This French Potato Salad with Green Beans is the perfect mayo-free salad for summer barbecues, it is also great any time of the year! Bright and filled with delicious vegetables, you can modify this to accommodate the ingredients you have in your kitchen.
I have shared my old-fashioned version of potato salad on the blog, so I thought I would make another of my favorite varieties for you today. It is bright, beautiful and packed with flavor, just perfect for a vegetarian meal or side dish with your preferred meats and poultry. And it contains no mayonnaise, a bonus for The Artist who doesn’t care for it!
Today’s theme for the Food Network’s #SummerSoiree is potato salad, one of this Irish gal’s favorite dishes in all the world! I can’t wait to see all the different variations that everyone shares. Be sure to check out the links at the bottom of the page.
If you think you hate potato salad, based on the ones you’ve had at restaurants and school cafeterias, give it another chance. Most of those are manufactured in large factories and canned. It makes it very economical and easy for the restaurants, which I understand, but when you make it from scratch you will be amazed at how wonderful it can taste!
The green beans I used today are haricot vert (air-ih-coh vehr) a fancy French term for slender, small, and tender green beans. Whenever I see them in the store I buy them. They have all the flavor of bigger beans, but are so much better. Use them just as you would Blue Lakes or other varieties of green beans, cooking just until crispy tender, no more than a few minutes over steam. If you want to use your microwave, put them in a bowl with a little water in the bottom. Cover and microwave in 20 second bursts until done.
This time I tossed in some cherry tomatoes because we had them and they look pretty for the pictures 😉 but you can use any vegetables that are in season. Add some asparagus in the spring, boiled sweet potato chunks in the fall, roasted beets or butternut squash in winter. Anything goes!
When I went to my cupboard and refrigerator to get the ingredients, I noticed that I was out of red wine and champagne vinegars, my go-to options for this recipe. I did a little refrigerator diving and low and behold, I had a bottle of Boyajian’s Maple Vinegar! In it went, giving the dressing a touch of sweetness (from the maple syrup) that was a lovely counterpoint to the bite of the vinegar. Improvisation is the name of the game in my kitchen!
Thank goodness we had some eggs on hand. If you think hard boiling is the way to cook eggs, stop. The most consistent way to get beautiful hard cooked eggs every time is to start them in cold water. Bring it to a boil, cover the pan and remove it from the heat. Let the eggs sit in the hot water for about 11 minutes and then pop them in an ice water bath to fully cool. You will have perfectly cooked eggs, not rubbery, and no green ring around the yolk!
For today’s French Potato Salad with Green Beans, I had everything cooked, assembled and plated in less than 30 minutes. It is the summer dish that The Artist asks for regularly and is always thrilled to have whenever I make it. I’ll bet your family will beg for it too.
Have a wonderful weekend. See you right back here for Chocolate Monday!
Did you enjoy this recipe? Let me know in the comments and leave a star rating, I love hearing from you!
Ingredients needed for French Potato Salad with Green Beans:
- Vinaigrette: vinegar, water, olive oil, Dijon mustard, shallots, salt, pepper
- Salad: potatoes, salt, green beans, green onion, cherry tomatoes (optional), Italian parsley, hard cooked eggs (optional)
PRO Tip:
If all you have at home are Idaho Russet potatoes, they are fine too. Peel and cut into chunks, then boil in salted water until tender but not falling apart.
How to make French Potato Salad with Green Beans:
- Vinaigrette: Combine the ingredients in a jar with a tight-fitting lid and shake until emulsified; set aside. Set up a bowl of ice water.
- Cook Potatoes & Beans: Boil the whole potatoes in a pot of water until barely tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer them to a plate to cool. Add the beans to the hot water, return to a boil and cook until just tender. Strain and drop into the ice water to stop the cooking process. Strain again and pat dry with a clean towel.
- When the potatoes are cool enough to handle, cut them into 1/4-inch thick slices or cubes if you prefer. Place in a large bowl. Add the beans to the same bowl. Shake the vinaigrette and pour half of it over the potatoes and beans. Toss the vegetables together to evenly coat with the dressing and set aside. The hot potatoes will absorb the dressing.
- Assemble the Salad: Add the green onions and most of the tomatoes to the potatoes and beans. Sprinkle with most of the parsley and gently toss together. Taste and adjust seasonings if needed. Transfer to a large serving bowl.
- Arrange the halved eggs around the outside of the bowl and garnish with remaining tomatoes. Drizzle the eggs with a little of the remaining dressing and sprinkle top with remaining parsley. Pour any remaining dressing over the salad.
- Serve warm, at room temperature, or chilled. Store any leftover salad, covered, in the refrigerator.
PRO Tip:
Shocking is a cooking term for plunging hot foods (usually vegetables) into ice cold water to stop the cooking process and help set the color. This prevents them from over cooking and getting too soft. Normally you just throw them into the bowl of water and ice. Then you have to fish around to find them all and not get any ice cubes in your dish. But here’s a tip: when you set up the bowl of ice water, set a colander or wire basket in the center, moving the ice cubes around the outside. Toss the cooked beans into the colander and shock them. Lift the colander, capturing all the beans and none of the ice cubes!
Recommended Tools (affiliate links; no extra cost to you):
Gluten-Free Tips:
This dish is naturally gluten-free!
All recommended ingredients are gluten-free as of the writing of this article. Always check to be sure the products haven’t changed and are still safe to consume.
