Green Bean Potato Salad

This green bean potato salad is the perfect side dish for any season!

Green Bean Potato Salad

Lately, I’m finding simple, delicious food to be a helpful tonic in healing my hurts. A plate of tender potatoes and still crisp green beans tossed in a tangy mustard vinaigrette is not only delicious, but it’s also so gosh darn pretty. It’s hard not to look at this green bean potato salad and feel a little bit better about life.

Why all the angst, you ask?

The summer slump: it’s inevitable. Although, this year’s mid-summer it’s-so-hot-and-for-whatever-reason-it’s-got-me-all-blue slump definitely has a reason, but I’ll spare you the details because this is a food blog and shouldn’t include personal accounts of all the crappy things that happen in life. All I’ll say is, I’m doing okay aka hangin’ in there aka doing my best to buck up and get back on the horse.

I’m from Wyoming, it’s what we do.

A Salad for Every Season

So let’s talk about the salad. It’s a recipe to tuck away in your ‘perfect for every season’ file. Serve it with grilled chicken, fish, or steak in the summer and when fall and winter come rolling around it’s right at home alongside roast chicken and other slow cooked entrees. It holds up well at room temperature, thanks to it’s mayo-less dressing, making it a contender for BBQs, potlucks, or large family dinners that never start on time because there’s just too much to organize.

You don’t need to worry about this green bean potato salad – it’s very patient and doesn’t mind waiting around for dinner to start.

Make it a Main

At the risk of sounding like a late-night infomercial, let me just say “Wait! There’s more!”. This salad was born as a side dish, but think of what a poached egg and some crumbly, crispy bacon would do for  it and our lives? I imagine it as a main course, enjoyed al fresco with a crisp white wine to wash it all down. That idea is pushing all of my happiness buttons right now.

Maybe I should have name it green bean potato happiness salad. It seems to be cheering me up.

In Other News…

• Did you know I’ve been contributing recipes to eHow? Visit my contributor page to see all the tasty delights I’ve been sharing over there this summer.
• There’s a another give-away coming soon (remember the last one?), so stay tuned. It’s a good one, I promise!
• Chef’s Table Season 2 is available on Netflix. If you’re a food nerd like me it’s a must-see.
• Feynman, my adorable 75-pound golden retriever puppy, turns 1-year-old in just a few weeks! Tell me, is it weird that I want to throw him a birthday party? I’m still new to the whole dog parenting thing so I’m not too sure if that’s something I should do. Check out my About page to see an updated photo of my not-so-little puppy pie.

Green Bean Potato Salad

• Author: Girl Gone Gourmet
• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 20 minutes
• Total Time: 30 minutes
• Yield: 4-6
• Category: Salads

Ingredients

• 1/2 pound fresh green beans, ends trimmed
• 24 ounces small white potatoes
• 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1 clove of garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1 tablespoon chopped chives
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

1. Fill a medium-sized bowl with water and ice for the green beans after they’ve blanched.
2. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the green beans and boil them for 1-2 minutes, scoop them out with a slotted spoon, and place them in the bowl with the water and ice to stop the cooking process. Once they’ve cooled drain them in a colander.
3. Add the potatoes to the same pot of boiling water. Boil them for 15-20 minutes, or until they are fork tender. Drain them and let them cool for a few minutes.
4. While the potatoes are cooling, combine vinegar, mustard, garlic, and salt in a bowl. Whisking continuously, slowly add the olive oil until the dressing has thickened and is emulsified.
5. Once the potatoes are cool enough to handle, slice them in half lengthwise. Toss them all in a large bowl with the green beans. Add the dressing and toss it all together until everything is well coated. Add the chopped chives and black pepper, toss again, and serve.