Cold Green Bean Salad With Tomatoes and Corn

Cold green bean salad with tomatoes and corn is a crisp, colorful summer side that's ready in 30 minutes. Tender green beans, sweet cherry tomatoes, golden corn, and salty feta are tossed with a tangy Dijon vinaigrette for fresh flavor in every bite. It's make-ahead friendly, perfect for BBQs, picnics, and summer cookouts, and pairs beautifully with grilled steak, chicken, or ribs.

I had a friend whose idea of an easy summer green bean salad meant draining canned green beans and dousing them in bottled Italian salad dressing for an Italian green bean salad. The memory of those drab, soggy beans as a green bean salad still makes me grimace. When summer vegetables are at their best, make a fresh green bean salad.

Why You'll Love This Cold Green Bean Salad

• Colorful & crunchy - made with fresh summer produce.
• Veggie-packed - a delicious way to eat more vegetables.
• Make-ahead friendly - dress just before serving.
• Flexible serving - enjoy chilled or at room temperature.
• Goes by other names - also called string bean salad.

Since most of us eat green beans year round, try these 12 ways to dress up green beans to keep thing interesting.

Recipe Ingredients

Salad

• Green beans: For a cold green bean salad I prefer the tender baby green beans called by their French name, haricot verts. Blue Lake green beans are a favorite too. Get the freshest green beans at the market, bright green, no spots. Take time to really pick out good ones from a bin or look at the packaged options. If the beans are very long, you can cut them in 2-3 pieces for the salad.
• Tomatoes: Choose sweet grape tomatoes or cherry tomatoes and get a variety of colors for more eye appeal.
• Corn kernels: Get fresh corn on the cob or buy the frozen roasted corn kernels and thaw them.
• Onion: Slice slivers of red onion or thinly slice shallots into rings.
• Feta cheese: Buy either a block and cube or get the already crumbled to save time. See cheese options below. For vegan or dairy-free diners, skip the cheese or serve it on the side.
• Herbs: Herbs are optional. Mint is a nice twist or use fresh oregano or parsley.

French Vinaigrette

• Extra virgin olive oil: For the easy tangy vinaigrette dressing.
• Vinegar: Use red wine vinegar, apple cider vinegar, or white wine vinegar. Lemon juice is great too.
• Garlic: Fresh is best. Grate it on a microplane zester so it disappears into the dressing (optional).
• Mustard: For the vinaigrette, creamy Dijon is the best. Provides great flavor and emulsifies the dressing.

Please see the recipe card for measurements and seasoning.

For another terrific vegetable medley, try this colorful vegetable mix with zucchini, sweet bell peppers, corn, herbs and garlic.

Chef's Tip: How do you make red onions milder for salad? To make red onions milder, slice them and soak in cold water for 10 minutes, then drain and dry before adding to your salad. This reduces their pungent bite. In a hurry, rinse them well under cold water.

Cold Green Bean Salad Variations & Substitutions

This salad is flexible and easy to adapt to your taste or what's in your kitchen. Here are some simple swaps to try:

• Change up the cheese - swap feta for goat cheese, blue cheese, or gorgonzola.
• Add briny flavor - toss in pitted Kalamata olives.
• Add crunch - chopped walnuts, sliced almonds, or pine nuts work beautifully.
• Flavor the vinaigrette - try lemon, basil, or rosemary-infused olive oil.
• Go balsamic - use balsamic vinegar for a simple vinaigrette, or make a rich balsamic glaze for extra depth.
• Grill the corn - adds smoky sweetness. Here's how to grill corn on the cob.
• Dress it right - use your favorite vinaigrette or try my homemade Italian dressing. It beats bottled and works with leafy greens, too.
• Switch the tomatoes - use oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes instead of fresh, cut into strips if whole.

Recipe Instructions

While a large pot of water is coming to a boil over high heat, set up a a large bowl of ice water. Trim the green beans if needed and make the homemade dressing. Either whisk it together in a small bowl or shake it in a jar. For a creamy dressing, make it in the blender as the Dijon mustard emulsifies it.

Serving Suggestions

Can you serve cold green bean salad at room temperature? Yes - this salad is delicious served either chilled or at room temperature.

Cold green bean salad is a terrific side dish for barbecued meats, ribs, poultry, and fish. It's easy and healthy for picnics, summer cookouts, and tailgating.

