Fresh Green Bean Salad with Red Peppers, Capers, and Herbs

This healthy, vegan green bean salad made with haricots verts is full of flavor from fresh herbs and Middle Eastern spices. It can be served cold or at room temperature and makes a great holiday side dish.

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I'm hesitant to call this a green bean salad because it conjures images of that sad three bean salad that you find in the deli case. So let's not conjure it.

Instead, let's think about a fresh green bean salad that is chock full of two of my favorite things: capers and herbs. Oh, and garlic too. Three things, then.

And we are using haricots verts for this recipe. What's that, you say? That's those fancy French green beans. But regular green beans will work, too. Whatever you can find.

What's the difference between haricots verts and green beans?

Haricots verts are thinner and more delicate than the typical American green bean. They don't need all the snapping and trimming. They are more tender, so they lend themselves well to quick cooking methods. They also have more of that good green flavor.

This recipe is light and healthy, and it's also gluten-free and vegan! It's a perfect dish to serve at Thanksgiving or Christmas instead of a traditional green bean casserole for a few reasons:

First, like I said, it's gluten-free, dairy-free, and vegan. All of your loved ones with dietary restrictions can probably eat this, and the ones that don't have any will think it tastes really good, too.

Second, this does not take up any oven space, you can make it ahead and it's served at room temperature. So many wins!

And finally - I mean, it looks like Christmas.

It's also a great side dish in the summer - because almost no cooking - and goes great with grilled meats and seafood.

Fresh Green Bean Salad with Red Peppers, Capers, and Herbs

I adapted this from the Jerusalem cookbook by Yottam Ottolenghi and Sami Tamimi. These recipes for butternut squash and stuffed eggplant are also adapted from this book. I love it!

This salad has SO MUCH FLAVOR! Aside from the aforementioned three favorite things, you've got cumin-y, lemony Middle Eastern flavors, too.

Zest and juice the lemon and set aside. Measure out the capers and dry them on a paper towel. Get the cumin and coriander measured and ready.

I like to use little glass pinch bowls to hold my prepped ingredients and have them ready when I need them.

Use a good chef's knife to thinly slice the garlic cloves and set aside.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Once boiling, salt it like you would pasta water, so it 'tastes like the sea'. Then add the haricots verts. Boil for 2-3 minutes, just until they turn bright green but still have crunch.

If you're using regular green beans you might have to boil them for a minute or two longer, just check as you go.

Drain the beans and lay them out on a kitchen towel to dry completely.

Slice the red pepper thinly - about the same width as the beans. Heat a skillet over medium high and add a drizzle of olive oil. Sauté the peppers until they are slightly charred and softened, about 5 minutes, season with salt.

I used my Lodge carbon steel skillet to char the red peppers, cook the dressing, and as a serving dish in these photos. 

Disclosure: I am a member of the Lodge Blogger Network. This skillet was provided to me free of charge. All opinions are my own.

Once the haricots verts are completely dry, place them in a large bowl with the cooked peppers.

Roughly chop the parsley, be sure to include the tender stems. They have a lot of flavor and you have less waste! I often use a mezzaluna to chop lots of herbs, the rocking motion makes it easier to chop a lot at once while also protecting your fingers.

Here's a short video that shows you how to use one.

Chop the dill and tarragon and add to a bowl with the chopped parsley.

Heat 3 tbsp of olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic slices and stir until softened and just beginning to brown 1 - 2 minutes, then add the capers and stir for 30 seconds or so. (Be careful, they will pop - that's why we dried them, to try to minimize this.)

Clear a space in the pan, add the cumin seeds and coriander and let them sizzle and bloom for 30 seconds. Stir it all together and add the lemon juice and some kosher salt. Pour this mixture over the beans and peppers.

Add the fresh herbs and lemon zest, stir to combine and serve topped with a beautiful sea salt such as Maldon.

Can I make green bean salad ahead of time?

You can make this green bean salad one day ahead up to the point of adding the garlic-caper dressing. Before serving, remove the salad from the fridge, allow to come to room temperature, then add the fresh herbs and lemon zest and toss to incorporate.

More green bean recipes

• Green Bean Salad with Tomatoes, Feta and Mint

More vegan side dishes

• Sautéed Beet Greens with Garlic and Crushed Red Pepper
• Roasted Butternut Squash with Red Onion Tahini and Za'atar