If you’re looking for a fresh, flavorful, and festive dish to brighten up any holiday table, the Holiday Green Bean Salad with Feta, Cranberries & Walnuts Recipe is an absolute must-try. This vibrant salad offers a delightful blend of crisp green beans, creamy feta, sweet-tart cranberries, and crunchy walnuts, all brought together with a luscious honey-balsamic dressing. It’s the kind of recipe that brings warmth and cheer with every bite, making it perfect for sharing with family and friends during special occasions or any time you want a celebration on your plate.
Ingredients You’ll Need
What makes this Holiday Green Bean Salad with Feta, Cranberries & Walnuts Recipe so wonderful is how simple each ingredient is, yet how they come together to create a symphony of flavors. Every component plays a key role in balancing freshness, creaminess, sweetness, and crunch, giving the salad its irresistible character.
- Fresh green beans: Crisp and vibrant, these are the star that provides a crunchy and hearty base.
- Crumbled feta cheese: Adds a creamy, slightly salty richness that complements the other ingredients beautifully.
- Dried cranberries: Bring a lovely tartness and subtle sweetness, perfect for the holiday vibe.
- Toasted walnuts: Offer a toasty crunch and earthy flavor that enhances texture and depth.
- Red onion, thinly sliced: Brings a mild sharpness and color contrast to the salad.
- Olive oil: Serves as a smooth, fruity base for the dressing, tying all the flavors together.
- Balsamic vinegar: Adds a tangy complexity and subtle sweetness that balances the dish.
- Honey: Provides a gentle sweetness that rounds out the tart and tangy notes.
- Salt and pepper: Essential seasonings that enhance and harmonize all flavors.
- Fresh parsley, chopped: A bright and fresh garnish that brings a pop of green and freshness.
How to Make Holiday Green Bean Salad with Feta, Cranberries & Walnuts Recipe
Step 1: Prepare the Green Beans
Start by trimming your fresh green beans. Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil—this ensures the beans cook evenly and absorb just the right amount of seasoning from the salt.
Step 2: Blanch the Green Beans
Add the trimmed green beans to the boiling water and blanch them for about 3 to 4 minutes. This step is key to achieving bright green, tender-crisp beans that still have a satisfying crunch.
Step 3: Shock in Ice Water
Immediately transfer the green beans to a bowl filled with ice water to stop the cooking process. This technique locks in that beautiful green color and maintains the perfect texture. Let them chill for 5 minutes before draining and patting dry.
Step 4: Combine Salad Ingredients
In a large mixing bowl, toss together the cooled green beans with the crumbled feta cheese, dried cranberries, toasted walnuts, and thinly sliced red onion. The mix of colors and textures here is already so inviting!
Step 5: Whisk the Dressing
In a small bowl or jar, whisk together the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, honey, salt, and pepper until everything is well blended. This dressing is where all the flavors start to sing together and shine.
Step 6: Dress the Salad
Pour the dressing over your salad mixture and toss gently. This ensures every single green bean and crunchy morsel gets a flavorful coating without losing its texture.
Step 7: Adjust Seasoning
Give your salad a taste and add more salt or pepper if you feel it needs a little extra kick. Personal touches like this make homemade salads truly sing.
Step 8: Garnish and Serve
Transfer your salad to a serving platter or individual bowls, then sprinkle generously with freshly chopped parsley for a vibrant finish. This adds a delicate herbal note and a burst of color that makes the dish pop on any table.
Step 9: Chill or Serve Immediately
This salad tastes fantastic right away, but if you have time, refrigerate it for up to an hour before serving. This allows the flavors to meld beautifully, making every bite even more delicious.
How to Serve Holiday Green Bean Salad with Feta, Cranberries & Walnuts Recipe
Garnishes
Adding freshly chopped parsley is a classic move, but you can also sprinkle a few extra toasted walnuts or more crumbled feta on top just before serving to elevate the presentation and texture. Thinly sliced green onions or a light dusting of lemon zest can bring additional brightness and freshness to this vibrant salad.
Side Dishes
This salad pairs effortlessly with roasted turkey, grilled chicken, or baked salmon, making it a standout side for holiday feasts or casual dinners. It also balances rich, creamy dishes beautifully, providing a refreshing counterpoint to heavier flavors.
Creative Ways to Present
For a festive touch, serve the salad in a hollowed-out avocado or atop individual endive leaves as bite-sized appetizers. You can also layer it in a clear glass bowl to showcase the colorful layers or add edible flowers for a whimsical, holiday-appropriate twist that’s sure to impress guests.
