Fall has officially arrived. We have tomatoes, beans, squashes, zucchini, cucumbers, kale, Swiss chard that are coming out of our ears! Whenever we can find young fresh beans, we love to make a green bean and potato salad. It is rustic and wholesome. It is also a French classic that I grew up with. Even though it is a potato salad, unlike its American counterpart, it doesn’t have dill, celery or sweet pickles. It makes a great lunch on its own because it is filling and satisfying.ย It will taste even better the next day and keeps refrigerated for 3-4 days.
Green beans may not seem very exciting vegetables but when lightly cooked, they are delicate, and a little crunchy. They are also loaded with proteins. You can make this salad with young green beans, when they are in season but also with large ones. The key is not to overcook them.
A few fun facts about green beans
They originate from Central and South America. They are also known as French beans,ย string beans, and snap beans.
Native Americans developed the famous 3 sisters system planting 3 crops that thrive when grown together. If you are new to this method, here is how it works. Corn is first planted so that it can provide support for the beans to grow. The beans provide nitrogen to fertilize the soil and the squash leaves creates shade and helps retain moisture near the root system and prevent weed. It is so ingenious!
Christopher Columbus is said to have brought beans to the Mediterranean regionย inย 1492 but since we know today that he never really set foot on the American continent because he ended up every single time in either the Bahamas or the Dominican Republic!
Mustard dressing
To cut through the starch of the potatoes I like to use a French creamy mustard dressing. It has a nice bite, just the right amount of acidity and spices. It is thick and brings the whole thing together. I like to add finely minced home pickled red onions.
A few tips:
– If you can, use one type of potato (yellow, Russet) because some potatoes cook faster than others.
– Don’t overcook them or your salad can get mushy. Use a knife to check that they are cooked all the way and dip them in an ice bath or just run some cold water to stop them from further cooking.
– Cut the potato into medium size pieces, not too small to keep them whole.
– Use a large bowl to toss the salad with the dressing (instead of spoons). This will ensure that the chunks of potatoes remain pretty intact.
– Allow the salad to absorb the dressing for at least 30 minutes. Taste and adjust.
By the way, this salad can be eaten warm or cold. If you mix the dressing and refrigerate the salad for a few hours, it will taste even better!
French Potato Green Bean Salad
Ingredients
Salad dressing
- 2 Tbsp vegan mayonnaise (Vegenaise)
- 1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
- 3 Tbsp vinegar (apple cider or red wine)
- 2 Tbsp water
- 1 tbsp capers
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 cup finely chopped parsley
- 1 tsp Salt & Pepper
Salad
- 5 peeled medium potatoes Yukon or Yellow Finn
- 10-15 fresh green beans trimmed on both ends and cut into inch pieces
- 1/2 red onion finely sliced
- 1/2 cup finely minced chives
Instructions
Cook the vegetables
- Peel the potatoes and boil them for about 10 minutes until they are tender in the middle but still firm. Use a knife to test.
- Drain the water and pour some cold water over the potatoes to stop the cooking (or place in an ice bath). Set aside.
- Trim both end of the green beans and cut into small chunks. Cover the beans with some water with a pinch of salt and cook for about 5 minutes. They should be firm but not chewy. Drain and rinse under cold water.
- Combine the cooked potatoes and beans in a large bowl.
Make the dressing
- In a mason jar, add the vegan mayonnaise, the Dijon mustard, cider vinegar, capers, garlic powder, water, fresh minced parsley, salt, and pepper.
- Tighten the lid and shake well until everything is emulsified.
- Pour the dressing over the warm potatoes, green beans and red onion. Sprinkle the chopped parsley and toss the salad in the bowl without using serving spoons.
- Set aside for 15-30 minutes. Taste and season as needed.
- Serve warm or cold.
