Warm Green Bean Tomato Salad

Warm Green Bean Tomato Salad is good at any temperature

We get this idea that every salad has to be ice cold. I think this Warm Green Bean Tomato Salad demonstrates that is not 100% true. Don’t get me wrong, now. This salad is actually very good chilled. But it is equally good right off the stove, or at room temperature. And having a salad that stays tasty and fresh without refrigeration is a great thing in the summertime.

Warm or room-temperature salads are safer in the summer

There are ways to keep food cold at a picnic or neighborhood block party. They aren’t always reliable though. They can be messy [think bowl of ice under your bowl of salad], and sooner later, they are no longer keeping things cold. If you are talking about a potato salad, that can be a little risky. You don’t want to serve up anything that might have a chance to go bad during your get-together.

Vinaigrette salads are great for summer outdoor meals

This Warm Green Bean Tomato Salad proves that point very nicely.  Full of garden fresh veggies, topped with a lively vinaigrette – it’s good eats, summer-style.  Our favorite kind of food!

If you don’t have a garden of your own, just about every Farmer’s Market in the country will have all of these veggies right now, and for the next couple of months. Getting ahold of these ingredients won’t be too difficult. And making a vinaigrette is a snap – no store-bought salad dressings needed here.

It is good cold too

If you prefer your salad cold, that is not a problem, because this Warm Green Bean Tomato Salad is just as good chilled.  I often make a big batch of it and store half of it in the fridge for a meal a day or two later.  It may need a bit more vinaigrette in that case, but not to worry – this recipe makes extra!

But it all starts with fresh green beans

When you get your green beans to the kitchen, it’s a good idea to get them prepped for easy use, so here is How to Prep Fresh Green Beans from one of my Facebook reels. Very handy info – give me a follow there too, if you don’t already.

This is an easy and flexible recipe

If you’re like me, you save your bacon drippings [the fat that is left over after you fry up some bacon].  But if you don’t save bacon drippings, or just don’t eat bacon, olive oil, avocado oil or butter will all work. The bacon drippings add a lovely smokey background note.  Don’t have a red onion? Use a sweet white onion.  In a pinch, you could use frozen green beans, but be sure to blanch them first, and don’t them cook quite as long.  Do what you can with what you have – no judgment here!

How to make Warm Green Bean Tomato Salad

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Warm Green Bean Tomato Salad

Author: Donalyn Ketchum

This easy to make and versatile salad is perfect for outdoor get-togethers because it doesn't need refrigeration. So tasty!

Prep Time5 minutes mins

Cook Time10 minutes mins

Total Time15 minutes mins

Servings: 6

Calories: 224kcal

Equipment

• Micoplane
• French whisk
• Misen Chef's Knife
• 12 inch saute pan

Ingredients

Beans

• 1 pound fresh green beans
• 1 tablespoon bacon drippings [or olive oil]
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 5-6 grinds fresh black pepper
• 1 small red onion
• 1/4 cup chicken, vegetable stock or water
• 10 large grape tomatoes, cut in quarters

Vinaigrette

• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• few grinds fresh black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon honey
• 1 clove garlic, peeled
• 1/2 cup olive oil

Instructions

First, make the vinaigrette so the flavors have time to meld.

• Use a small deep bowl and add the vinegar, salt, pepper, and sugar.
• Grate the garlic with a microplane or other fine grater [or mash to a paste], and add to bowl
• Whisk until salt and sugar are dissolved.
• Drizzle in the olive oil, whisking all the time, until it's all incorporated. Set aside.
• Prepare the beans by trimming the stem ends, washing, and cutting into pieces about 1 & 1/2 inches long.
• Heat a 12-inch skillet and add bacon drippings.
• When the drippings are melted, raise the heat to high and add the beans and onions. Stir fry for 4 to 5 minutes, until the onions are wilted and the beans take on a little color in spots.
• Lower the heat and add the stock or water and bring to a boil, cover tightly and cook for 2 minutes.
• Remove the lid, crank the heat back up to high, and cook, stirring, until stock is cooked away - another 3 to 4 minutes. Beans will still be tender-crisp.
• Stir in tomatoes, heat for about 30 seconds, and turn out into a serving bowl.
• Drizzle with the vinaigrette [you will have some vinaigrette left over] and serve. Can be held at room temperature for 3 to 4 hours if necessary, but after that, refrigerate leftovers, which can be reheated or eaten cold. *see notes

Notes

*While we often have this salad right after it is made, it can easily made a day ahead, or in the morning, and refrigerated until an hour or so before serving. It is good warm or cold.

Nutrition

Calories: 224kcal | Carbohydrates: 9g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 14g | Cholesterol: 3mg | Sodium: 220mg | Potassium: 270mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 758IU | Vitamin C: 15mg | Calcium: 37mg | Iron: 1mg

A couple of other green bean recipes we like

If you love fresh green beans as much as we do. check this out.  I have a couple of other really great recipes:  Green Beans with Crispy Leeks is one of my favorites, and we love Green Beans with Miso too.

This post was originally made in June 2013, updated in August 2023, and updated again in June 2024