String Bean Salad with Tomatoes and Pesto (Italian Green Bean Salad)
Looking for a fresh and flavorful side dish that's perfect for summer gatherings, holiday meals and backyard cookouts? This String Bean Salad with Tomatoes and Pesto combines crisp green beans, juicy tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, basil pesto and crunchy toasted pinenuts into an easy make-ahead salad inspired by the flavors of Italy. Ready injust 25 minutes, it's always one of the first dishes to disappear!
Servings: 8 servings
Ingredients
- 2 pounds string beans ends snipped, cut in half
- Salt for blanching
- 8 ounces cherry or grape tomatoes sliced in half
- 8 ounces fresh mozzarella (See Notes.)
- 1 cup sliced red onions
- ½ cup pesto + more for top (optional), either homemade or store-bought
- ¼ cup pine nuts (about 1 ounce)
- 2 Tbsp red wine vinegar
- 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- Pinch crushed red pepper
Instructions
- Prep and gather all ingredients according to specifications above. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. (Please see the section above in the blog post for Step-By-Step instructions with photos.)
- Toast pine nuts: Place pine nuts in a small, dry skillet that fits them easily in a single layer over medium-low heat. Stir them occasionally until they are golden-brown and have a nutty aroma. This will only take a couple of minutes. Pine nuts will burn very quickly, so do not walk away from the stove when doing this! NOTE: You can toast the pine nuts up to one day before using. Just set them aside, uncovered, at room temperature until ready to use.¼ cup pine nuts
- Gather a large ice bath–large bowl with ice and cold water and have it ready near the pot. This will be used to submerge the just-boiled/blanched and drained green beans to immediately stop the cooking process.
- Once the water comes to a boil, add 1 heaping Tbsp salt, then the string beans. Cook beans until tender but still firm, stirring a few times. This will only take a couple minutes, so do not walk away and leave them as they will overcook. NOTE: I love to use tongs to gently squeeze one bean to test its doneness. Be careful not to overcook the beans. As this is a salad, they should be crispy and firm.2 pounds string beans
- Once the beans are cooked al dente, drain them using a colander. Then immediately submerge them in the ice bath.Alternatively, use a hand strainer to transfer the beans directly from the pot to the ice bath.
- Once the green beans are fully chilled, remove them from the ice bath and let them dry completely. I like to lay them out on a paper towel lined sheet pan, but you can also just let them sit in a colander for a bit to let excess moisture evaporate.NOTE: It’s important to let the green beans dry before mixing them with the oil-based dressings otherwise (1) the dressings may just slide off the beans, and (2) the salad may tend to get soggy.Once dried, you can refrigerate the beans up to two days in a covered container or air-tight bag for if you are prepping them in advance.
- When ready to finish the salad, place the beans in alarge bowl and then gently fold in all of the remaining ingredients. Mix everything together until well-combined. Taste and adjust seasonings. And that’s it!8 ounces cherry or grape tomatoes, 8 ounces fresh mozzarella , 1 cup sliced red onions, ½ cup pesto, 2 Tbsp red wine vinegar, 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil, 1 tsp salt, ½ tsp black pepper, Pinch crushed red pepper
- Drizzle the top with a little more pesto (optional), then serve immediately at room temperature or chilled. Buon Appetito!NOTE: You can refrigerate the salad for up to 8 hours before serving. However, if you plan to do this, fold the toasted pine nuts into the salad just before serving to maintain their crunchy texture.
Video
Notes
- Recipe Time does not include any time that the beans are let to rest/dry before being mixed with other ingredients.
- Not Really a Strict Recipe: Yes, you read that right. The ingredient amounts here are mostly a suggestion. If you want more onions and less mozzarella in the salad, for example, go for it! Allergic to nuts? Leave them out. Prefer more acidity in your salad? Increase the vinegar.
- Also, since flavors of different pestos vary, the actual amounts of seasonings is also a suggestion. You should definitely add salt, black pepper and crushed red pepper to taste.
- Mozzarella: I used fresh mozzarella “pearls” here which are tiny little balls of fresh mozzarella. They’re so cute and super-convenient!
- But, they aren’t available everywhere, so just grab a large ball (or log) of fresh mozzarella and cut it into small pieces. You can also hand pull it into shreds for a cool look.
- Blanching Water: Use a large pot with 5 to 6 quarts water. Bring the water to a boil before adding the salt. Use 1 heaping Tbsp salt.
- Ice Bath: Have an ice bath (large bowl filled with ice and cold water) ready to immerse the drained strings beans into immediately after blanching (boiling) them.
- This is referred to as “shocking” or “refreshing” the veggies and will stop the cooking process immediately so that the green beans will not overcook.
- This will also help them to maintain a bright green color.
- Prep In Advance:
- You can toast the pine nuts up to one day before using. Just set them aside, uncovered, at room temperature until ready to use.
- Once the string beans are blanched and dried, you can refrigerate them for up to two days in a covered container or air-tight bag for if you are prepping them in advance.
- Also, you can refrigerate the salad for up to 8 hours before serving. However, if you plan to do this, fold the toasted pine nuts into the salad just before serving to maintain their crunchy texture
- Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Serve them either chilled or at room temperature.
