Food Musings

Roasting brings out natural sweetness and texture of potatoes, plus adds a little extra crunch.

I first published this recipe in August of last year and made it again last night for a lovely party with one of our wine groups.  Since there are so many end of summer parties this time of year I thought I’d republish it with a new photo.  If you haven’t tried this yet, it’s time to try it!  Calorie Conscious too.

I enjoy this meal because combining potatoes, dried tomatoes and green beans is a fun way to add color and taste.  Meanwhile the mustard, olives and feta add zest and flavor.  You won’t even notice that there isn’t mayonnaise in this salad because it’s so tasty.

This salad is so versatile it can be used as a starter salad, side dish, or even as a vegetarian dinner or lunch.

Inspired by an article in Sunset Magazine, I changed the balsamic to white balsamic and increased the original green bean quantity in the recipe. 

Roasted Potato and Green Bean Salad

Ingredients

• 3  pounds  red potatoes, cut into quarters
• 4  tablespoons  olive oil, divided
• 3 1/2  teaspoons  salt, divided
• 1/2  teaspoon  freshly ground black pepper
• 1  pound  green beans, cut into 1-in. lengths
• 1 1/2  tablespoons  white balsamic vinegar
• 1  tablespoon  Dijon mustard
• 1/4  cup  chopped sun-dried tomatoes in oil
• 1/2  cup  coarsely chopped pitted kalamata olives
• 1/4  cup  feta cheese
• 1/2  cup  basil leaves, cut into ribbons

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 375°. Toss potatoes with 2 tbsp. oil and 1/2 tsp. each salt and pepper. Arrange in a single layer on a baking pan and bake until golden brown, 45 minutes.

2. Bring a medium saucepan of water to a boil and add remaining salt. Add green beans and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Drain and rinse with cold water.

3. In a large bowl, whisk together vinegar, mustard, and remaining oil. Add potatoes and beans and toss to coat. Stir in tomatoes and olives; top with feta and basil.