Fresh Green Bean and Tomato Salad with Creamy Garlic Dressing

6 steps · 45 min total

1. 01

   Blend the Dressing

   Combine the garlic, shallot, red wine vinegar, spicy brown mustard, olive oil, salt, and pepper in a blender. Pulse until the mixture is completely smooth, then taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Refrigerate the dressing for at least 30 minutes to let the flavors develop.
2. 02

   Blanch Green Beans

   Keep the clean grape tomatoes chilled until you're ready to build the salad. Meanwhile, blanch the green beans in a pot of boiling water for about 3 minutes, until they're bright green and tender-crisp.
3. 03

   Chill Beans, Assemble Salad

   Once blanched, immediately drain the green beans and plunge them into ice water to stop the cooking. When they're completely cold, drain them again and refrigerate until you're ready to serve.

   When it's time to serve, combine the chilled green beans and tomatoes in a large bowl.

4. 04

   Dress the Salad

   Pour the chilled garlic dressing over the green beans and tomatoes, then toss everything gently to ensure an even coating.
5. 05

   Serve and Garnish

   Divide the salad among individual plates and scatter the toasted pecans over each serving.
6. 06

   Offer More Dressing

   If you like, offer extra dressing on the side for anyone who wants a bit more.