Keto Green Bean Salad Recipes: Delicious and Healthy Low-Carb Options

Introduction

Green bean salads are a refreshing and versatile side dish, perfect for summer gatherings, family dinners, or a simple weeknight meal. For those following a ketogenic or low-carb lifestyle, there are numerous ways to enjoy this classic dish without compromising your dietary goals. This article explores a variety of keto green bean salad recipes, highlighting their unique ingredients, flavors, and preparation methods.

Warm Keto Green Bean Salad with Almonds

This warm green bean salad is a colorful, zesty, and flavorful dish that combines the earthy sweetness of green beans with savory ingredients like almonds and garlic. It's a simple yet satisfying recipe that can be served as a side dish or elevated into a main course with the addition of meat.

Ingredients

• Fresh green beans
• Water
• Red onions
• Garlic
• Dijon mustard
• Almonds
• Lemon juice
• Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation

1. Place the green beans and water in a skillet over medium heat.
2. Cover the skillet and cook until the green beans are tender-crisp.
3. Remove the lid and drain any excess water.
4. Stir in the red onions, garlic, Dijon mustard, almonds, and lemon juice.
5. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
6. Serve warm and enjoy the layers of flavor that explode in your mouth.

Tips and Variations

• For a spicier salad, use spicy brown mustard instead of Dijon mustard.
• If you don't like almonds, simply leave them out.
• To add meat and make it a main course, consider bacon or pork.
• Always use fresh ingredients like real garlic and fresh lemon juice for the best flavor.

Keto Three Bean Salad

This keto-friendly take on the classic three-bean salad offers all the flavor and texture of the original but with significantly fewer carbs. It's a hearty and satisfying side dish that pairs well with grilled and roasted meats.

Ingredients

• Fresh green beans
• Black soybeans (extremely low in net carbs)
• Green soybeans (edamame)
• Dressing (vinegar, oil, sugar substitute Allulose)

Preparation

1. Combine fresh green beans, black soybeans, and green soybeans in a bowl.
2. Mix dressing ingredients in a container that can hold at least one cup. Stir until Allulose is dissolved.
3. Place salad ingredients in a lidded container.
4. Pour dressing over the top.
5. Place lid on container and shake to coat salad.
6. Place in refrigerator to marinate for six hours.

Key to Low Carb

The secret to keeping this salad keto-friendly is the use of black soybeans, which are very low in net carbs due to their high fiber content.

Easy Greek Green Bean Salad

This refreshing and flavorful salad is perfect for summer, featuring tender green beans, tomatoes, feta cheese, and a homemade Greek salad dressing. It's a quick and easy recipe that can be made in just 15 minutes.

Read also: Easy Low-Carb Cheese Crackers

Ingredients

• Fresh green beans (French green beans from Aldi are recommended)
• Grape tomatoes
• Red onion
• Crumbled feta cheese
• Homemade Greek dressing (shallots, garlic, olive oil, vinegar, lemon juice, zest, oregano, salt, and pepper)

Preparation

1. Add green beans to a microwavable bowl with a couple of tablespoons of water.
2. Cover and microwave for 5 minutes.
3. Drain the excess water and let cool. You can refrigerate or use an ice bath to speed up the cooling process.
4. In a food processor or blender, combine shallot (or red onion), garlic, olive oil, vinegar, lemon juice and zest, oregano, salt, and pepper. Blend until well combined and pour into a jar.
5. When the beans have cooled, add them to a large salad bowl along with sliced red onions and tomatoes.
6. Pour over half of the dressing and mix well. Save the rest for another time.
7. Refrigerate until ready to eat.
8. Right before serving, add half the feta cheese and gently mix around, then sprinkle the remaining cheese on top.

Tips and Variations

• Use fresh, high-quality ingredients for the best flavor.
• Feel free to add other vegetables like asparagus, bell peppers, cucumbers, or zucchini.
• For a complete meal, add cooked chicken or shrimp.
• Nuts and seeds like walnuts, pine nuts, or sunflower seeds can add crunch and flavor.

Fresh Green Bean Salad with Bacon, Cherry Tomatoes, and Feta

This easy green bean salad combines crisp blanched green beans with the savory flavors of bacon and feta, along with the sweetness of cherry tomatoes. It's a simple yet satisfying side dish that's perfect for summer.

