Recipes
South Africa

Green Bean Salad with Garlic Dressing

Crisp blanched green beans tossed in a bright garlic-lemon dressing.

Ingredients

  • 400g green beans, trimmed
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 lemon (zest + juice)
  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • Salt & pepper
  • Optional: toasted almonds, cherry tomatoes, feta, parsley

Method

  1. 1

    Steam or blanch beans for 3–4 minutes until bright green and tender-crisp. Transfer to ice water.

  2. 2

    Mix garlic, lemon juice, lemon zest, olive oil, salt, and pepper.

  3. 3

    Coat beans in dressing. Add almonds, tomatoes, or feta if using.

  4. 4

    Serve chilled or at room temperature.

Swaps & variations

  • Add mustard for a tangy dressing
  • Add chilli for heat
  • Add roasted red peppers
  • Use lime instead of lemon

Storing & freezing

Keeps 3–4 days refrigerated. Blanched beans freeze well for 6 months. Do not freeze salad once dressed.

Grow it yourself

  • Green Beans: Sow in warm soil (late spring–summer); provide support for climbing varieties; beans enrich soil; water evenly
  • Garlic: Plant late autumn/winter; thrives in sunny well-drained soil
  • Lemons: Citrus trees love full sun and regular feeding; mulch well; protect from frost
  • Parsley: Thrives with consistent watering; best in cooler seasons
  • Marigolds repel nematodes in bean beds
  • Spray garlic-chilli solution for beetles
  • Encourage ladybirds for aphid control
  • Rotate beans yearly to prevent soil diseases
  • Beans: Pick when pods are slender and seeds barely visible; regular harvesting boosts productivity
  • Garlic: Pull bulbs when lower leaves brown
  • Lemons: Harvest when fully coloured and heavy

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