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I think my mother must have prepared this Green Bean Salad Recipe (Grüner Bohnensalat) at least a few times a month… and maybe even weekly during the summer. Come to think of it, these green beans arrived on the table at Oma’s house quite often too. Why? It’s a simple recipe that tastes good. Better yet, you can easily make adjustments depending on whether your beans are fresh or canned. Just toss the cooked beans in a simple vinaigrette with some onion… throw in a few herbs if you like… and DONE.
The recipe I wrote includes directions for cooking fresh green beans. If all you have is canned beans (either from your own garden efforts, or from the can at the grocery store), just skip the cooking part, drain the can/jar, and go right to “toss the beans with the dressing” step. The recipe goes from can to table in under 5 minutes! Perfect for those rushed nights when you need to get veggies into people, but have no time. (I’ve been known to serve the Bohnensalat recipe with take out pizza… and for the most part, my kids have learned not to argue).
And for those of you who dislike or have trouble digesting raw onion, substituting dehydrated onion adds nice flavor without that onion bite. Yes, you can even sprinkle on Onion powder instead of raw onion or dehydrated onion. Just know that if you leave it out entirely, a heavenly host of Omas will give you the look. I’m kidding (mostly), but if you don’t add onion, the flavor does change.
Choose whether you want to add chopped fresh parsley and/or dill. I say go for it, if you have it, so you get extra flavor and vitamins. (And it looks like you made an effort to be fancy).
The Green Bean Salad keeps in your refrigerator for several days if stored in an airtight container. Make a batch at the beginning of the week, and take some to lunch every day! Or add it to a Salatteller with a Green Salad, Beet Salad, and Sellariesalat (Celery Root Salad).
German Green Bean Salad Recipe – Grüner Bohnensalat Recipe
German Green Bean Salad Recipe
German Green Bean Salat or Grüner Bohnensalat comes together easily without a lot of fuss. It's best when prepared with fresh beans, but canned or jarred beans will work just fine (and it's MUCH quicker!). Serve alone, or as part of a Salatteller.
Prep Time 10 minutes mins
Cook Time 10 minutes mins
Total Time 1 hour hr 20 minutes mins
Ingredients
- 1 pound Green Beans
- 1 Tbl. salt for cooking water
- 3 Tbl. Oil vegetable oil or olive oil
- 3 Tbl. White Wine or Red Wine Vinegar
- 1/2 cup Diced Onion alternatively, 2 Tbl. Dehydrated Onion
- 1 tsp Salt
- 1 tsp. Pepper
- Optional- 2 teaspoons of chopped herbs Parsley, Dill
Instructions
Trim the ends of the washed green beans, and cut into pieces 1 to 1 1/2 inches long.
Place the green bean pieces into a medium large saucepan, add water until the beans are covered by 1inch of water. Add a tablespoon of Salt.
Bring the water to a boil, then reduce to simmer. Cook until the beans are soft. (5 - 7 minutes)
While the beans are cooking:
In a mixing bowl, combine the Oil, Vinegar, Salt, Pepper, and diced Onion (or dehydrated onion). Stir to bring it together.
When the beans are soft, drain them, rinse for 30 seconds in cold water, then add them to the dressing in the mixing bowl.
Stir to coat the beans
Place in the the refrigerator until cooled. Stir every now and then to insure that the beans are properly coated.
Taste and correct salt and pepper before serving.
Notes
Follow the recipe if using Fresh Green Beans. You will have to wait for the beans to cool before eating. Just set the bowl in the refrigerator, and stir occasionally as it cools.
If using Canned or Jarred Green Beans.... Drain the beans and rinse. Then add to the dressing, and stir. Taste and correct for seasoning. The longer it sits, the better the flavor.
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Just in case… Here are some step-by-step Photos of German Green Bean Salad being made.
Cut the ends off of the beans, then cut the beans into 1 to 1 1/2 inch pieces
Cook the beans until soft (around 5 -6 minutes) then drain. Rinse in cool water fora bit to stop the cooking
Make the marinade in a bowl, add onions, then add the warm beans and stir to coat
Let Cool, then serve
Store the in an Airtight Container to make it last several days
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FAQs
Soy sauce is one of the easiest answers to how to flavor green beans. You can throw in some of this soy sauce, sesame oil, olive oil, ginger, and garlic and pan fry until glassy and green and you may never want to eat green beans any other way again.
