RecipesSouth African 
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
Steam or blanch beans for 3–4 minutes until bright green and tender-crisp. Transfer to ice water.
- 2
Mix garlic, lemon juice, lemon zest, olive oil, salt, and pepper.
- 3
Coat beans in dressing. Add almonds, tomatoes, or feta if using.
- 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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