French Potato Salad with Green Beans (Gluten-Free)
This French Potato Salad with Green Beans is the perfect mayo-free salad for summer barbecues, and great any time of the year! Bright and filled with delicious vegetables, you can modify this to accommodate the ingredients you have in your kitchen.
Ingredients
Vinaigrette
- 1/4 cup (57g) red wine vinegar, Champagne vinegar, or Maple Vinegar (such as Boyajian brand)
- 3/4 cup (150g) organic extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1 medium shallot, minced
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
Salad
- Large bowl of cold water with ice cubes
- 2 lb (907g) thin-skinned small red or Yukon Gold potatoes, scrubbed clean (see Note)
- 2 tsp kosher or sea salt
- 1/4 lb (113g) green beans, preferably haricot vert, trimmed and cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1 green onion, trimmed and finely chopped
- About 8 cherry tomatoes, halved or quartered, optional
- Fresh Italian parsley, about 1 handful of leaves, chopped, stems discarded
- 4 hard cooked eggs, peeled and sliced in half lengthwise, optional
Instructions
- Make the Vinaigrette: In a small jar with a tight lid, combine the vinaigrette ingredients. Tighten the lid and shake vigorously until emulsified.
- Prepare the Potatoes and Beans: In a large saucepan, place the whole potatoes and fill thepan with water to cover by at least 1-inch. Add the salt and bring to a boilover high heat. Reduce the heat to medium to medium-high, keeping the water at a low boil. Cook just until barely tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer potatoes to a large bowl. Do not discard this water!
- Set up a bowl of water with ice cubes; set to the side.
- Place the beans in the same pan of hot water you cooked the potatoes in and boil until just tender. Strain and drop into the icy water. This stops the cooking process and helps keep them nice and crunchy. Strain again and place on a clean kitchen towel to dry. Discard the ice water.
- As soon as the potatoes are cool enough to handle, cut them into 1/4-inch thick slices or cubes if you prefer. Place in a large bowl. Add the cooked beans to the same bowl. Shake the vinaigrette vigorously again and drizzle half of it over the potatoes, tossing gently until everything is evenly coated and set aside. The hot potatoes will absorb the dressing, adding tremendous flavor to the dish.
- Assemble the Salad: Add the green onions and most of tomatoes to the potatoes and beans. Sprinkle with most of the parsley and toss gently to thoroughly coat and mix everything. Taste and adjust the seasonings as needed. Transfer to a large serving bowl.
- Arrange the egg halves around the outside of the bowl and garnish with the reserved tomatoes. Drizzle eggs lightly with a little of the remaining dressing and sprinkle top with remaining parsley. Pour any remaining dressing over the salad.
- Serve the salad warm, at room temperature or chilled. Store any leftover salad, covered, in the refrigerator.
Recipe found at www.theheritagecook.com
Notes
This recipe is naturally gluten-free! If all you have at home are Russet potatoes, just peel and cube them, boiling in salted water until just tender (don’t overcook or they will fall apart) before cooking the beans.
All recommended ingredients are gluten-free as of the writing of this article. Always check to be sure the products haven’t changed and are still safe to consume.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
6Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 106Total Fat: 5gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 124mgSodium: 987mgCarbohydrates: 8gFiber: 2gSugar: 2gProtein: 6g
The nutritional information for recipes on this site is calculated by online tools and is merely an estimate.
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This recipe is part of Food Network’s weekly Summer Soiree. See the links below for more inspiration and great recipes and check out the Pinterest page for all the recipes from each week!
Chez Us: Baked Potato Salad
The Heritage Cook: French Potato Salad with Haricot Vert (Gluten-Free) (You are here)
Weelicious: Blue and White Potato Salad
Napa Farmhouse 1885: Mom’s Potato Salad (the Best Ever!)
Red or Green: Spicy Potato Salad with Jalapeno and Vinegar Vinaigrette
Feed Me Phoebe: Healthy Greek Potato Salad
Elephants and the Coconut Trees: Creamy Potato Salad with Mint
In Jennie’s Kitchen: Warm Smashed Roasted Potato Salad
Domesticate Me: Warm Roasted Potato Salad with Pancetta, Sun-Dried Tomatoes and Arugula
FN Dish: 10 New Ways to Do Up Potato Salad
Create a New Tradition Today!
Welcome! The suggestions here are not intended as dietary advice or as a substitute for consulting a dietician, physician, or other medical professional. Please see the Disclaimers/Privacy Policy page for additional details. Unauthorized use, distribution, and/or duplication of proprietary material from The Heritage Cook without prior approval is prohibited. If you have any questions or would like permission, please contact me. We participate in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com. As an Amazon Associate, I earn a small amount from qualifying purchases without any additional cost to you. This page may contain affiliate links. This post was first shared in Aug 2014. The article was updated in 2023.
Gina Zarcadoolas
Dear Jane, your French Potato Salad looks delicious and your photograph is exquisite. Thank you for being a great inspiration in the kitchen and keep doing what you do so beautifully my sweet friend. I always enjoy your scrumptious posts.
Jane Bonacci
Ah darling Gina … Thank you so much for always being incredibly supportive and encouraging. You are a gem!!! <3
Robin O
Bright and beautiful potato salad! Bravo this just sings of summer with the addition of those tender green beans and tomatoes. Great recipe and beautiful images Jane!
Jane Bonacci
Thank you Robin! I LOVE your riff on the salad. It is exactly what I love people to do – make a recipe their own. Brava my friend!!