For an extra flourish, scatter fresh chopped mint or chives over the top before serving and pass extra vinaigrette if desired. Any leftover vinaigrette can be used for green salads or as a marinade for grilled chicken or shrimp.

How to Store Cold Green Bean Salad

How long does cold green bean salad last? Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Even if dressed, the hearty vegetables hold up well without getting soggy.

Recipe FAQs

More Summer Veggie Side Dish Recipes

For another complimentary salad, try this Mediterranean potato salad with lemon, capers and herbs.

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📖 Recipe

Cold Green Bean Salad with Tomatoes and Corn

Sally Cameron

This colorful green bean salad is a great side dish for barbecued meat, poultry and fish. Serve chilled, and its easy and healthy summer cookouts, picnics and tailgating. For a vegan version, leave out the feta.

5 from 4 votes

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 10 minutes mins

Total Time 25 minutes mins

Course Green Beans, Salad, Side Dish

Cuisine American

Servings 6 servings

Calories 299 kcal

Equipment

• ▢
  Large pot 5-6 quarts

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

Classic Vinaigrette

• ▢ 9 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil ½ cup + 1 tablespoon
• ▢ 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar
• ▢ 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• ▢ 1 large garlic clove finely chopped and smeared, or zested
• ▢ ½ teaspoon honey optional but tames the tartness
• ▢ ⅛ teaspoon sea salt
• ▢ ⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper

Green Bean Salad

• ▢ 16 ounces baby green beans or regular green beans haricot vert
• ▢ 8 ounces sweet grape or cherry tomatoes in mixed colors
• ▢ 4-6 ounces feta cheese crumbled or cubes
• ▢ 2 ears corn on the cob or 9 ounces of corn kernels, 1 ¾ cups
• ▢ ¼ red onion
• ▢ Fresh chopped mint, chives or herbs optional garnish
• ▢ 4 tablespoons kosher salt for blanching

Instructions

 

Cook beans and corn

• Put a big pot of cold water on to boil, adding 1 tablespoon of kosher salt per quart of water for blanching. This seasons the vegetables (and you don't consume all that salt so don't worry.) Ready a large bowl filled with half ice and half cold water to shock the green beans after cooking. This stops the cooking process and keeps the beans bright green.
• While water is coming to a boil, halve the tomatoes and thinly slice the red onion. Add the red onion to a small bowl of cold water and soak for 10-15 minutes. Drain and dry on a paper towel.
• When water is boiling, cook corn first for 3 minutes. Remove the cobs, drain and cool, the slice the kernels off of the cobs. Keep water boiling.

  Next cook the green beans in the same pot for 5 minutes or until just tender, then remove immediately to the ice water. Drain and dry. If beans are long, cut them in 2-3 pieces.

Make vinaigrette

• Add oil, vinegar, Dijon, honey, garlic, salt and pepper to a jar and shake well ir add to a bowl and whisk until smooth. Garlic tip: Use a microplane zester to get it really fine so you have no bit of raw garlic in your dressing. Alternatively chop fine and smear into a paste with the back of your chef's knife.
• When ready to serve, add the green, tomatoes, corn, onion, and feta to a large bowl. Toss with a few tablespoons of the vinaigrette. Add nuts and herbs is using. Pass extra dressing at the table.

Notes

Substitutions and variations: 

• Swap sun dried tomatoes for fresh
• Use a Balsamic vinaigrette or Balsamic glaze
• Add nuts: walnuts, almonds, pine nuts

Nutritional note: the calculation includes all of the vinaigrette and it makes extra. Use any extra vinaigrette for green salads or try it as a marinade for grilled chicken breasts or shrimp.

Nutrition

Calories: 299kcalCarbohydrates: 14gProtein: 6gFat: 26gSaturated Fat: 6gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 16gTrans Fat: 0.002gCholesterol: 17mgSodium: 297mgPotassium: 352mgFiber: 3gSugar: 6gVitamin A: 844IUVitamin C: 20mgCalcium: 130mgIron: 1mg

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Chef Sally

Sally is a professionally trained chef, certified health coach, and recipe developer with 20+ years of culinary experience. She shares healthy, flavorful recipes made with fresh, whole ingredients - naturally gluten-free and easily adaptable for special diets so everyone can eat well and feel their best. Her recipes have been featured in two New York Times bestselling cookbooks. Join Sally's email list for seasonal recipes, cooking tips, and fresh ideas straight to your inbox.