With fresh ingredients and a delicious homemade dressing, this Marinated Green Bean Salad is the perfect side dish to any summertime meal!A FRESH, SUMMER GREEN BEAN SALADIf youve never tried a green bean salad, then now is the time! This marinated Green Bean Salad is a fresh and light side dish. I honestly could eat it as a meal it is so good! A lot of people think to make pasta salads but I think this green bean salad is so unique that people are often surprised how much they love it. I always come home with an empty bowl! The marinade dressing really takes this recipe over the top.The family loved this. The dressing is amazing! Ive made this recipe a few times and I decided to add some diced avocados this time. It was a great addition to a wonderful recipe. MitziFREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:Do I have to use fresh green beans? Yes. Frozen green beans bring too much water with them and the texture would not be the same. In addition, canned green beans dont offer that bright green color and crunchy texture were looking for with this salad. How long does this need to chill? You will want to chill this for at least 4 hours so that the flavors of the marinade and vegetables can marry and combine nicely. Can I use other vegetables? Absolutely! It doesnt have to be green beans. You could use this other vegetables like cooked asparagus, bell peppers and corn. Are there other good mix-ins? Some other good mix-ins to this salad that would be garbanzo beans, sliced almonds, hard-boiled eggs, bacon, chopped fresh basil, chopped fresh oregano, or mozzarella pearls. How do I store leftovers? This can be stored in an airtight container or covered in the refrigerator where it will keep for up to 4 days. I do not recommend freezing. INGREDIENTS NEEDED: (SEE RECIPE CARD BELOW FOR THE FULL RECIPE)trimmed fresh green beans this is meant to be a fresh summer recipe so it must be made with fresh green beans only. For more information on that, see my Frequently Asked Questions above.olive oil use your favorite oil here. Avocado oil works well too. red wine vinegar dont have red wine vinegar? You could use rice vinegar or just regular white vinegar.garlic you really should use fresh garlic here, not the jarred stuff. You will get the absolutely best flavor with fresh garlic.dijon mustard I dont think you should substitute with regular mustard here. It would end up a bit too strong a flavor and too vinegary. You could use a stone ground mustard though.salt and pepper this is totally up to your tastes. If you need to cut back on salt, you could use a salt substitute. red onion if you find red onions to be too pungent of a flavor, try soaking the sliced red onions in a bath of ice water for a few minutes then pat them dry with a paper towel. This will really help the onion from having an over powering flavor.cherry tomatoes you can use any tomato you like. I tend to go with cherry tomatoes for this recipe because they dont release a bunch of tomato juice into the salad. parmesan cheese dont like parmesan cheese? Just leave it out or use another cheese of your choice. HOW TO MAKE MARINATED GREEN BEAN SALAD:Place the green beans in a large stock pot. Cover the green beans with water 2 inches above the beans. Place on the stove over high heat, and bring to a boil. Once at a boil, lower the heat to medium and simmer for 5 minutes. Strain and set aside. In a large bowl whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, garlic, dijon, salt, and pepper.Add the warm green beans and onion, toss to coat. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator to chill for 4 hours or longer if you can.Before serving add the tomatoes and cheese.Toss to combine.Serve immediately.WANT MORE DELICIOUS RECIPES?Italian Green BeansMarinated Cole SlawCreamy Cucumber SaladBlack Eyed Pea SaladAlmond Green BeansSlow Cooker Green BeansMarinated Tomato Cucumber SaladBacon and Garlic Green Beans Originally published: July 2022Updated and republished: June 2025 PrintMarinated Green Bean SaladWith fresh ingredients and a delicious homemade dressing, this Marinated Green Bean Salad is the perfect side dish to any summertime meal.Course Salad, Side DishCuisine AmericanPrep Time 20 minutes minutesCook Time 15 minutes minutesChill Time: 4 hours hoursTotal Time 4 hours hours 35 minutes minutesServings 12Calories 99kcalAuthor Brandie SkibinskiIngredients2 pounds trimmed fresh green beans cup olive oil3 Tablespoons red wine vinegar4 cloves garlic, minced1 Tablespoon dijon mustard2 teaspoons kosher salt teaspoon black pepper1 small red onion, thinly sliced1 pint cherry tomatoes, cut in half cup grated parmesan cheeseInstructionsPlace 2 pounds trimmed fresh green beans in a large stock pot. Cover the green beans with water 2 inches above the beans. Place on the stove over high heat, and bring to a boil. Once at a boil, lower the heat to medium and simmer for 5 minutes. Strain and set aside.In a large bowl whisk together cup olive oil, 3 Tablespoons red wine vinegar, 4 cloves garlic, minced, 1 Tablespoon dijon mustard, 2 teaspoons kosher salt and teaspoon black pepper. Add the warm green beans and 1 small red onion, thinly sliced, toss to coat. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator to chill for 4 hours or longer if you can. Before serving add 1 pint cherry tomatoes, cut in half and cup grated parmesan cheese. Toss to combine, and serve immediately. NotesThis salad is great cold or at room temperature.Other ingredients can be added to this, see suggestions above.You will want to make sure to chill for 4 hours so the the flavors can marry.This is a great make ahead salad for gatherings.Freezing is not recommended.NutritionCalories: 99kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 7g | Sodium: 545mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 4g