This Garlicky Green Bean Potato Salad is like a hybrid combining a cold bean salad with a German potato salad and a whole lot of garlic. Its a little bit different and a whole lot of good.
Garlicky Green Bean Potato Salad
My Grandma has made this Garlicky Green Bean Potato Salad for years. Its one of her signature summer recipes and a favorite dish to pass at picnics and church potlucks. Despite its simplicity, its not a recipe I’ve encountered very often outside of my Grandma’s version–its certainly not as popular as its cousins, the three bean salad or German Potato Salad.
I suspect that simplicity is exactly what makes this recipe so incredible. Garlicky Green Bean Potato Salad pairs with basically any summer meal — grilled steak, BBQ ribs, fried chicken, you name it, this works. Its also a pretty incredible dish on its own — I tend to eat the leftovers as lunch at the pool all summer long.
The best part though, is that its incredibly kid-friendly. Cold summer salads tend to have lots of creamy sauces (I’m looking at you potato salad and coleslaw) or mystery ingredients (pasta salad) that scare kids away. This one has neither. Garlicky Green Bean Potato Salad is just that: green beans, potatoes and garlic. I think kids appreciate that sort of honesty. Don’t we all?
Calling All Garlic Lovers
With that in mind, I should note that the garlic in this recipe is raw and my grandma always used a lot of it. We like to smell a recipe before we get anywhere close to it 😉 If you prefer your garlic a bit more subtle, use one clove instead of two. This is also a recipe where you could get very technical — my culinary school chefs spent many a long night grilling me on how to properly blanch green beans (shock them in an ice bath after cooking), but on summer weekends I tend to be L.A.Z.Y. My method for this recipe reflects that. I cook the potatoes and beans together in the same pot and then run some cold water over the lot to cool them. I like my potatoes creamy-crumbly and our family prefers green beans on the slightly softer side, so it works for us. If that doesn’t work for you, cook the beans and potatoes in separate pots (cooking times are the same) and bring them together at the end.
I know we’re getting down to the wire on summer– and I really hope to be a bit more timely about sharing things now that the kids are starting school again — but before the weather turns cool, this Garlicky Green Bean Potato Salad really is worth a try.
Print
Garlicky Green Bean Potato Salad
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
Description
This Garlicky Green Bean Potato Salad is like a hybrid combining a cold bean salad with a German potato salad and a whole lot of garlic. Its a little bit different and a whole lot of good.
Ingredients
- 1/2 pound fresh green beans, ends trimmed
- 1 pound creamy white potatoes
- 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 2 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon of dry Italian seasoning
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1/4 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
- Optional garnishes: 1 tablespoon chopped chives, crushed red pepper to taste
Instructions
- Fill a large pot two thirds full with water. Add 1 teaspoon of salt and bring to a boil. Add potatoes and cook for 15 minutes, until they are just barely tender enough to cut with a fork.
- While potatoes are cooking, make the dressing. Combine vinegar, mustard, garlic, Italian seasoning and remaining teaspoon of salt in a small bowl. Whisk in olive oil until emulsified. Set aside.
- Add green beans to the pot with the potatoes and continue cooking for another 2-3 minutes, until potatoes are full tender and green beans are crisp-tender.
- Drain green beans and potatoes into a large colander and run cold water over them to cool (about 2 minutes).
- Shake off any excess water from green beans and potatoes. Slice potatoes into bite size pieces and place in a serving bowl along with green beans. Pour dressing over salad and toss to combine. Top with fresh ground pepper, chives and crushed red pepper if desired. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Notes
This recipe is delicious served cold or at room temperature.
