Cold Green Bean Salad with Tomatoes and Corn

Cold green bean salad with cherry tomatoes, corn, feta and red onion in a white bowl.

5 from 4 votes

Cold Green Bean Salad with Tomatoes and Corn

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.

Prep Time15

Cook Time10

Total Time25

Course: Green Beans, Salad, Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Servings: servings

Calories: 299kcal

Author: Sally Cameron

Equipment

Large pot 5-6 quarts

Ingredients

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