French-Style Potato and Green Bean Salad
A refreshing and layered salad featuring tender new potatoes, crisp green beans, briny olives, and capers dressed with a bright mustard-garlic lemon vinaigrette. Perfect for picnics and brunch, this dish improves in flavor when made ahead.
Ingredients
For the salad
- 2 large eggs (for hard-boiling)
- 2 lbs new potatoes, scrubbed and halved (halve or quarter depending on size)
- 1 tbsp salt (for boiling potatoes)
- 1 lb green beans, trimmed and cut into thirds
- 12 pieces dry-cured black olives (whole or halved)
- 4–5 sprigs fresh flat-leaf parsley, stemmed and chopped
- 4–5 sprigs chives, finely chopped
For the vinaigrette
- 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 2 tbsp white wine vinegar
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tbsp chopped capers
- 1 tbsp chopped black olives (dry-cured) (in addition to the 12 whole olives)
- 1/2 tsp salt (for vinaigrette)
- 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
Hard-boil the eggs
- Place eggs in a saucepan and cover with 1 inch (2.5 cm) of cold water.
- Bring to a rolling boil, boil for 1 minute, then remove from heat and cover the pan. Let sit for 10 minutes.
- Transfer eggs to cold water to stop cooking. Peel and quarter once cool.
Cook potatoes and beans
- Halve or quarter potatoes so pieces are uniform.
- Put potatoes in a pot, add enough cold water to cover, and add 1 tbsp salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook for 12 minutes.
- Add trimmed, cut green beans and simmer for 2-3 more minutes until beans are bright green and crisp-tender and potatoes are fork-tender.
- Drain immediately and plunge into an ice-water bath to halt cooking and preserve color. Drain again.
Make the vinaigrette
- In a jar, combine 1/3 cup olive oil, 2 tbsp lemon juice, 2 tbsp white wine vinegar, 2 minced garlic cloves, 2 tsp Dijon mustard, 1 tbsp chopped capers, 1 tbsp chopped black olives, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp black pepper.
- Seal and shake vigorously until emulsified (or whisk in a bowl).
Assemble the salad
- In a large bowl, toss chopped parsley and chives with half the vinaigrette.
- Add cooled potatoes, green beans, and the 12 dry-cured black olives. Toss gently to coat without breaking the potatoes.
- Top with quartered eggs and drizzle remaining vinaigrette over the eggs.
- Serve immediately, at room temperature, or chilled.
Notes
Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3-4 days. Best served cold or at room temperature. Avoid freezing.