Green Beans with Vinaigrette

By Kath Dedon

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Green Beans with Vinaigrette from Martha Stewart is a great side dish for summer entertaining. The beans can be cooked and the vinaigrette made up to a day early and stored separately in the refrigerator. Take them both out of the refrigerator about an hour before serving time and then gently toss the beans in the dressing when it’s time to eat. The beans make a lovely light side dish with grilled meats.

Martha’s recipe is for 2 pounds of beans, serving 8. I made 2 pounds for our family’s Father’s Day dinner and everyone enjoyed them. They were great with Rosemary Mustard Grilled Chicken Breasts.

I liked the beans so much that I had to make them again and take photos to share with you! I cut the recipe in half for 4 servings. Bob and I enjoyed them two nights in a row. The leftover beans were just as flavorful as the first night, although the beans lost a bit of their vibrant color overnight.

Give these Green Beans with Vinaigrette a try, especially if you have great homegrown beans this summer.

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These beans may look plain, but the simple, light vinaigrette makes them a delicious side dish.

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Green Beans with Vinaigrette

(Adapted, barely, from Martha Stewart’s recipe)

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(print the recipe)

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Serves 4 (double to serve 8)

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1 pound green beans

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Vinaigrette

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1½ teaspoons white balsamic vinegar

½ teaspoon Dijon mustard

½ teaspoon kosher salt

1/8 teaspoon ground pepper

1. Wash the beans and then trim the ends.

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I take several beans at a time and line them up against my knife and then cut off the ends.

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2. Put the beans in a steamer basket and bring about an inch of water to boil in a pan.

3. When the water’s boiling, put the steamer basket in the pot, cover, and steam for 4 – 5 minutes. (Check a bean at 4 minutes to see if they’re done. You want them to be “crisp-tender” as Martha says.)

4. While the beans are steaming, get a bowl of ice water ready to cool them.

5. When the beans are done, put them in the ice water.

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6. When the beans are cold, drain them and spread them on a clean kitchen towel or paper towels to dry. You’ll probably want to use paper towels to dry them further.

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7. Put all of the vinaigrette ingredients in a small jar and shake well. At this point the beans and the vinaigrette can be refrigerated separately until ready to serve.

8. Just before serving, put the beans in a serving bowl. Pour all of the vinaigrette over them and toss gently so the dressing is distributed well.

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