Are you ready to refresh your salad lineup this season? Ditch the usual greens and try a chilled green bean salad with bacon instead. This hearty side combines protein-rich bacon with crisp green beans and bright tomatoes, making it ideal for picnics, potlucks, or an easy weeknight accompaniment.
Every bite has contrast: crunchy bacon, juicy cherry tomatoes, and creamy blue cheese. Toasted slivered almonds add a pleasant crunch, and a tangy Dijon vinaigrette ties everything together. It’s a delicious way to showcase fresh green beans.
If you enjoy green bean recipes, consider trying pickled green beans or braised Lebanese-style green beans for different preparations and flavors.
This cold green bean salad offers several benefits:
- Gluten-free.
- Suitable for low-carb diets.
- Easy to prepare ahead of time.
- Travels well for potlucks and outdoor meals.
Ingredients for the cold green bean salad
Recipes that pair green beans and bacon are reliably satisfying. This combination with tomatoes and cheese is particularly tasty.
- Green beans — Trimmed. For visual variety, use a mix of green and yellow wax or heirloom varieties.
- Cherry tomatoes — Halved. Cherry tomatoes hold their juices better than large tomatoes; if you use large tomatoes, remove the seeds to keep the dressing from thinning.
- Blue cheese — Crumbled for salty, tangy bites. If you prefer, substitute goat cheese or grated Parmesan.
- Bacon — Cook until crispy, then crumble. Regular or thick-cut bacon works well; turkey bacon can be used if preferred. Reserve drippings if you want to flavor other dishes.
- Slivered almonds — Lightly toasted to bring out their nutty flavor and add crunch.
Vinaigrette dressing
- White wine vinegar — Lemon juice or champagne vinegar are good alternatives.
- Olive oil — For extra bacon flavor, you can replace part of the oil with cooled bacon drippings.
- Dijon mustard — Adds flavor and helps the dressing emulsify and cling to the salad.
- Garlic — Minced fresh garlic provides bright aromatic flavor.
- Salt and pepper — Season to taste.
Process
Step 1. Pour 1–2 inches of water into a large pot and fit in a steamer basket. Bring the water to a boil, add the green beans, cover, and steam 3–4 minutes until bright green and tender-crisp.
Step 2. Prepare a bowl of ice water while the beans cook. Transfer the steamed beans to the ice bath to stop the cooking, then drain and pat dry with a towel.
Step 3. In a large bowl, combine the green beans, halved cherry tomatoes, crumbled blue cheese, bacon crumbles, and toasted slivered almonds. In a separate small bowl, whisk together the white wine vinegar, olive oil, Dijon mustard, minced garlic, salt, and pepper. Pour the vinaigrette over the salad, toss gently to coat, and serve.
Notes and cooking tips
Blanching (or steaming) the green beans brightens their color and gives them a tender-crisp texture. Steaming uses less water and heats faster than boiling, making it a quick, efficient method.
Don’t skip the ice water bath — it stops carryover cooking and preserves texture and color. You can cook the green beans up to three days ahead; once dressed, the assembled salad will keep in the refrigerator for one to two days.
Toast almonds in a dry skillet over medium heat, stirring constantly until golden. Watch closely: nuts can go from golden to burnt very quickly.
For a complete meal, this salad pairs nicely with crusty bread or a simple focaccia.
Helpful tools
A few basic tools make this recipe easier: a steamer basket to blanch the beans, a skillet or oven tray for cooking bacon, and a small bowl or jar for whisking and storing the vinaigrette.
More recipes you might enjoy
Try simple steamed green beans as an alternative side, or warm green beans with bacon crumbles for a hot version. If you like beans in different forms, an Instant Pot pinto bean recipe is another comforting option.
Green Bean Salad with Bacon and Tomatoes
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Ingredients
- 1 ½ pounds green beans, ends trimmed
- 12 ounces cherry tomatoes, halved
- ⅓ cup crumbled blue cheese
- 8 to 10 strips thick-cut bacon, cooked and crumbled
- ¼ cup slivered almonds, toasted
Vinaigrette Dressing
- 3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
- 3 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 1 to 2 garlic cloves, finely minced
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper, freshly ground
Instructions
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Pour 1 to 2 inches of water into a large pot and set a steamer basket in the pot. Bring the water to a boil.
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Add the green beans to the steamer basket, cover, and cook 3 to 4 minutes until tender but still crisp.
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While the beans cook, prepare a bowl of ice water. When the beans are done, transfer them to the ice water to stop cooking and pat dry.
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Combine the green beans, tomatoes, blue cheese, crumbled bacon, and toasted almonds in a bowl.
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In a small bowl, whisk together the vinegar, olive oil, Dijon mustard, minced garlic, salt, and pepper until combined.
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Pour the vinaigrette over the salad, toss gently, and serve.
Notes
- For an extra-crisp texture, blanch the green beans for only 60–90 seconds.
- Always transfer beans to the ice bath after cooking to halt the cooking process; otherwise they will continue to soften from residual heat.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should be used as an approximation.
Like this recipe? Rate & comment below!This recipe was first published on August 22, 2014. The photos were updated to refresh the presentation.