Mediterranean Style Green Bean Salad

This recipe for Mediterranean Style Green Bean Salad is great for any time of the year.

I like how tasty and healthy it is!

Mediterranean Style Green Bean Salad

This recipe reminds me of my Easy Nacho Salad Bowl for Two.
Both recipes are great ways to eat a healthy salad.

This salad however is great for more than two people.
As a side salad, you could certainly share this with a family or a group of friends.

People always ask me what to put in a salad to make it tasty.

This is because I am always making salads. Or, at least it feels like I am always making or eating salads.

But to be honest, what makes a salad tasty really has to do with what your preferences are.
Also, you need to consider what else you are serving with the salad. I like to factor in whether the salad will be the meal or the side.

If you don't like dressing, there are other alternatives that you can put on a salad.

Having something wet on a salad in important to making the salad less dry or act like a lubricant. A dressing or wet topping is what can bind the other ingredients together as a cohesive group.

Being a 'Mediterranean' style salad, olive oil is what is commonly used.
We will blend the olive oil with seasonings. Adding a bit of red wine vinegar will add some needed acidity that will balance out the other ingredients.

Here are some great salad making tips.

I already mentioned that adding something wet, like dressing, yogurt, or guacamole is a great way to lubricate the salad. It also gives that other ingredients a cohesive connection to one another.
Here are some more great tips for your salad!

1. Using a mild yet, somewhat soft cheese, such as a feta, adds both texture and taste as well as a balance of color and taste, to the salad.
2. Making this salad with warm vegetables is especially nice during cold weather. This is the perfect salad to serve during a holiday meal!
3. If you are planning on refrigerating left over salad, refrain from adding the dressing until you are ready to serve it. The fat in the oil tends to harden and the wetness of the dressing can play havoc on your vegetables.

While some folks say that eating raw green beans may not be safe to eat, here is how to cook green beans.

The quickest and easiest way to cook your green beans for this recipe is to use a warm shallow pan or skillet and steam them. Simply cover the green beans with water and bring them to a boil. Once the water begins to boil you turn the heat down to medium and simmer for three to five more minutes.

You will know when your green beans are done by the color and the crispness of them.
Cooked green beans should be crisp and a vibrant green. However, over cooked green beans are soft and are drab in color(almost like a khaki green).

This is Mediterranean Style Green Bean Salad rather than just a simple green bean salad.

What makes this 'Mediterranean' is not just the beautiful and fresh vegetables that are used. The Mediterranean spirit in this comes from the olive oil and olives that we use.

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By the way, while you are here you may also be interested in these ideas.

• Slow Cooker Vegetarian Minestrone.
• Easiest Greek Salad in Vinaigrette Dressing.
• How to Follow the Mediterranean Diet.

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Mediterranean Style Green Bean Salad

As mentioned, you will need to cook your green beans for this recipe.
Cooking green beans is simple to do.

The quickest and easiest way to cook your green beans for this recipe is to use a warm shallow pan or skillet and steam them.

Simply cover the green beans with water and bring them to a boil. Once the water begins to boil you turn the heat down to medium and simmer for three to five more minutes.

Here is what you will need to make your Mediterranean Style Green Bean Salad.

• Green Beans- 2 pounds. Green beans should have the ends cup and be about 1 ½" in length for this salad.
• Kalamata Olives - 1 cup.
• Cherry Tomatoes- 1 ½-2 cups, sliced in half.
• Olive Oil - ½ cup.
• Minced Garlic - 2 teaspoons. That is about two cloves.
• Red Wine Vinegar- 3 tablespoons.
• Seasonings as desired.
  This can include Italian Seasonings,
  Salt,
  and/or Pepper.
• Crumbled Feta Cheeseor Fresh Mozzarella Cheese- 1 ½ cups.
• Fresh Basil and/or oregano- as needed.

Mediterranean Style Green Bean Salad

• Cook your green beans as described here. Allow the green beans to drain and then let them sit on a clean towel while patting them dry.
• Transfer the cooled green beans to a large bowl. Add the olives and sliced tomatoes to the bowl and gently give them a quick toss.
• In a smaller bowl, whisk together the olive oil, minced garlic, vinegar and seasonings. Add the whisked ingredients to the first bowl with the green beans and give the ingredients another tossing. Then add your remaining ingredients to the bowl. Alternatively, you can marinate the oil with the garlic and seasonings and then toss the green beans and vinegar with it.
• Refrigerate the green bean salad for at least two hours before serving.

Thanks so much for visiting!

If you decide to make this recipe, please stop back and let me know how it turned out for you. Also, if you have any tips or tweaks to the recipe to share, please do so in the comment section below. My readers like to stop by periodically for updates on the recipes. Reading the comments below is helpful to these readers and hopefully to you too!!

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Happy baking, eating, and enjoying life!

Nutritional Information is only an estimate and can vary especially with ingredients that are used.

This easy and delicious Mediterranean Style Green Bean Salad is also vegetarian and low carb friendly.