Crisp Green Bean Salad with Feta, Bacon & Lemon Vinaigrette

This simple, flavorful recipe for Green Bean Salad with Feta and Bacon is an excellent way to enjoy green beans. Crisp, blanched green beans are combined with thinly sliced radishes and crunchy bacon, then finished with a creamy homemade feta dressing for a tangy, satisfying side that’s ready in about 15 minutes.

Danae from Recipe Runner shares one of her favorites: a salad that breaks away from the usual lettuce-and-tomato routine. Fresh green beans and peppery radishes give bright, crunchy vegetables a flavorful boost, while bacon and feta add savory richness and texture.

The highlight is the homemade creamy feta dressing: crumbled feta blended with protein-rich Greek yogurt, lemon, a splash of milk and dried herbs creates a smooth, tangy dressing with pronounced feta flavor. Drizzle it over the salad or serve it on the side.

This salad works year-round—serve it with weeknight dinners, bring it to summer barbecues or include it on a holiday table as a lighter side option.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• High in fiber and nutrients from the green beans and radishes.
• Homemade feta dressing is creamy, tangy and higher in protein than many dressings.
• A fresh, different way to serve green beans.
• Works any time of year as a healthy side salad.
• Naturally gluten free.

Ingredients You’ll Need

Creamy Feta Dressing

• Crumbled feta cheese – provides a salty, tangy base for the dressing.
• Greek yogurt – makes the dressing creamy and adds protein. Full-fat or low-fat both work; sour cream can substitute if needed.
• Lemon juice – brightens the dressing with acidity.
• Milk – thins the dressing while keeping it smooth.
• Seasonings – dried chives, garlic powder, dried dill, oregano, salt and pepper for an herbed flavor.

Green Bean Salad

• Fresh green beans – trimmed and blanched for a tender-crisp bite.
• Radishes – thinly sliced for a peppery crunch.
• Olive oil – helps coat and flavor the vegetables.
• Chopped bacon – cooked until crispy for salty crunch.
• Minced chives – a mild onion note.
• Crumbled feta – extra feta to complement the dressing.
• Salt & pepper – to taste, to balance and enhance the salad.

How To Make Green Bean Salad with Feta

This recipe comes together quickly—about 15 minutes from start to finish.

1. Make the feta dressing: Combine all dressing ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth and creamy. Set aside or chill.
2. Blanch the green beans: Wash and trim the beans. Boil for 3–4 minutes until bright green and tender-crisp, then plunge into ice water to stop cooking and preserve color.
3. Toss the salad: In a large bowl combine the cooled green beans, sliced radishes, chopped bacon, chives, olive oil, salt and pepper. Toss gently to combine. Sprinkle crumbled feta on top.
4. Serve: Transfer to a serving bowl or platter and drizzle with the feta dressing, or serve the dressing on the side.

Prep ahead: You can prepare the dressing and the salad separately in advance. Store the dressing in a sealed container and add just before serving to keep the greens crisp.

Expert Tips

1. Blanching time: Small green beans need about 2 minutes; larger beans may take up to 4 minutes. Aim for tender-crisp.
2. Dressing texture: For a chunkier dressing, blend half the feta and stir in the remaining crumbles after blending.
3. Flavor development: Let the dressing chill at least 30 minutes for the flavors to meld.
4. Crispy bacon: Cook bacon until fully crisp so it stays crunchy in the salad.

Variations

• Add shallots or red onion: Thinly sliced shallot or red onion gives a mild onion bite.
• Use different beans: Try green, purple, yellow, wax or snap beans—any mix works well.
• Add tomatoes: Halved cherry tomatoes or chopped heirloom tomatoes make it more summery.
• Make it spicy: Add red pepper flakes or minced jalapeño to the vegetable mix.

Did you make this recipe? Leave a rating and review below.

Other Side Salad Recipes

• Garden Salad
• Citrus Salad
• Cucumber and Tomato Salad
• Tomato Corn Pasta Salad
• Chimichurri Potato Salad