Crispy Green Bean and Tomato Salad with Tangy Vinaigrette
Green bean and tomato salad with tangy vinaigrette is the perfect summer side dish. After making this many times, I’ve discovered the trick to keeping green beans crispy. Jump to the recipe or keep reading for my best tips. If you love recipes like this, you’ll also enjoy Easy Slow Cooker Beef and Cheddar Sandwiches Recipe and Easy Roasted Garlic Recipe Ready in 20 Minutes.
Why This Crispy Green Bean and Tomato Salad with Tangy Vinaigrette Is Pure Comfort
- Crispy green beans and juicy tomatoes
- Tangy vinaigrette with a hint of sweetness
- Easy to make and perfect for summer cookouts
- Better than takeout and healthier too
What You'll Need for Crispy Green Bean and Tomato Salad with Tangy Vinaigrette
Choosing the right ingredients makes a big difference, but this recipe is forgiving enough to work with what you have.
- 1 pound green beans, trimmed
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced
- 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- Optional: Fresh parsley, chopped
- Optional: Crumbled feta cheese
📝 Ingredient Notes
- green beans: Trim both ends of the green beans.
🛒 Tools & Equipment I Recommend
- Vegetable Steamer — Keeps green beans crispy and cooks them perfectly every time. → See on Amazon
- Immersion Blender — Makes emulsifying the vinaigrette a breeze. → See on Amazon
How to Make Crispy Green Bean and Tomato Salad with Tangy Vinaigrette
- Step 1: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add green beans and cook until tender-crisp, about 3 minutes. Drain and transfer to a bowl of ice water to cool. Drain and pat dry.
- Step 2: In a large bowl, combine green beans, tomatoes, and red onion.
- Step 3: In a small bowl, whisk together vinegar, olive oil, honey, mustard, salt, and pepper. Pour over green bean mixture and toss to combine.
- Step 4: Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to allow flavors to meld. Before serving, garnish with fresh parsley and crumbled feta cheese if desired.
Cook's Tips for Perfect Crispy Green Bean and Tomato Salad with Tangy Vinaigrette
- Common mistake and fix: Overcooking green beans will make them soggy. To prevent this, cook them for only 3 minutes and shock them in ice water.
- Pro tip: For a shortcut, use a vegetable steamer to cook the green beans perfectly every time.
- Pro tip: Make the vinaigrette in advance and store it in the refrigerator to allow the flavors to meld.
Storing & Reheating Crispy Green Bean and Tomato Salad with Tangy Vinaigrette
Short-Term Storage
Store in an airtight container in the fridge. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Make-ahead tip: This salad can be made up to 1 day in advance.
Freezing Crispy Green Bean and Tomato Salad with Tangy Vinaigrette
Not recommended for freezing.
How to Reheat Without Drying It Out
Oven: Not necessary, as this salad is best served cold. Microwave: Not necessary, as this salad is best served cold.
Recipe Notes
- Chef tip: For a spicy kick, add a pinch of red pepper flakes to the vinaigrette.
- Best substitution: Substitute cherry tomatoes with grape tomatoes or regular tomatoes cut into bite-sized pieces.
- Make-ahead: Prepare the vinaigrette up to 1 week in advance and store it in the refrigerator.
- Scaling: This recipe can easily be doubled or tripled for larger gatherings.
- Troubleshooting: If the vinaigrette is too tart, add a touch more honey to balance the flavors.
Want to level up this recipe?
Good quality olive oil — Using high-quality olive oil will enhance the flavor of the vinaigrette. → Check price on Amazon
Crispy Green Bean and Tomato Salad with Tangy Vinaigrette
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 1 pound green beans, trimmed
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced
Seasonings
- 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Optional Toppings
- Fresh parsley, chopped
- Crumbled feta cheese
Instructions
- Step 1: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add green beans and cook until tender-crisp, about 3 minutes. Drain and transfer to a bowl of ice water to cool. Drain and pat dry.
- Step 2: In a large bowl, combine green beans, tomatoes, and red onion.
- Step 3: In a small bowl, whisk together vinegar, olive oil, honey, mustard, salt, and pepper. Pour over green bean mixture and toss to combine.
- Step 4: Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to allow flavors to meld. Before serving, garnish with fresh parsley and crumbled feta cheese if desired.
Notes
- Chef tip: For a spicy kick, add a pinch of red pepper flakes to the vinaigrette.
- Best substitution: Substitute cherry tomatoes with grape tomatoes or regular tomatoes cut into bite-sized pieces.
- Make-ahead: Prepare the vinaigrette up to 1 week in advance and store it in the refrigerator.
- Scaling: This recipe can easily be doubled or tripled for larger gatherings.
- Troubleshooting: If the vinaigrette is too tart, add a touch more honey to balance the flavors.
Storage
- Fridge: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Freezer: Not recommended for freezing.
- Oven reheat: Not necessary, as this salad is best served cold.
- Microwave reheat: Not necessary, as this salad is best served cold.
- Make ahead: This salad can be made up to 1 day in advance.
Nutrition Per Serving
- Calories: 110
- Protein: 3g
- Fat: 5g
- Carbs: 14g
- Fiber: 4g
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 340mg
- Cholesterol: 0mg
- Sat. Fat: 1g
Nutritional values are estimates only. Actual values may vary by brand and portion size.
Crispy Green Bean and Tomato Salad with Tangy Vinaigrette FAQs
Yes, this salad can be made up to 1 day in advance. Store it in the refrigerator in an airtight container.
Overcooking green beans can make them soggy. To prevent this, cook them for only 3 minutes and shock them in ice water.
While you can use canned green beans, they will not have the same texture as fresh green beans. For the best results, use fresh green beans.
You can substitute red wine vinegar with white wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar. The flavor will be slightly different, but still delicious.
Yes, this salad is gluten-free. Just be sure to check the labels on any additional ingredients you use, such as feta cheese.
A Warm Final Note
I can’t wait for you to try Crispy Green Bean and Tomato Salad with Tangy Vinaigrette and see how effortlessly it comes together. When you make it, pop back here and leave a rating or share how it turned out — I love hearing from you!
