Wait! Before you balk at this potato salad with all the green beans, I must tell you it is worth giving a try. Seriously, stick with me here I wouldn’t steer you wrong.
When I first tasted my friend Lauren’s potato salad I knew she meant serious business. Before that, I wondered why the heck there are green vegetables in her potato salad, not very common, and certainly not the type I’m accustomed to. I mean, how do green beans contribute anything to a good old-fashioned potato salad. But as friends do, we give it a try and hope for the best. And the best it was.
Needless to say, the large spoonful I plopped on my plate was not the only one. My slow metabolism self-began counting calories but then threw that thought out and went for seconds, the tang and textures lingering made me do it … lettuce the next day for good measure I thought. At least that’s what the plan was …
While stuffing my face (she’s a really good cook and is gluten free and dairy free too. Read: score!) I thought of you guys and got the recipe. Wait ‘till you try it.
Surprisingly, green beans pair very well with potatoes, adding a nice texture to the dish. What is typically a heavy salad, this feels lighter and healthier (hence, the extra helpings I couldn’t resist). Now and again I like to make the dressing for simple steamed green beans or brussels sprouts to add a burst of flavor to our veggies.
My friend Lauren serves this as a warm potato salad, drizzling her delicious dressing over the hot vegetables. I serve it chilled as preferred in our house. For some reason, the tangy, vinegar and mustard flavors are more pronounced when the salad is chilled. Either way it will knock your socks off.
And SO EASY to make.
Nutritional Note on Nightshades:
This potato salad is too good not to share here, but I felt I should share the effects of nightshade vegetables, like potatoes, with those who may suffer from inflammatory issues and are not familiar with the effects of nightshades. If you may have these issues please take a minute to read on.
Nightshade vegetables are something to avoid when inflammation such as eczema, dermatitis, rheumatism, gout, or arthritis are an issue since the alkaloids they contain can create a heightened sensitivity. The best way to know if you have a sensitivity to nightshade vegetables (potatoes, tomatoes, eggplant, sweet and hot peppers, including the spice paprika) is an elimination diet. If removing this group of foods for one month improves inflammatory issues then you will know that your body is sensitive alkaloids. Boiling nightshades will reduce alkaloids by 40-50% but should still be avoided if you have any of the health issues mentioned above, including colitis, and Crohn’s disease.
- For the Vinaigrette:
- ¼ cup GF yellow mustard
- 3 tablespoons mayonnaise (I use Just Mayo vegan brand, which is also soy free)
- 2 tablespoons GF sherry vinegar
- 2 teaspoons dried tarragon leaves
- 2 teaspoons crushed black pepper
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt plus 1 teaspoon
- 1-2 teaspoon GF white horseradish (I use
Bubbe’s ) - For the Salad:
- 3 pounds potatoes, quartered (I used Russian fingerlings and Yukon golds) - see my note below
- 1½ pounds fresh green beans, stems removed, cut in thirds
- 3 shallots, cut in half and sliced thinly
- Preparation:
- Combine all vinaigrette ingredients in a large bowl (I combined vinaigrette ingredients in a small bowl for photo purposes,
otherwise I just add all the ingredients in one bowl). Set aside. - Boil water in a 3 quart saucepan ¾ full and add 1 tablespoon of kosher salt, then gently add quartered potatoes (use a large spoon, dropping in by hand may cause splatter - be careful!) and boil for about 15 minutes on medium heat, or until you can easily pierce thick pieces with a fork. Drain then add to the bowl. Steam green beans for about 3-4 minutes, or until just softened, then transfer
into the prepared bowl. Add sliced shallots. Mix all the ingredients and taste if additional salt or pepper is needed. - Serve warm or cold. Can be refrigerated for up to 5 days or frozen in an airtight container.
- Note on choosing potatoes:
- Go for the waxy,
low starch potatoes; those are best for potato salad since they don’t break apart during the mixing stage. Some low starch varieties are Russian or Banana Fingerlings, New Red or White, and Yukon golds. I don’t recommend starchy potatoes such as Russets since they break apart; they are best for mashed potatoes, hash browns, and french fries.
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