Green bean summer salad: A refreshing twist with citrus and feta

Fresh green beans have already appeared at the markets. It's the perfect time to prepare a simple green bean salad with a refreshing citrus dressing and feta cheese. It's so good that you could eat it all season long.

Summer is the tastiest time of the year. That's when delicious seasonal vegetables like strawberries, raspberries, sugar snap peas, and green beans appear. The latter are particularly often featured on plates.

Just wash them, dry them, trim off the hard ends, and toss them into boiling water for a few minutes to enjoy their exceptional flavor. Traditionally, they are served with a dab of butter and breadcrumbs, but this version is quite heavy. Looking for green bean recipes? Try this summer salad, which will become a staple in your menu.

Green beans' season begins in June and lasts just under two months. No wonder they appear so often on our tables during this time. How do you prepare good green beans? Toss them into lightly salted boiling water and cook until tender. Such green beans don't need any additions. They are sweet, firm, and juicy.

Nevertheless, most of us drizzle them with melted butter and toasted breadcrumbs. Green beans prepared this way disappear from the table first. The vegetable can also be used for a simple summer soup or turned into a full-fledged salad that keeps you full for hours.

The base of the salad is the green beans, but the secret to its flavor is the unique citrus dressing that gives it lightness. The salty and creamy feta and crunchy nuts balance the tangy taste of the salad. It's impossible to resist.

Ingredients:

• 2 pounds of green beans,
• 10 cherry tomatoes,
• a sprig of basil,
• 1 shallot,
• 2 tablespoons of mustard,
• half a teaspoon of pepper,
• half a teaspoon of salt,
• 1 teaspoon of olive oil,
• 1 tablespoon of honey,
• juice of a whole lemon,
• juice of half an orange,
• 4 ounces of feta cheese,
• 2 ounces of any nuts.

Preparation:

1. Wash and dry the green beans. Trim the hard ends. Toss them into lightly salted boiling water. Cook for 10-15 minutes until they become tender.
2. In the meantime, prepare the dressing. Squeeze the juice from the lemon and orange. Mix both. Add olive oil, salt, pepper, honey, mustard, and finely diced shallot.
3. Submerge the cooked beans in cold water to retain their color. Drain them in a colander and transfer to a large bowl. Add cherry tomatoes and basil leaves. Sprinkle with toasted nuts and crumbled feta. Finally, pour the prepared dressing over the salad.