Side Dishes
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Italian Green Bean Salad
Ingredients
- 1 pound fresh green beans, trimmed
- ½ cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- ¼ cup red onion, thinly sliced
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- kosher salt and black pepper to taste
- fresh basil to garnish, optional
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Add in the green beans and cook for about 4-5 minutes, until tender. Drain and immediately rinse with cold water to stop cooking. Pat dry.
- In a large bowl, combine the cooled green beans, red onion, and cherry tomatoes.
- To make the dressing, in a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, minced garlic, and salt and pepper to taste. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss to coat.
- Let the salad sit for at least 15-30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld (optional but recommended). Serve with torn fresh basil before serving.
Notes
- You can add a variety of different ingredients to customize this recipe such as capers or olives. Garnish with feta or Parmesan cheese for extra flavor.
- For best flavor, let the cold green bean salad marinate for at least 30 minutes before serving.
- f making ahead, let the salad warm up slightly at room temperature then toss again before serving.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to four days.
