Green Bean Salad With Peppadew Peppers

Why We Love This Recipe

We really love iconic picnic-perfect summertime salads. Take for example our wildly popular Best Macaroni Salad and Deviled Egg Potato Salad recipes… Everyone loves these classic refreshing, hearty, and super satisfying dishes. This cold green bean salad recipe is another fantastic make-ahead for summer parties and potlucks! Simply blanche the green beans in boiling water to intensify the color and make the beans slightly soft. Then toss them with sweet peppadew peppers, cherry tomatoes, mozzarella balls, and a simple vinaigrette dressing. It takes less than 20 minutes to prepare the salad, and you can even make this recipe up to 3 days in advance. It’s perfect to serve as a delicious (and practically effortless) side dish to just about any main dish protein.

Recipe Ingredients

French green beans – trimmed and halved Cherry tomatoes – halved Pickled peppadew peppers – also known as Juanita peppers, drained Mini mozzarella balls – drained Olive oil – use a high-quality extra-virgin olive oil, as the flavor will be prominent in this no-cook dish Red wine vinegar – can sub with apple cider vinegar Italian seasoning – homemade or store-bought Honey – choose a type that is pourable Spices – garlic powder, salt, and pepper

How To Make Cold Green Bean Salad

Set a large pot of water over high heat. Add a tablespoon of salt and bring to a boil. Trim the fresh green beans then cut them in half. Once the water is boiling, stir the green beans into the water. Boil for 1 to 2 minutes until the green beans are bright and crisp-tender. Then drain the green beans and rinse under cold water to bring the temperature down. Once the green beans are cool, place them in a large salad bowl. Wash the cherry tomatoes, then cut the largest tomatoes in half. Place the cherry tomatoes in the large bowl. Drain the peppadew peppers and mozzarella balls. Place both of them in the salad bowl. Note: You can leave the peppadew peppers whole or cut them in half if desired. Set out a small bowl or measuring pitcher. Combine the olive oil, red wine vinegar, Italian seasoning, honey, garlic powder, 1 teaspoon of salt, and a ¼ teaspoon of black pepper. Whisk well, then pour the dressing over the green bean salad. Toss the salad and the dressing. Then cover and chill until ready to serve.

Recipe Variations

We love how brilliantly simple this green bean salad recipe is. But feel free to mix things up a bit with whatever ingredients you like!

Tomatoes – swap sweet cherry tomatoes with grape tomatoes Peppers – use roasted red peppers instead of slightly spicy peppadew peppers for a mild salad Cheese – chop whole pieces into 1-inch pieces if mozzarella balls are not available, or swap with crumbled feta cheese or chunks of parmesan cheese Meat – add chopped pieces of cooked chicken for extra protein Dressing – use your favorite bottled Italian marinade dressing in place of the homemade vinaigrette Crunch – if you like extra crunch in your salad, add in diced red onion, chopped almonds, or pine nuts

Serving Suggestions

This cold green bean salad with a bit of a Mediterranean-style flair is perfect for a zesty and hearty side dish. It’s a great addition to any potluck, picnic, or backyard BBQ table! Pair it with other summer favorites like Italian Burgers or Greek Burgers, Beef Skewers, Chicken Souvlaki, or Beef Kafta Kabobs. And any time is the right time to enjoy this refreshing salad with rich comfort foods! Enjoy as a side salad with Chicken Parmesan Stuffed Shells, Greek Lasagna (Pastitsio), or Asiago Tortelloni Alfredo to balance out the meal.