Fresh and Flavorful Green Bean Pesto Salad Recipe to Try This Summer

Flavorful and refreshing Green Bean Pesto Salad.

Are you tired of the same old barbeque side dishes? Prepare to be blown away by the freshness and vibrancy of this sensationally fresh and seasonal summer green bean pesto salad recipe. I paired tender, crisp green beans with a homemade pesto vinaigrette that tastes like summer. This cold salad will add some freshness and innovation to your next outdoor gathering.

This salad truly blossomed from my deep passion for fresh, seasonal ingredients and the longing for a dish that tasted like summer itself. I envisioned something light, vibrant, and utterly refreshing – a joyful departure from the heavy, creamy sides that often populate barbecue tables. The turning point came as I looked at the overflowing bounty of fragrant basil in my garden; I knew its bright, herbaceous notes were exactly what was needed. My mission became simple: take a humble green bean and transform it, not just into a side dish, but into a celebration of peak-season flavor, perfectly encapsulated by that vibrant pesto vinaigrette.

Special Equipment:

Food processor or blender, sheet pan, stock pot, large bowl with an ice bath, strainer, skimmer, cheese grater or microplane

Tips for success: I encourage you to weigh your ingredients, in particular for the dressing, for optimal results. Note in this recipe that pine nuts are listed twice. They are in the pesto vinaigrette and whole in the salad for extra texture. You can roast them all together and divide them in half as needed.

Ingredients:

Pesto Vinaigrette

3 cloves of garlic

60 grams (2 ounces) or 2 cups of fresh basil leaves

90 grams (3ounces) or 3/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese

45 grams (1 1/2 ounces) or 1/4 cup of toasted pine nuts

125 ml (4 ounces) or 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1 Tablespoon red wine vinegar

salt to taste

Salad

680 grams (24 ounces) or (1 1/2lbs) slender green beans (haricots verts)

45 grams (1 1/2 ounces) or 1/4 cup of toasted pine nuts

280 grams (9 ounces) or 1 1/2 cups mixed red, yellow, and orange cherry tomatoes

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Chef's notes:

The key to success in this salad is to blanch the green beans and immediately shock them in an ice bath. Blanching and shocking green beans is a simple two-step process that dramatically improves their look and texture for salads. Briefly boiling them tenderizes them slightly, brightens their color to a vibrant green, and reduces any raw, grassy flavor. Immediately plunging them into an ice bath then stops the cooking process instantly, ensuring they retain their perfect crisp-tender texture and that beautiful, bright color is locked in, preventing them from becoming dull or mushy.

What is blanching?

Blanching is a simple yet effective technique that chefs use to ensure their vegetables stay bright green and have a nice, crisp bite – neither too mushy nor too raw. It's a skill that you can easily master, and it will elevate the visual appeal and texture of your green bean salad.

Dijon mustard, a pantry staple, can be found in most supermarkets. It is known for its smooth texture and distinct flavor, making it a popular choice for various culinary applications.

Dijon mustard is a popular ingredient in vinaigrettes because it acts as a powerful emulsifier, helping to bind oil and vinegar together to prevent separation. Additionally, its sharp, tangy, and slightly spicy flavor adds depth and brightness, enhancing the overall taste of the dressing. In this recipe, it is beneficial to keep the dressing consistent so that the oil does not separate.

Method:

Preheat your oven to 350°F. On a sheet pan, place your pine nuts. When the oven is heated, toast the pine nuts for about 5 minutes or until they begin to take on a little color, taking care not to burn them. About halfway through toasting, I recommend moving them around so that they toast more evenly. Set them aside to cool. Alternatively, you can toast the pine nuts in a sauté pan over medium heat, stirring constantly until toasted to a medium golden brown color.

Pine nuts, also known as pignoli or pignolia nuts, are the edible seeds of a certain species of pine trees. Commonly called "nuts" they are botanically seeds. They have a delicate, buttery flavor and a soft texture. Toasting them enhances their flavor.

In a large stockpot, add water and place it on the stove over high heat until it boils. In the meantime, trim the green beans so that the pointy ends and stems are removed, leaving the green beans intact. Set up your large bowl with a generous amount of ice and cold water so it's ready to go.

Pesto Vinaigrette....so fresh!

In the meantime, make your pesto vinaigrette. In a food processor or blender, place half of the cooled pine nuts (reserve the other half for the final salad), the cloves of garlic, basil, cheese, and about half of the oil, along with a generous pinch of salt. Pulse until the mixture begins to look homogenous. Add the remaining oil, vinegar, and Dijon mustard. Blend until emulsified and add salt to taste. Set the dressing aside.

Wash and cut the tomatoes in half and set them aside.

How to blanch your green beans:

In a stockpot, bring water to a boil. Place your trimmed green beans in for just a very short time. About 3 to 5 minutes. We're not trying to cook them to mush; we're just trying to wake up their color and make them more tender. This is not a good time to step away from the stove; you want to be there to get them cooked right in that perfect window. At the point that I think they may be done, I taste one to ensure it is the proper texture- easily pierced with a knife, but still offering some resistance.

Visual Cue: As the green beans blanch, you'll see them instantly turn a beautiful, vibrant green. This transformation is not just a sign of their perfect cooking, but also a feast for the eyes, adding a burst of color to your salad.

Shocking the beans in an ice bath after cooking preserves the color and texture of the beans.

The Ice Bath (Shocking): The moment you pull them out of the hot water, you immediately plunge them into a bowl of extremely cold, ice-filled water. This is called 'shocking' them. This step is super important because it immediately stops them from cooking further. If you just left them out, they'd keep getting softer and lose that bright green color. The ice bath locks in that perfect crisp texture and beautiful color, preserving the beans' freshness and vibrancy. Once the green beans feel cold all the way through, drain the cold water. I also use this technique to pre-cook my Thanksgiving green beans, but that's another recipe.

In essence, blanching and shocking are a quick and effective way to prepare green beans that are perfectly cooked, visually appealing, and contribute to the overall success of your salad.

At this point, your green beans should be perfectly cooked and drained of excess water. Your pesto vinaigrette should be complete, the tomatoes should be halved, and your pine nuts should be toasted. I like to cut my green beans into smaller pieces so that they are better bite-sized pieces (about 1 1/2 to 2 inches long,) or you could leave them long as pictured below. Cutting them shorter makes them less awkward to eat! In a large bowl, toss the green beans, vinaigrette, tomatoes, and pine nuts together until evenly coated—season with salt to taste. Store in an airtight container until ready to serve, or place immediately in a lovely serving platter.

The final product: perfectly cooked green beans, toasted pine nuts, grape tomatoes and the pesto vinaigrette-the perfect taste of summer.

This green bean salad, with its vibrant pesto vinaigrette, offers a refreshing escape from typical barbecue sides. It's a perfect choice for your next outdoor gathering or potluck, as it travels exceptionally well and brings a fresh, sensational twist to any spread. Happy Summer!