This recipe uses crunchy popped quinoa, pepitas and sunflower seeds to give the green beans lots of great crunch and texture. They’re served up chilled, so you can prepare everything in advance and toss it all together when it’s time to serve up. It's a great way to take a familiar vegetable and amp it up into something totally new and interesting.
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Lemon Speckled Green Bean Salad

Servings

6

Prep Time

10 minutes

Cook Time

15 minutes

Image of Lemon Speckled Green Bean Salad

Ingredients

  • Kosher salt
  • 1 1/2 pounds green beans (trimmed and cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces)
  • 1/4 cup red quinoa
  • 2 tablespoons raw pepitas
  • 2 tablespoons raw sesame seeds
  • 2 tablespoons raw sunflower seeds
  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon creme fraiche
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • 1 teaspoon lemon zest (plus 1 tablespoon juice)

Instructions

  1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, salt generously. Set up a large bowl of ice water nearby. Blanch the green beans until bright green, 1 to 2 minutes. Immediately, transfer the beans to the ice bath. Set aside.
  2. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the quinoa in a single layer and toast until beginning to brown and pop, 2 to 4 minutes. Add the pepitas, sesame seeds and sunflower seeds, toast for another 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside. (The seeds can be toasted up to a week in advance.)
  3. In a medium bowl, mix together the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, creme fraiche, honey, Dijon mustard, lemon zest and juice, and 1 teaspoon salt.
  4. Drain the beans well and add them to the dressing. Toss with seed mixture and serve.
gluten free
nut free
vegetarian