Green bean salad with coriander salsa verde

Create a fresh and tasty green bean salad

It’s not easy being green but it sure can be tasty. This is a popular side dish at Thanksgiving in the US, thanks to the fresh green beans cutting through the richness of the other dishes. In the same way, this fresh green beans recipe is ideal to serve alongside a hearty Christmas dinner as a refreshing side. 

Green beans are available year-round. However, seasonally they are at their best during summer and autumn, making them perfect as a Christmas salad and side dish or to complement your summer BBQ menu.

Due to the simplicity of this salad, it works well as a side with a variety of different protein choices, from tender chicken breast to a lean steak, or even a marinated tofu steak. 

Simply the best ingredients for this green bean salad recipe 

The true star of this green beans salad is the namesake – the green beans. Buying fresh beans during summer will ensure they are at their best. There are a few different types of beans for this salad, including French beans, butter beans (though they’re not green) or snake beans. 

When choosing ingredients for this fresh bean salad you’ll want to find the best blemish-free beans with a vibrant green colour. Avoid any with brown spots and make sure to trim the ends. The simplest way to trim beans is to line them up in a uniform manner on a chopping board. Slice the ends off together, then flip them around and line them up again to slice the other ends. You can also snap the ends off by hand if preferred. 

Looking for more entertaining ideas? This collection of our best salad recipes are shining stars of the salad world.

Top tips for how to cook green beans

When it comes to cooking green beans it’s important to blanch them for a brief time only to ensure they are slightly tender yet somewhat crisp. Soggy beans don’t make for a particularly appealing salad.

A hot tip for how long to boil green beans is to make sure to keep it to 2-3 minutes, and a cold water bath is essential to ensure they do not overcook and maintain that perfect crunch when bitten into. 

The zesty salsa verde dressing is packed with flavour thanks to the fish sauce and anchovies that impart a lovely umami punch. Whilst salsa verde is of Spanish origins, with its direct translation being ‘green sauce’, our interpretation brings Asian-inspired flavours thanks to the classic sweet/salty/spicy/umami combo that works perfectly with the freshness of coriander and green beans. 

If salsa verde is not to your taste you could try these green beans with a cherry vinaigrette instead.

Green bean salad ideas for serving

When it comes to serving your fresh green bean salad, it's recommended to present it on a large platter at the centre of the table for everyone to dish up themselves. If serving this recipe at a BBQ or picnic, you’ll want to choose a plastic or appropriate picnic platter, but for a Christmas lunch or dinner party, why not dust off your finest platters and turn them into a real showpiece?

This recipe calls for a garnish of chopped chillies and sliced spring onions, however, it would work as well with a garnish of sliced nuts or extra coriander and mint.