This salad and dressing is so refreshing and bursting with wonderful farm-fresh flavors.
The dressing is similar to Homemade Ranch, but with a twist of fresh scallions. Cooking the beans in stock infuses incredible flavor. Here, we use vegetable stock but feel free to use chicken stock, or, even just water… And all the components can be made in advance making serving a snap!
How To Make Green Bean and Tomato Salad
You will be amazed at how quickly the incredibly delicious salad comes together.
It really is the quintessential summertime salad, but is truly wonderful any time of the year!
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The Ingredients You Will Need
Both the ingredients for the salad and the dressing are easy to find all year long. Of course, if you can get the vegetables from the farm when they are in peak season, that’s even better. No matter what, these humble ingredients come together to make one of the best salads of all time.
For the salad, you’ll need the following items:
Vegetable stock – It will infuse flavor into the beans and leeks. Keep the liquid for an even tastier stock!
Green beans – Fresh is definitely the way to go here. Simply snip the ends.
Leeks – Be sure to wash them thoroughly.
Cherry tomatoes – Seek out a variety of colors for added beauty.
Extra-Virgin Olive Oil – Go with good quality, if possible.
Heirloom tomatoes – If you can’t find them, seek out good juicy ripe tomatoes.
Salt and pepper – Season the bottom layer of tomatoes first and then the green bean mixture.
Fresh mint and scallions – For a delicious and beautiful topping.
For the dressing, you’ll need:
Scallions – Don’t worry, the taste isn’t overly oniony, at all.
Buttermilk – Delivers a bit of tang and luxuriousness.
Sour cream – It balances out the flavors.
Mayonnaise – Go with quality, if possible.
Red wine vinegar and lemon juice – For brightness and a little more zing.
Dried herbs – Oregano, basil, and thyme are perfect.
Garlic powder – This rounds out the flavor profile perfectly!
Salt, pepper, and cayenne – To taste
EXPERT TIP: You can braise the beans and leeks in vegetable (or chicken) broth, or just go with water. We strongly recommend going with fresh green beans for this recipe. Besides being delicious, they are really nutritious and so good for a healthy body and mind!
Tips for the Perfect Green Bean and Tomato Salad
Fresh Is Best – We can’t stress this enough, go with fresh green beans, which are sold in the produce section of your market. If you prefer the bean shorter (like the canned variety), then simply snap them in half. Be sure to snip the ends. And remember to wash the leek thoroughly and only go with the white and pale green part of the leek.
Choosing Tomatoes – As mentioned, this salad really sings when the vegetables are in peak season, especially the tomatoes. If decent heirloom tomatoes or even vine-ripe tomatoes are available, then skip the layer of tomatoes on the bottom. The green beans, cherry tomatoes, leeks, dressing, and herbs deliver an amazing salad.
Make the Dressing in Advance – This dressing gets even better if it’s allowed to chill in the fridge for a couple of hours, or, even better, overnight. Allow it to sit out on the counter for about 30 minutes to take a little of the chill off and make it more pourable.
How To Serve
This salad is a beautiful addition to any feast at any time of the year, but, especially during the warm months.
Pile the salad high onto a platter, drizzle a little of the dressing over the top, garnish with the fresh mint and scallions, and then serve with more dressing on the side.
You can easily prepare each layer of the salad separately and then assemble it just before serving.
EXPERT TIP: Simmer the greens beans and leek until tender. If you like your beans with a little crunch to them, only simmer them for about 5 minutes, if you like them very tender, then let them go for 10 to 15 minutes. Do a taste test to determine the appropriate tenderness for you.
Other Classic Summer Salads To Try
We just love everything about this salad and we think you and your guests will too. Here are a few more of our favorite salads to serve:
Watermelon Cucumber Salad with Feta and Basil
Fresh Strawberry and Spinach Salad with Avocado
Cucumber Tomato Salad
Classic Caprese Salad
Zesty Black Bean and Corn Salad
Chinese Chicken Salad with Mandarin
Heirloom Tomato Salad
In the meantime, you’ve just got to give this incredible green bean and tomato salad a try!
If you’re looking for a beautiful, delicious, and easy side salad to make for your next gathering, no need to look any further.
Exploding with farm-fresh flavor, this is always such a huge hit when served to guests.
Braise the beans and leeks and make the dressing all in advance, and assembly happens in a matter of minutes!
Salad perfection!
Ready to make the best salad for the summer and beyond? Go for it!
And when you do, be sure to take a picture, post it on Instagram, and tag @HowToFeedaLoon and hashtag #HowToFeedaLoon!
Green Bean and Tomato Salad with Scallion Dressing
Equipment
- 1 pot for braising
- Blender or food processor
Ingredients
For the Scallion-Buttermilk Dressing
- ½ cup scallions fresh, sliced, white and green parts
- ½ cup buttermilk
- ½ cup sour cream
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 1 tbsp lemon juice fresh
- 1½ tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp oregano dried
- 1 tsp basil dried
- 1 tsp thyme leaves dried
- ½ tsp Kosher salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
For the Salad
- 6 cups vegetable broth or chicken broth/stock, or water
- 1 lb green beans fresh, trimmed
- 1 large leek white and pale-green parts only, washed and sliced into 1" pieces
- 2 cups cherry tomatoes halved
- 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 large heirloom tomatoes sliced
- Salt and pepper
- ½ cup mint leaves fresh, chopped
- ¼ cup chopped fresh scallions
Instructions
Make the Dressing
- Place the scallions (½ cup) in a blender or food processor. Pulse several times. Remove the lid and push the scallions down the sides of the blender/bowl. Do this a couple more times (the scallions won't purée, but they should be somewhat finely chopped).
- Add the remaining ingredients and purée until well blended. Transfer to a jar with a lid and chill for at least 1 hour.
Prepare the Salad
- In a large pot, bring the broth (or water) to a boil. Carefully add the beans and simmer until desired consistency is reached (4 minutes for crisp, 8 minutes for tender). Meanwhile, add water and ice to a large bowl that will hold the cooked vegetables.
- Using a slotted spoon, transfer the beans to the ice water.
- Bring the stock back to a boil and then add the leeks and cook until just tender, about 3 minutes, and then use a slotted spoon to add them to the ice water. Drain the vegetables into a colander in the sink. Place the vegetables on paper towels and pat them dry.
- Place the cooked beans and leeks into a large bowl and add the halved cherry tomatoes. Toss with the olive oil and season with a healthy pinch of salt and pepper.
- Arrange the sliced heirlooms on a platter and sprinkle salt and pepper all over them. Pile the green bean/tomato/leek mixture on top of the tomatoes. Drizzle some of the dressing over the top of the salad (about ½ to 1 cup).
- Garnish with mint and scallions and extra dressing on the side. Serve at nce.
Notes
Nutrition
POST UPDATE: This recipe was originally published in August 2015, but was updated with improved tweaks to the recipe with new tips and photography and a fabulous new video in August 2022!
This salad is one of our all-time favorite summer salads. Although the ingredients are easy to find all year long, we have it all the time! The dressing puts it over the top!