Green Bean and Radish Salad

This is an easy vegan green bean and radish salad recipe with barley, pistachios, and a very tasty orange-mint vinaigrette. Between the chewy grains, crisp veggies, and crunchy roasted nuts, there’s a lot of nice things happening with the texture. It instantly asserts itself as a spring salad. It’s light, and yet, filling and satisfying.

This recipe makes ~4-6 servings.

A few things…

• ・No need to buy a huge jug of orange juice for this recipe. Buy 1 large navel orange. Zest it. And then, squeeze the juice out of it.

• ・Fresh mint works best.

• ・Boiling the barley in broth adds flavor to the overall recipe.

• ・While the barley cooks, I like to use that time to prep the rest of the ingredients for the recipe (slicing the radishes, green beans, etc).

• ・You want to steam the green beans, so they’re still a little firm, but enjoyable to eat.

This vegan green bean and radish salad holds up well. If refrigerated overnight, the flavors may need a bit of refreshing. Just add a splash of white wine vinegar or a bit of salt.

Please enjoy 💚 And explore additional UVK recipes, like Radish Salad with Fresh Dill and Scallions, Vegan Sauerkraut, White Bean and Barley Soup, Wintry Three Bean Salad, Watermelon Radish Slaw, Chipotle Bean and Barley Salad, Baked Barley with Chickpeas, Spinach and Vegan Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto, Barley Lentil Salad with Fresh Dill and Chives, and more.

Green Bean and Radish Salad

2 large garlic cloves, finely chopped

2 Tbsp olive oil

⅔ cup pearled barley

2 cups fake chicken broth (I used 1 Edward & Sons Not-Chick’n Bouillon Cube + 2 cups water)

3 cups bite-size fresh green beans

3 Tbsp orange juice

2½ Tbsp finely chopped fresh mint leaves

2 Tbsp white wine vinegar

½-¾ tsp salt

½ tsp fresh orange zest

Black pepper, to taste

2 cups sliced radishes

2 Tbsp finely chopped roasted unsalted pistachios

1. First, you’ll sauté the aromatics for the green bean radish salad. In a small skillet, add the garlic and olive oil. Heat over HIGH until the garlic sizzles. Then stir around the garlic for ~20 seconds (keeping the garlic from browning or burning) and then, remove the skillet from heat. Set aside to completely cool.

2. Next, you’ll cook the barley for the green bean radish salad. In a small pot, add the barley and broth. Cover with a lid, bring to a boil, and then, turn down the heat to low. Simmer for ~20 minutes or until the barley is soft enough to enjoy eating. Drain off any excess broth, toss with a fork, and allow to completely cool before adding to the salad.

3. Now, it’s time to steam the green beans. Fill a large pot with 1-2 inches of water. Lower in a steamer basket and cover the pot with a lid. Bring it to a boil. Then, add the green beans in a single layer. Steam for 4-4.5 minutes or until still a bit crisp, but enjoyable enough to eat. Remove from heat and allow to completely cool.

4. In a large mixing bowl, make the dressing for the green bean and radish salad. Add the completely cooled garlic-olive oil from the skillet, the orange juice, mint, white wine vinegar, salt, orange zest and black pepper. Whisk it together.

5. Toss the green beans in the dressing in the mixing bowl, and then, add the barley, radishes, and pistachios. Stir together.

6. Taste the green bean and radish salad, and adjust the flavors (more salt, white wine vinegar or orange juice?). Serve.