Make Ahead and Storage
Storing Leftovers
Store any leftover salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two days. The green beans will maintain their crispness if you’ve patted them dry well, keeping the salad fresh and tasty.
Freezing
This particular salad is best enjoyed fresh and does not freeze well. Freezing can cause the green beans and feta to lose their texture and become mushy, so it’s best to prepare just enough for your needs or enjoy leftovers cold.
Reheating
Since this is a chilled salad designed to be enjoyed cold or at room temperature, reheating is not recommended. Instead, simply take it out of the fridge about 15 minutes before serving to let the flavors shine without losing crispness.
FAQs
Can I use frozen green beans for this salad?
While fresh green beans give the best texture and color, you can use frozen green beans if fresh aren’t available. Just be sure to blanch them properly and pat dry thoroughly to avoid sogginess in the salad.
Is it possible to make this salad vegan?
Absolutely! Simply swap the feta cheese for a plant-based cheese alternative or omit it altogether, and adjust the dressing if needed by removing honey or replacing it with maple syrup to suit vegan preferences.
How far in advance can I prepare this salad?
This salad can be made up to one day ahead. Prepare all ingredients, toss with dressing, and store in the fridge. Adding fresh parsley garnish right before serving keeps it looking and tasting its best.
Can I substitute walnuts with another nut?
You sure can! Pecans, almonds, or even pistachios work beautifully and bring their own unique flavors and crunch to the salad.
What other dressings could I use?
If you’d like a twist, a lemon vinaigrette or a maple mustard dressing can be excellent alternatives, each bringing a slightly different but equally delightful profile to the salad.
Final Thoughts
I promise once you make the Holiday Green Bean Salad with Feta, Cranberries & Walnuts Recipe, it will earn a permanent spot in your recipe collection. Its beautiful balance of textures and flavors brings a festive flair that’s both comforting and refreshing. Whether you’re hosting a big holiday meal or just want to elevate a weekday dinner, this salad is guaranteed to brighten the table and delight everyone’s taste buds. Give it a try—you’ll be so glad you did!
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Holiday Green Bean Salad with Feta, Cranberries & Walnuts Recipe
- Prep Time: 0h 15m
- Cook Time: 0h 10m
- Total Time: 0h 25m
- Yield: 6 servings
- Category: Salad
- Method: Blanching
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
This Holiday Green Bean Salad with Feta, Cranberries & Walnuts is a vibrant and festive side dish perfect for the holiday season. Featuring crisp-tender green beans, tangy feta cheese, sweet dried cranberries, and crunchy toasted walnuts, all tossed in a flavorful honey balsamic dressing, this salad combines fresh, sweet, and savory flavors for a delightful and colorful addition to any meal.
Ingredients
Salad Ingredients
- 1 pound fresh green beans, trimmed
- 1 cup crumbled feta cheese
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries
- 1/2 cup toasted walnuts, roughly chopped
- 1/4 cup red onion, thinly sliced
- Fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)
Dressing Ingredients
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 1 tablespoon honey
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Prepare the green beans: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. This will ensure the green beans cook evenly and retain their bright color.
- Blanch the green beans: Add the trimmed green beans to the boiling water and cook for 3-4 minutes until they are bright green and tender-crisp, providing a crisp texture ideal for the salad.
- Cool the green beans: Immediately transfer the blanched beans to a bowl of ice water to halt the cooking process. Let them cool for about 5 minutes, then drain well and pat dry to avoid watering down the salad.
- Combine salad ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, mix the cooled green beans with crumbled feta cheese, dried cranberries, toasted walnuts, and thinly sliced red onion.
- Make the dressing: In a small bowl or jar, whisk together olive oil, balsamic vinegar, honey, salt, and pepper until the dressing is smooth and well combined.
- Toss the salad: Pour the dressing over the salad mixture and gently toss to coat all ingredients evenly with the flavorful dressing.
- Adjust seasoning: Taste the salad and add additional salt or pepper as needed to balance the flavors.
- Garnish and serve: Transfer the salad to a serving platter or individual bowls and garnish with chopped fresh parsley for a pop of color and freshness.
- Refrigerate if desired: Serve immediately or refrigerate for up to one hour to allow the flavors to meld together for an even tastier salad.
Notes
- Toasting the walnuts enhances their flavor—toast in a dry skillet over medium heat for 3-5 minutes until fragrant.
- Blanching the green beans helps maintain their vibrant color and crisp texture.
- This salad can be served chilled or at room temperature.
- For a vegan version, substitute feta cheese with a plant-based alternative and replace honey with maple syrup.
- For extra crunch, consider adding toasted almonds or pecans in place of walnuts.
