How to make vegetarian green bean walnut and feta salad

Robin Donovan

Recipe Developer

When I was growing up, my mom always garnished lightly cooked green beans with fresh mint. It’s a slightly unusual, but totally delicious flavor combination. The recipe below uses that perfect pairing and adds all the elements of a crisp, fresh salad.
Combined with nutty walnuts, salty crumbled Feta cheese, and the bite of red onion, green beans and mint become the star of this hearty salad. Pro tip: Soak your red onion slices in cold water for about 10 minutes, then drain them, pat them dry, and add them to your salad. This takes the edge off the raw onion, which I like.

Cooktop Cove

Vegetarian Green Bean, Walnut, and Feta Salad

10 minutes

5 minutes

15 minutes

1 pound (about 4 cups) green beans, trimmed

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

¼ teaspoon kosher salt

¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 garlic clove, minced

¼ cup olive oil

2 tablespoons minced fresh mint leaves

1/2 small head romaine lettuce, sliced thin

1 small red onion, sliced thin

1 cup crumbled feta cheese

1/2 cup halved cherry tomatoes

1/4 cup chopped walnuts

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add the green beans and cook just until crisp-tender, 3 to 4 minutes. Drain and pat dry with a clean dishtowel or paper towels.

In a small bowl, whisk together the oil, vinegar, salt, pepper, and garlic. Add and whisk until the mixture is emulsified.

In a large salad bowl, combine the green beans, lettuce, and onion and toss to mix. Add the dressing mixture and toss to coat well. Gently fold in the cheese, tomatoes, walnuts, and fresh mint. Serve immediately.

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