A delicious Bohnensalat recipe celebrating the glory of fresh green beans! Simple to make and a great accompaniment to virtually anything, this German Green Bean Salad is a wonderful addition to your side dish repertoire!
Whether your garden is bursting with beans or you find a good deal at the store or farmer’s market, this German Bohnensalat is a wonderful way to showcase those delicious, nutrient-packed green beans!
My garden is producing an abundance of beans right now. Every morning I go out to pick beans and come back in with a beautiful harvest. Whether you’re growing your own or a buying them, use the freshest beans you can find. You can use any number of green bean varieties as well as yellow and wax bean varieties.
I’ve made this German green bean salad with Roma type green beans as well as yellow wax beans and they’re all delicious.
Today I’m using some French haricot vert green beans, freshly harvested from my garden this morning. If you’re having dinner guests over these longer, slender green beans make for an elegant presentation when left whole.
This Bohnensalat features the subtle flavor of summer savory, an herb that’s popular in Germany and known as Bohnenkraut but is relatively unknown in the U.S.. If you want to experience a traditional German green bean salad, I highly recommend using the savory. However, feel free to change up the flavor profile with herbs of your choice (e.g., dill, oregano, parsley, thyme).
Tips for Making the Perfect Green Bean Salad:
- It’s important that you don’t overcook the beans or they will be limp and mushy. Cook them until they’re barely tender but still slightly firm with a bit of “bite” to them.
- Let the salad chill for several hours before eating to enable the flavors to penetrate the beans.
- Eat the salad the same day or well within 24 hours while the beans are still a vibrant green; they lose their vibrance and turn a dull color over time.
Bohnensalat Recipe
Let’s get started!
To cut or not to cut: Depending on the bean variety (if they’re not too long), you can either opt to leave them whole or you can cut them into bite-sized pieces. It’s purely a matter of personal preference.
Whisk together the vinaigrette and set aside.
Boil the beans with the summer savory in lightly salted water just until tender but still slightly firm. Do not overcook.
When the beans are done cooking, drain them and immediately pour the marinade over the hot beans and stir in the minced onions. Let them sit until cool and then put them in the fridge to chill for several hours or overnight before serving.
Eat the same day or well within 24 hours while the beans are still a vibrant green.
Enjoy!
For more German salad recipes be sure to try our:
- Creamy German Cucumber Salad
- German Cucumber Salad
- German Tomato Salad
- Swabian Potato Salad
- German Picnic Salad
- Red Herring Salad
- Fleischsalat
Bohnensalat (German Green Bean Salad)
Ingredients
- 1 pound fresh green beans , washed, drained, ends trimmed; you can either leave the beans whole or cut them into bite-sized pieces
- 2 sprigs summer savory or 1/4 teaspoon dried summer savory (highly recommended for authentic German flavor but can substitute other herbs of choice, e.g. dill, parsley, oregano, thyme)
- 1/3 cup finely diced yellow onion
- For the Vinaigrette:
- 3 tablespoons white vinegar
- 2 tablespoons sunflower oil , highly recommended for authentic German flavor but can substitute olive oil (olive oil will solidify in the fridge; bring to room temp before serving)
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 1/2 to 2 teaspoons sea salt
- a few grinds of black pepper
Instructions
- Whisk together the vinaigrette and set aside. Boil the beans with the summer savory in lightly salted water just until tender but still slightly firm. Do not overcook. When the beans are done cooking, drain them and immediately pour the marinade over the hot beans and stir in the minced onions. Let them sit until cool and then put them in the fridge to chill for several hours or overnight before serving. Eat the same day or well within 24 hours while the beans are still a vibrant green.
Nutrition
Christa Brooks says
This recipe is also great using yellow (wax) beans.
Thanks for sharing.
Kimberly Killebrew says
For sure, Christa! I’ve made with both and they’re both yummy! :)
hc says
Onions are listed in the ingredients, but not mentioned in the instructions.
Kimberly Killebrew says
Hi hc, it’s there in the 4th sentence of the instructions: “When the beans are done cooking, drain them and immediately pour the marinade over the hot beans and stir in the minced onions.”