Vibrant green and red “Christmas” salad featuring parboiled green beans, feta, tomatoes, herbs, and healthy dressing for a unique flavor and texture experience.

I made a new dish for a Holiday party last weekend which I’m now calling my “Christmas salad”. The vibrant green and red color with a wreath-like appearance in a large bowl struck me as quite festive!

It’s made with parboiled green beans, feta cheese, cherry tomatoes, and an easy, freshly blended dressing.

I first tasted this dish at my niece’s wedding shower last summer. The unique flavor and slightly crunchy texture were delightful and quite unlike typical salad fare.

My Niece-in-law, who was hosting the shower, shared the recipe with me, which she originally found on Pinterest.

My slightly tweaked variation below makes a large bowl that is great to take to a party or potluck but can easily be halved for family meals.

As leftovers, it goes fabulously well as a side dish for wild salmon fillet.

Below is a picture of all the ingredients prepped and ready to toss together.

Christmas Salad

Vibrant green and red salad featuring parboiled green beans, feta, tomatoes, herbs, and healthy dressing for a unique flavor experience.

Ingredients

• 2
  pounds
  green beans
  trimmed
• 1
  cup
  feta cheese
  cubed
• 1
  pint
  red cherry tomatoes
  cut in half
• 1/2
  cup
  fresh basil
  finely chopped
• 1/4
  cup
  Italian parsley leaves
  finely chopped

Instructions

1. Bring a large pot of filtered water to a rolling boil.

2. Add green beans and parboil uncovered for 4 minutes.

3. Promptly strain off water from the green beans and quickly add fresh filtered water to cover and 12 large cubes of ice to halt the cooking process.

4. While the green beans are sitting in the ice bath, halve the tomatoes, cube the feta, and chop the basil & parsley. Set aside.

5. Squeeze the lemons and blend the fresh juice with olive oil, dried oregano, and garlic powder. Add a pinch of sea salt and pepper to taste.

6. Pat green beans dry with a cotton towel and place in a large glass bowl.

7. Arrange the halved tomatoes, feta, chopped basil, and parsley evenly across the top of the green beans and drizzle the dressing over the top.

8. Toss the salad gently with tongs to evenly distribute the vegetables, herbs, and dressing.

9. Cover with green food wrap and refrigerate until ready to serve.

10. Refrigerated salad lasts for up to 5 days.