Green Bean Salad with Clementine Oranges and Feta
on Nov 22, 2019, Updated Sep 05, 2023
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
A great mix of colors, texture, and flavors in a fresh green bean and citrus salad.
This is a side dish I would serve in the summer or the winter for a holiday dinner or lunch with a friend at the kitchen counter. It goes well with a delicious Miso Black Cod and Rice Pilaf for dinner or next to Lemon-Garlic Turkey Breast and Sweet Potato Spoon Bread on a Thanksgiving table. It’s easy, it’s colorful, it’s fresh, and it has an intriguing mix of tastes and textures. And it’s a great make-ahead salad.
Table of Contents
Green Bean Salad with Clementine Oranges and Feta: A terrific and festive vegetable salad with loads of color, flavor, and personality.
Tweet This
Ingredients
- Green beans – Fresh are definitely best here.
- Clementines – Adds sweetness, citrus, and a pop of orange color, which looks great next to the green beans!
- Olive oil – Use extra-virgin olive oil for a more flavorful base for this dressing.
- Rice wine vinegar – This vinegar has a beautiful light but acidic flavor which is delicate enough to let the clementines shine.
- Shallots – Mince the shallots finely so they almost melt into the dressing.
- Dijon mustard – If you don’t have coarse Dijon, you can definitely use regular, though I like the extra texture that the coarse gives to the dressing.
- Thyme or oregano – Whichever herb you have on hand will work. Although they have different flavors, both of them go well with the flavors of this salad.
- Feta – This salty, crumbly cheese goes so well with the sweetness of the fruit and adds a delicious creamy texture.
How to Make Green Bean and Clementine Salad
- Cook the beans: Boil the green beans in salted water just until bright green and tender. Drain and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking.
- Chop: Peel the clementines and chop the segments into small pieces. Halve the beans to make shorter pieces, or leave them whole.
- Make the dressing: Combine the olive oil, vinegar, shallots, mustard, thyme, salt, and pepper.
- Dress the salad: Add the dressing to the beans and clementines and toss.
- Finish the salad: Sprinkle the feta over the salad and toss again to distribute evenly. Serve immediately.
FAQs
Some people think fruit is a great way to add sweetness, color, and texture to salads. Other people are not all that into it. I love it, though in moderation. Clearly, other people do, too, because Wendy’s has apples in a salad, and Chik-fil-A has strawberries in one of theirs. This is not happenstance.
Since green beans have such a mild, delicious flavor, I like to highlight that by dressing them lightly. A dressing that is slightly acidic but not overpowering will bring out the best in your green beans. I recommend a vinaigrette made with olive oil, rice wine vinegar, shallots, and Dijon mustard for a delicate and delicious green bean salad.
Blanching means shocking something, usually a vegetable, very briefly in boiling water. This will bring out the bright green color of the green beans but will not cook them to the point of wilting and sogginess. I recommend bringing a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil and then adding in all your green beans. Cook for no longer than 4 minutes before draining and rinsing them in cold water. This cold water stops them from cooking further and allows them to retain their beautiful color and snappy texture.
Tips
- Be careful not to cook the green beans for more than 4 minutes, depending on thickness, as they will lose their vibrant green color and become limp. You want crisp-tender green beans.
- You can leave the green beans long or halve them to make them more bite-sized.
Make-Ahead
This makes a great salad to keep in the fridge and serve the next day. Because the beans are more hearty than lettuce, they won’t wilt or lose color in the fridge. They can be cooked and tossed with the dressing up to 2 days ahead of time. Add the clementines and the feta just before serving.
What to Serve With Green Bean Clementine Salad
More Green Bean Recipes
- Honey Mustard Green Beans
- Green Bean Salad with Clementine Oranges and Feta
- Sautéed Haricot Verts with Red Onions and Shallots
- Green Beans with Chervil Vinaigrette
- Sautéed Green Beans and Oyster Mushrooms
Pin this now to find it later
Pin It
Green Bean Salad with Clementine Oranges and Feta
Ingredients
- 1 ½ pounds green beans
- 3 clementines
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons chopped shallots
- 1 tablespoon coarse or regular Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme or oregano leaves
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper (to taste)
- ½ cup crumbled feta
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Drop the beans into the water and let them cook for 3 minutes until they start to become tender. Drain the beans in a colander and run cold water over them to stop the cooking and preserve the color.
- Peel the clementines and cut each segment in half crosswise. Cut the cooled beans in half cross wise.
- In a small bowl or container, combine the olive oil, vinegar, shallots, mustard, thyme, salt, and pepper. Whisk or shake to combine.
- Place the beans and orange segments in a large bowl and drizzle over the dressing. Toss to combine thoroughly. Add the feta and toss again gently to combine. Serve at room temperature or chilled.
Notes
- Be careful not to cook the green beans for more than 4 minutes, depending on thickness, as they will lose their vibrant green color and become limp. You want crisp-tender green beans.
- You can leave the green beans long, or halve them to make them more bite-sized.
- This makes a great salad to keep in the fridge and serve the next day. Because the beans are more hearty than lettuce, they won’t wilt or lose color in the fridge. They can be cooked and tossed with the dressing up to 2 days ahead of time. Add the clementines and the feta just before serving.
How much feta? (Not included in list of ingredients)
oops! it’s there now – 1/2 cup (or as much as you like!)