Fresh Green Bean Salad

Green bean salad with red onions, cucumber, sliced cherry tomatoes, and dressing in a blue bowl.

5 from 2 votes

This fresh green bean salad recipe uses cucumbers, tomatoes, onions, and a yummy oil-free white balsamic dressing for a 20-minute vegan side salad that's simple to make.

Prep Time15

Cook Time5

Total Time20

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Diet: Low Fat, Vegan

Servings:

Calories: 74kcal

Author: Denise Perrault

Ingredients

1 pound green beans 3 cups, trimmed and cut into bite-sized pieces
1 large cucumber sliced lengthwise, deseeded, and sliced thin
1 medium red onion cut in half and sliced or chopped
2 cups cherry tomatoes sliced in half
¼ cup white balsamic vinegar see notes for substitutions
3 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons date paste or maple syrup
salt and black pepper to taste

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

After cutting them, add a steamer basket to a pot and enough water that it doesn't overflow the bottom of the steamer. Cover the pot and heat on medium-high heat until the water starts to boil. Add the green beans, cover the pot, and steam them for 1-2 minutes. They should turn bright green and be tender, yet crispy when taste tested.
Transfer the beans from the steamer basket to a colander and run cold water over them to stop the cooking process. Let them dry in the colander while you prep the rest of the ingredients.
Toss the beans, onions, cucumbers, and tomatoes into a medium salad bowl.
Mix the vinegar, lemon juice, and date paste (or maple syrup) in a small bowl.
Add the dressing, then let the salad rest for 10 minutes.
Taste and add salt and/or black pepper as desired. Toss right before serving.

Notes

Store the leftover salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 days. Stir before reserving.
If you use frozen green beans, steam them (unthawed) for 1 minute until they soften. Rinse and dry them before adding them to the salad.
The best substitute for white balsamic vinegar is red balsamic (it will change the color slightly) or white wine or rice wine vinegar.
To make green bean dressing without date paste, soak 2 pitted dates in boiling water for 10 minutes. Drain the dates and blend them with the white balsamic and lemon juice. Use a spice grinder or small blender.

Nutrition