A Delicious Summertime Salad: Mediterranean Green Bean Salad

feta cheese

🥗Healthier: goat cheese

💰Cheaper: ricotta

Goat cheese offers a tangy flavor with fewer calories.

black olives

🥗Healthier: green olives

💰Cheaper: canned olives

Canned olives are often less expensive and readily available.

Trim the ends of the string beans, leaving them whole or cutting them into thirds if preferred.

Bring a pot of water to a boil and season it with salt.

Boil the string beans for 8 to 10 minutes until crisp but tender.

Transfer the string beans to a bowl filled with ice water to stop the cooking process and retain their color.

Prepare the dressing by whisking together balsamic vinegar, extra virgin Greek olive oil, honey, ground garlic, salt, and pepper.

Remove the string beans from the ice water and pat them dry with a paper towel, leaving some moisture.

Pour half of the dressing over the string beans and toss to coat.

Chop the grape tomatoes and add them to the bowl with the string beans.

Chop the pitted kalamata olives and add them to the mixture.

Chop about 1/3 of a bell pepper and add it to the bowl.

Finely chop some red onion and add it to the salad.

Chop toasted walnuts and add them to the mixture, which were toasted in a 350°F oven for about 7 minutes.

Add figs to the salad, or substitute with another dried fruit like cranberries if preferred.

Finely chop fresh mint and add it to the salad, or substitute with basil or dill if desired.

Crumble feta cheese over the salad and mix everything together with the remaining dressing.

Transfer the salad to a serving platter or bowl and serve.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Dietary

Allergens