Green Bean Goat Cheese Salad

Whether you're hosting a festive holiday dinner or simply looking for a refreshing salad to accompany your next meal, this green bean salad with goat cheese, figs, and radicchio is an excellent choice. Its combination of tastes and textures will tantalize your taste buds while adding an elegant touch to any table setting.

Salads are a staple for me and green bean salads often make it into the rotation; their tender bite and mild flavor make them an appealing option for a heartier salad.  Not to mention that they stand up quite well to vinaigrettes without getting soggy like lettuce, making them an ideal choice for parties.  Add some juicy figs, creamy goat cheese, fresh herbs and toasted nuts and you have yourself an easy green bean and goat cheese salad that comes together in a flash.

A lively mix of textures and flavors; each bite is a little creamy, crunchy and sweet.  You get a wonderful creaminess from the cheese, welcome crunch from the nuts and gentle sweetness from the figs.  It’s a versatile salad that fits in just as nicely on a holiday buffet as it does on a summer picnic table.

Ingredient Notes:

(Here are a few notes about the ingredients you’ll need for this recipe.  As always find the full list of ingredients and directions in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.)

• Green Beans - Slender French green beans are the best if you can find them but any slender green bean will work.
• Radicchio - Crunchy radicchio adds both color, crunch and a slight bitterness that pairs nicely with the goat cheese and figs.
• Figs - Any variety of figs will do. Fresh are best when in season but dried figs will also work.
• Goat Cheese - A log of fresh goat cheese is what I've used but feel free to substitute an aged goat cheese for a more pronounced flavor if you'd prefer.
• Fresh Herbs - I've used a combination of chives and parsley.
• Nuts - I've used hazelnuts here but you could also use walnuts.
• Fig Dressing - Fig jam, white vinegar and olive oil are combined to make a sweet and tangy fig dressing.

How to Make a Green Bean and Goat Cheese Salad:

(Here are the basic steps and some helpful tips on how to make the recipe.  Find the full directions in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.)

1. You start by blanching the green beans then cooling them in an ice bath.
2. Next you'll whisk together the fig dressing in a large bowl. 
3. Place the cooked green beans together with the dressing, the radicchio, figs, goat cheese, herbs and nuts and toss gently to combine. And you are ready to serve!

Variations:

• Use dried figs instead of fresh
• Use lettuce instead of radicchio
• Use walnuts instead of hazelnuts

More Green Bean Salads:

• Tomato Green Bean Salad
• Feta Green Bean Salad
• Peach Basil Salad with Green Beans

Continue to Content

Yield: 4 Servings

Green Bean Goat Cheese Salad

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes

Whether you're hosting a holiday gathering or simply looking for an impressive side dish to elevate your mealtime experience, this green bean salad is sure to be a hit.

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Ingredients

• 1 pound/16oz slender green beans or French haricots vert
• 2 Tablespoons/30ml white balsamic or champagne vinegar
• 2 Tablespoons/30ml extra virgin olive oil
• 1 Tablespoon/15ml naturally sweetened fig jam 
• Coarse sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
• 2 Tablespoons finely chopped fresh chives
• ¼ cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, roughly torn
• 1 small head of radicchio, roughly torn
• 1 small basket (about 6) fresh ripe figs, halved or quartered
• 2 Tablespoons/14g hazelnuts, lightly toasted and roughly chopped
• 2oz/56g of goat cheese, crumbled into chunks

Instructions

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the green beans and cook until they are barely crisp-tender, about 2-3 minutes (be careful not to overcook them as they’ll lose their color and crunch.)
2. Drain and rinse the green beans under cold water or in an ice bath until they are cool to the touch and pat dry.
3. In a large bowl whisk together the vinegar, olive oil and fig jam. Salt and pepper to taste.
4. Toss the cooled green beans, chopped chives, torn parsley and radicchio leaves with the vinaigrette and place on large platter.
5. Top with quartered figs, toasted hazelnuts and crumbled goat cheese.
6. Season with additional salt and pepper if desired and serve immediately.

Notes

Variations:

• Use dried figs instead of fresh
• Use lettuce instead of radicchio
• Use walnuts instead of hazelnuts

Storage:

Salad is best served fresh but leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Dietary Info:

Gluten-Free, Grain-Free, Vegetarian, Egg-Free

Recommended Products

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• 
  O White Balsamic Vinegar, 10.1 Fl Oz
• 
  St. Dalfour Royal Fig All Natural Ingredients 100% Fruit, 10oz(284g), 2 Pack

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

4

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 228Total Fat: 16gSaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 12gCholesterol: 23mgSodium: 217mgCarbohydrates: 14gFiber: 4gSugar: 6gProtein: 9g

Nutritional information for recipes contained on this website, such as calories, fat, carbs, etc. are only estimates and are not guaranteed to be accurate.

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Sylvie

Sylvie Shirazi is the recipe developer and food photographer behind Gourmande in the Kitchen. For the last 10 years she's been making eating more healthfully easy and accessible with gluten-free, grain-free, paleo and vegan recipes that are free from processed ingredients.