Fresh Green Bean Salad with Tomatoes Feta and Toasted Walnuts

Fresh Green Bean Salad with Tomatoes, Feta, and Toasted Walnuts! That is a long name for a salad............but this is a salad worthy of every letter used! Because it is delicious! Don't think the blanching process is not worth the trouble, this process is a cinch...

You will want to remember this salad in the summer when you have green beans coming off the vines daily. Just pick a colander full, get a pot of water on for the blanching process, and begin the magic. You will never eat a better green bean salad than this one, it is more than just delicious. It is mildly crunchy green beans, with sweet tomatoes, salty Feta, and a wonderful vinaigrette, not to mention the toasted walnuts mixed in.

This salad is so good that one year I made it using some frozen green beans we had put away from our garden. I let them thaw slowly in the refrigerator overnight, and just like when made with fresh green beans, it was wonderful. We love having more vegetables on the table for our meals, and a salad like Fresh Green Bean Salad with Tomatoes, Feta, and Toasted Walnuts is perfect. It is also one of the many non-lettuce salads we enjoy often.

This is simple, even the blanching step is a snap. Well OK, it is a snap now that we have an ice maker. To be honest, the blanching and chilling step would have been a reason for me to skip making this salad in previous times. Fortunately, I have matured! And worse than that confession, I would have missed out on this delicious salad! And to think I thought that I did not need an ice maker. But never fear if you are ice-maker-less. I have an alternative plan all worked out!

With no ice maker or ice on hand, simply drain and cover with cold water. In 2 or 3 minutes, drain and cover again with cold water. Repeat the waiting time, then drain well and spread on a shallow baking pan, and set in the freezer. Set a timer for 10 minutes. At that point, your green beans should be cold and you can finish the salad! And also the way I would have proceeded without an ice maker...

Some thoughts on this recipe:

While it is best served fresh, leftovers are quite delicious. You may notice a softening in the green beans and walnuts.

Try substituting Hazelnuts and Blue Cheese for a completely different salad!

Ingredients needed for this recipe:

fresh green beans
grape or cherry tomatoes
onion
oil
red wine vinegar
garlic salt
salt
pepper
mustard, ballpark style is fine
sugar
Feta cheese
toasted walnuts

You will also need the following:

large pan with lid
measuring cups
measuring spoons
cutting board
kitchen knife
colander
whisk
large mixing bowl
large platter or serving dish

Now we are ready to begin!

Fresh Green Bean Salad with Tomatoes, Feta, and Toasted Walnuts
adapted from: Mel's Kitchen Cafe

1 pound fresh green beans - you could use more there is plenty of dressing
1 c halved grape or cherry tomatoes
1 T minced onion

1/4 c oil - I used avocado oil
3 T red wine vinegar
1/8 t garlic salt
1/8 t salt - plus additional salt for blanching
fresh ground pepper to taste
1/4 t sugar
1/4 t prepared mustard - I used plain old deli-style yellow

1/4 -1/2 c Feta cheese crumbles
1/4 - 1/2 c broken toasted walnut pieces

Blanching process:

Bring a large pan of water to a rolling boil.
Add 1 T salt.
Set timer for 5 minutes.

Add green beans, and cover the large pan with a lid.
Stand and watch the pot, as soon as a rolling boil is reached, remove the lid.

Let boil, stirring constantly to keep beans moving.
When the timer sounds, drain in a colander in the sink.

Cover the green beans with ice and cold water to chill quickly.

When chilled, drain well

Assemble the salad:

Combine dressing ingredients in a large mixing bowl, whisk to mix together.

Add tomatoes, and stir to coat the tomatoes with dressing.

Add green beans, and stir to combine the ingredients well.

Add the crumbled Feta, stir one more time.

Arrange on a serving platter, scatter walnut pieces over the top. And serve.

Storage options for Fresh Green Bean Salad with Tomatoes, Feta, and Toasted Walnuts. Store covered in the refrigerator for up to three days. You will find a change in texture, but the delicious taste will remain!

UPDATE: For your convenience, a "copy and paste" version of Fresh Green Bean Salad with Tomatoes, Feta, and Toasted Walnuts has been included below.

#wholefoodingredients

#scratchmadefoodforyourfamily

Featured recipe at:

Scratch Made Food! & DIY Homemade Household featured at Senior Salon Pit Stop Link-up!

Scratch Made Food! & DIY Homemade Household featured at Full Plate Thursday Link-up and Blog Hop.

Scratch Made Food! & DIY Homemade Household featured at Grammy's Grid Link-up and Blog Hop.

Scratch Made Food! & DIY Homemade Household is featured at A Morning Cup of Joe Link-up.

Thanks for stopping by!

We offer new and delicious recipes as well as DIY ideas for your home, regularly. Feel free to drop us an email request for any question or recipe you may be looking for. In addition, like all our guests, we invite you to come for a visit again and again for new recipes, and my down-home take on frugal ways to keep your home in tip top shape.

Hey you, don’t miss a post! Please consider following Scratch Made Food! & DIY Homemade Household. To follow by email, and/or by RSS feed, complete the application located on the right-hand side of the blog. Please Note, some posts may contain affiliate links, thank you for supporting Scratch Made Food! & DIY Homemade Household.

PS, friends, and family who love good food and household ideas might love us too! Tell them about us, and thanks for the referral!

You may also enjoy, Creative writing from the heart... stories of life, living, and family.

Scratch Made Food! & DIY Homemade Household proudly shares with these generous link parties featured here.

Printable "copy and paste" version:

Fresh Green Bean Salad with Tomatoes, Feta, and Toasted Walnuts
adapted from: Mel's Kitchen Cafe