Green Bean and Tomato Salad with Scallion Dressing

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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!

A straight-on view of a green bean and tomato salad with scallion dressing on an oval white platter next to a glass of white wine.

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!

Red, green, and yellow halved cherry tomatoes being transferred into a glass bowl filled with braised green beans and leeks.

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.

Scallion-Buttermilk Dressing being poured from a blender into a glass gravy bowl.

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.

Scallion Buttermilk dressing being poured from a glass container over a green bean and tomato salad on a white platter.

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!

An overhead view of an oval platter filled with a salad consisting of green bean, cherry tomatoes, scallions, and a creamy dressing on top.

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!

A white salad plate filled with a serving of green bean and tomato salad with scallion dressing.

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!

A straight-on view of a green bean and tomato salad with scallion dressing on an oval white platter next to a glass of white wine.

Green Bean and Tomato Salad with Scallion Dressing

This Green Bean and Tomato Salad with Scallion Dressing is so refreshing and really vibrant. Cook the beans in a nice broth (vegetable or chicken) and all of the flavors come together for an incredible flavor profile. The dressing can be made up to 24 hours in advance.
5 from 1 vote
Print Pin Rate
Course: Salad
Cuisine: American
Keyword: easy summer salad recipe, how to make green bean and tomato salad, Scallion buttermilk dressing recipe
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 7 minutes
Total Time: 32 minutes
Servings: 4 people
Calories: 224kcal

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
  • 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

See the video near the top of the blog post for visual guidance. If you liked the video, please subscribe to our YouTube channel. 
The dressing can be made up to 48 hours in advance. It's actually even better if it has at least overnight to chill. Let sit out for about 30 minutes before serving so it won't be too thick. 
You can save the braising liquid for future use. It's great for making risotto. 
The vegetables can be prepared several hours in advance. Keep covered and chilled in the fridge until ready to assemble. k
Leftovers will keep for about 1 day. The dressing will keep in the fridge for 1 week. We don't recommend freezing. 

Nutrition

Calories: 224kcal | Carbohydrates: 28g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 32mg | Sodium: 728mg | Potassium: 837mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 15g | Vitamin A: 3671IU | Vitamin C: 53mg | Calcium: 173mg | Iron: 3mg
Tried this recipe? Take a Picture!Mention @HowToFeedALoon or tag #HowToFeedALoon!

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!

1 Comment

  • 5 stars
    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!

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