Should green beans be soaked before cooking? ›
Should I Soak Green Beans Before Cooking? Fresh green beans do not need to be soaked. To help tenderize the beans, blanch them in a large pot of salted water.
What adds flavor to green beans? ›
Butter: A bit of butter adds a rich flavor and helps the seasoning stick to the green beans. Seasoned salt: Buy seasoned salt from the store, or make your own seasoned salt at home. Chili powder: This is an unexpected knockout seasoning. Chili powder adds a touch of spice and color without being too overpowering.
What happens when you cook green beans with baking soda? ›
Because baking soda lessens the acidity of the cooking water, it also slows down the chlorophyll dulling process, thereby keeping the veggies greener for longer.
How to get bitterness out of green beans? ›
My preferred method is to drain them into a colander filled with ice, then cover them with more ice, then run water over them. Truthfully, you can skip the ice and still have things turn out okay, but you're better off if you put your ice maker through its paces, and you want these to be great, not just okay.
How do you get the most flavor out of beans? ›
Bump up the flavor with tomato paste
Remember your old friend tomato paste? It's great to add into beans. Throw in a dollop or two to the aromatics once they've cooked, and sauté in the hot fat for a minute or two, just to cook out the tinny flavor. Harissa paste also works nicely for this.
How to make beans taste homemade? ›
Toss drained/rinsed/dried beans with a bit of olive oil (or avocado oil) and your favorite seasonings. You can add crushed whole seeds (coriander, cumin, fennel, mustard, etc.), woodsy herbs (thyme, oregano, rosemary, sage), red pepper flakes, crushed garlic cloves, and of course salt and pepper.
Can you eat raw green beans? ›
In summary, the safest way to eat green beans is usually cooked, but green beans can be eaten raw as well. Just be sure to wash them under running water before using them, as you would with any other produce. And because green beans contain lectins, eating them raw may result in tummy troubles.
How to keep green beans snappy? ›
An ice bath keeps green beans snappy and bright. Put those blanched, shocked green beans to work: No matter how you plan to prepare green beans—sautéed, blistered, or baked into a casserole—blanching is a good place to start.
Are beans left out overnight safe to eat? ›
After cooking a pot of beans, you'll have about two hours' time of them sitting out before you have to worry about bacteria – that's the safe time outlined by the USDA in their “Danger Zone” range. Once the food temp drops, they may become too unhealthy to eat.
The vegetable helps fight inflammation and is a good source of folate and potassium, which helps regulate blood pressure. Green beans also are a good source of protein and fiber, which helps lower cholesterol, Vadiveloo said. "Fiber is underconsumed by U.S. adults and children, and it's good for gut health," she said.
Why do you cut the ends off green beans? ›
The only part of the bean that always needs to be removed is the tip of the stem end (this is sometimes called "topping" the bean), where the pod was once attached to the rest of the plant. There is no practical need to remove the tail end of a green bean—the choice to do so is aesthetic.
How long will fresh green beans last in the refrigerator? ›
It's best to store your fresh green beans in the fridge, otherwise store green beans in the freezer if you want them to last longer. You can also store unwashed and unblanched green beans in the refrigerator for up to about seven days before you need to store your green beans in the freezer.
How to cook green beans Jamie Oliver? ›
Put a pan of salted water on to boil. Meanwhile, trim the the beans. Once the water is boiling, steam or boil the beans until tender. Drain well, then tip the cooked beans into the bowl with your dressing and toss everything together, making sure all the beans get coated.
How long to soak green beans before cooking? ›
To soak beans the traditional way, cover them with water by 2 inches, add 2 tablespoons coarse kosher salt (or 1 tablespoon fine salt) per pound of beans, and let them soak for at least 4 hours or up to 12 hours. Drain them and rinse before using.
What is the difference between French style green beans and regular green beans? ›
French green beans (also called Haricots Verts) are slightly longer and skinnier than regular green beans and may be a little bit more expensive. They are harvested earlier then regular green beans, so they are thought to be more tender and more flavorful.
What is the difference between green beans and Italian green beans? ›
What is the difference between regular and Italian beans? In terms of varieties, string beans or regular beans are long and rounded in shape. Italian, or Romano, are flat and wide with more of a nutty flavor.
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