Ingredients

• Fresh green beans
• Bacon
• Cherry tomatoes
• Feta cheese
• Olive oil
• Lemon juice
• Red onion
• Chopped basil
• Salt and pepper

Preparation

1. Cook the chopped bacon until crisp. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain.
2. Fill a large bowl with ice water.
3. Fill a medium saucepan with water and set over medium-high heat. Add a little salt and bring to a full boil.
4. Add the green beans to the saucepan and cook until tender-crisp, 1 to 2 minutes.
5. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the beans to the ice water to halt the cooking process.
6. Drain the beans and transfer to a tea towel to pat dry, then transfer to a salad bowl.
7. Add the tomatoes, bacon, and feta.
8. In a jar with a sealable lid, combine olive oil, lemon juice, chopped basil, salt, and pepper. Shake well to combine.
9. Pour over the salad before serving or pass at the table.

Blanching Green Beans

Blanching is a quick cooking technique that preserves the freshness of the green beans while making them more tender. Simply scald the beans for about 2 minutes in boiling salted water, then transfer them to an ice bath to stop the cooking process.

Roasted Green Beans with Parmesan

This recipe offers a satisfying and flavorful side dish with just a handful of ingredients and minimal hands-on time. Roasting the green beans brings out their natural sweetness, while Parmesan cheese adds a salty and savory element.

Ingredients

• Fresh green beans
• Avocado oil
• Garlic powder
• Salt
• Black pepper
• Parmesan cheese

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
3. Toss the green beans, avocado oil, garlic powder, salt, and pepper in a large bowl.
4. Spread the beans on the prepared baking sheet.
5. Cook for 15 minutes.
6. Stir and sprinkle with Parmesan.

Tips and Variations

• Use avocado oil for its neutral taste and high heat tolerance.
• Freshly ground black pepper is always best.
• Other cheeses like Romano or Asiago can be used in place of Parmesan.
• Reheat leftovers in the oven on a parchment-lined baking sheet for the best results.

Keto One Bean Salad (Diabetic-Friendly)

This LCHF/keto variation on the classic three-bean salad is perfect for diabetics and those following a keto diet. It's a one-bean salad with other good stuff, too, offering a delicious and healthy alternative to traditional bean salads.

Ingredients

• Green beans
• Tomatoes
• Green onion
• Dressing (vinegar, oil, Allulose)

Preparation

1. Mix dressing ingredients in a container that can hold at least one cup. Stir until Allulose is dissolved.
2. Place salad ingredients in a lidded container.
3. Pour dressing over the top.
4. Place lid on container and shake to coat salad.
5. Place in refrigerator to marinate for six hours.

Key Considerations

• Watch the amount of tomatoes and green onion used, as they can cause blood sugar spikes if consumed in excess.
• Use Allulose, a sugar substitute that tastes and browns like sugar but does not raise blood sugar levels.

Simple Green Bean Salad with MCT Oil

This ridiculously simple green bean salad is a classic recipe with a keto-friendly twist. The addition of MCT oil provides a jolt of energy and boosts ketosis, making it a perfect choice for those following a ketogenic lifestyle.

Read also: Keto Calorie Counting: A Detailed Guide

Ingredients

• Fresh green beans
• Garlic
• MCT oil
• Salt and pepper

Preparation

1. Bring 2 quarts of water to a boil with a pinch of salt.
2. Trim the ends off of the beans and snap into bite-sized pieces.
3. Transfer to the boiling water and cook for 1 minute and 30 seconds.
4. Immediately strain and shock in an ice bath.
5. Drain thoroughly so that they are almost dry.
6. Finely mince 2 – 3 cloves of garlic.
7. Transfer the beans to a mixing bowl and add the garlic, MCT oil, and salt & pepper.

Optional Additions

Feel free to add any combination of the following ingredients to give this salad a flavor/texture boost:

• Red onion
• Cherry tomatoes
• Feta cheese
• Bacon bits
• Toasted nuts

Read also: Magnesium Supplements for Keto

tags: #keto #green #bean #salad #recipe