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

This fresh, 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.

Jump to:

• Why you'll love it
• Ingredients
• Step by step instructions
• FAQs and Substitutions
• Tips
• Related recipes
• Recipe

Why you'll love it

This recipe is light and fresh, 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.

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.

Ingredients

• Haricots verts: These are the thin, French-style green beans that don't need snapping. They're more delicate and blanch quickly.
• Red peppers: Look for medium sized red peppers with no soft spots.
• Capers: Oh how I love capers! We're using regular-sized capers in brine, not the big ones in salt. Trader Joe's sells big jars of capers, which Iove because I use them in lots of recipes, and it's also more affordable.
• Fresh lemon: You're going to need the juice and the zest. Never leave the zest behind! So much flavor there.
• Fresh dill, tarragon and parsley: We've go a hefty amount of herbs and using them almost like the lettuce in a salad. I love to use herbs that way.
• Garlic: Big, fat slices of garlic. Don't be afraid, we are softening them in the skillet, so they will mellow out and be meltingly delicious.
• Ground coriander and cumin seeds: These spices really give the salad a great Middle Eastern flavor. We'll toast them in the pan with olive oil to wake them up and they'll permeate the whole dish.

Step by step instructions

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, but a good ole chef's knife works just as well.

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

Heat 3 tablespoon 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.

FAQs and Substitutions

• 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.
• Can I make this 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.
• Can I use regular green beans instead of haricots verts? Yes! If you're using regular green beans and not haricots verts, you might have to boil them a minute or two longer. 
• Can I use ground cumin instead of cumin seeds? I love the texture that the cumin seeds bring to the dish, but if you can't find them or don't want to invest in them, you can swap these 1:1.
• Can I use different herbs? If you don't like tarragon or one of the other herbs, just use more of the ones that you do like. You could also swap some mint into this and it would taste equally great. Just stick to soft, leafy herbs, avoid hardy herbs like rosemary and thyme.

Tips

• I like to use a mezzaluna when I am chopping lots of herbs. The rocking motion makes it easy to tackle a big pile of herbs at one time and it protects your fingers. Here's a short video that shows you how to use one.
• Be sure the green beans are completely dry. If they've got any water clinging to them, the dressing won't coat them, the water will drown the herbs, and you'll have a soggy mess.
• Get the capers as dry as possible. They will still pop in the hot pan, but the drier they are the better. Just be aware when you are frying them up.

Related recipes

Try these easy vegan side dishes alongside this fresh green bean salad for a flavorful feast!

• Don't throw out those beet greens! Try Sautéed Beet Greens with Garlic and Crushed Red Pepper, they cook up easily in a skillet just like swiss chard or other hearty greens.
• This Roasted Butternut Squash with Red Onion Tahini and Za'atar will have everyone wanting to eat their vegetables!

Recipe