Green Bean Thanksgiving Recipe (Salad or Side Dish)

Nov 16, 2022| By JOI team

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Nov 16, 2022| By JOI team

Green Bean Thanksgiving Recipe (Salad or Side Dish)

This is a delicious alternative to the usual green bean casseroles or sauteed green bean side dishes. It’s festive and made for holiday menus and get-togethers. The maple sage dressing complements the flavors of sweet bosc pears, nutty green beans and the slightly peppery purple carrots. It's so good, you'll want to make it year-round.

Ingredients in Green Bean Salad?

We've kept things pretty basic with this recipe. We're showcasing green beans (blanched), pear (roasted), carrot (raw) and some extras as you wish: sliced almonds, parmesan (vegan or regular) and basil.

Of course, you can tweak things to your taste. Here are some ideas:

Use sugar snap peas or snow peas instead of green beans.
Roast or sautee the green beans if you prefer.
Substitute pear with roasted apple or fresh pomegranate. Or peaches or plums if those are in season.
Use cooked carrot instead.
Swap any nut or seed for the sliced almonds. Pecans or walnuts or pumpkin seeds, perhaps?
Skip the basil or substitute with fresh parsley instead.
Use feta instead of parmesan for a similar salty cheese finish.
Sprinkle a little sea salt flakes (fleur de sel) over the salad right before serving. This finishing salt adds depth, flavor, texture and a touch of elegance
For those who love a touch of spiciness, garnish the salad with a little red pepper flakes.

How do I make the Maple Salad Dressing?

Like most salad dressings, pulling together this Maple Sage Dressing simply requires whisking (or shaking or blending) together a few ingredients. The dressing really brings together the simple building blocks of this salad:

maple syrup (well it IS called "maple" dressing after all!; but you can substitute honey or date syrup or agave if you like)
JOI almond (or cashew) milk concentrate, for creaminess and thickness
white balsamic vinegar and stone ground mustard for an acidic kick (anyone who's heard of Samin Nosrat will be familiar with the idea of adding acid to most every dish for balance!)
garlic clove for bite
sage leaves for earthy flavor
salt and pepper and extra virgin olive oil

The result is a sweet, creamy yet punchy dressing with the interesting hit of sage. Make extras and use it over roasted vegetables!

By the way, did you know you can make and freeze certain salad dressings? Yep, make extras and freeze, or make ahead and freeze! (Thanks for the tip, Pamela Salzman!)

How do I serve this Green Bean Salad?

Serve this salad cold or room temperature! The great part is that you can make the components ahead, so you're not taking up valuable oven space the day of your event!

Serve it as a side dish for a Thanksgiving side alternative to hot green beans. Or serve it as a main dish either topped with your favorite protein, or alongside a bowl of soup. This salad is hearty enough to serve as an anchor for lunch or dinner.

What other side dishes can I serve along green beans?

Looking to round out your festive menu? Look no further than these delicious, hearty side dishes:

Brussels sprouts with creamy honey mustard

Eggplant gratin

Squashed stuffed with creamy chickpeas

Green Bean Thanksgiving Recipe (Salad or Side Dish)

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Servings

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Ingredients

MAPLE SAGE DRESSING

¼ cup maple syrup (or substitute honey or date syrup)
3 Tablespoons JOI almond or cashew concentrate
3 Tablespoons white balsamic vinegar (or substitute balsamic vinegar, white wine vinegar or rice wine vinegar)
2 teaspoons stone ground mustard
2 sage leaves (finely chopped)
1 - 2 garlic cloves (finely minced)
1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
¾ teaspoon salt (adjust to taste)
¼ teaspoon black pepper (adjust to taste)

GREEN BEAN SALAD OR SIDE DISH

1 pound fresh green beans (washed and trimmed)
1 large carrot (purple or orange for color; washed, peeled and julienned or shaved into ribbons using a vegetable peeler)
1 large bosc pear (washed and cut into 1/4" slices)
1 Tablespoon avocado oil (or substitute with another neutral oil)
½ teaspoon salt (or adjust to taste)
3 Tablespoons sliced almonds
shaved parmesan cheese (vegan or otherwise), sprinkled to taste
small handful basil (or preferred fresh herbs)

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Directions

MAPLE SAGE DRESSING

Whisk, shake or blend together all ingredients until well combined.

FOR THE SALAD

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Toss pear slices with avocado oil and 1/2 teaspoon of salt and then place onto a lined baking sheet.
Roast pear in oven for about 10 minutes, flipping the sliced pear halfway through. Remove from oven and set aside.
In a large saucepan, bring 4 quarts water and ½ Tablespoon salt to a boil.
Add green beans to the boiling water and cook until tender but crisp, about 3 – 5 minutes. Remove from boiling water and shock in a bowl of ice water. Once the green beans are completely cooled, drain and set aside.
Place green beans, carrots and pear slices on a large serving plate. Drizzle with maple sage dressing. Top with almonds, shaved parmesan and basil.
Serve with extra maple sage dressing if desired.

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