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Fresh green beans for potato green bean and white bean salad without mayo
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Potato, Green Bean and White Bean Salad Without Mayo

Tender potatoes, fresh green beans, and cannellini beans in a lemon-Dijon dressing. Serve promptly while slightly warm or refrigerate for a chilled lunch.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Draining and finishing 5 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings: 4 side servings (or 2 lunch servings)
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 pound baby yellow or red potatoes Cut into even 1-inch pieces.
  • 8 ounces fresh green beans Trimmed and cut into 2-inch lengths.
  • 1 15-ounce can cannellini beans Drained and rinsed.
  • 2 tablespoons finely chopped red onion
  • 2 tablespoons chopped parsley Optional.
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil For the dressing.
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice For the dressing.
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • 1/4 teaspoon fine salt For the dressing, plus salt for the potato cooking water and more to taste.
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Equipment

  • 1 pot
  • 1 slotted spoon
  • 1 Colander
  • 1 Large mixing bowl
  • 1 whisk and broad spoon
  • 1 Knife and cutting board
  • 1 Measuring spoons

Method
 

  1. Mix the dressing. In the large mixing bowl, whisk lemon juice, Dijon mustard, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and pepper. Gradually whisk in olive oil. Set beside the stove and re-whisk if it separates.
  2. Cook the potatoes. Put potatoes in a pot and cover with cold water by about 1 inch. Salt the water lightly. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a steady simmer. Cook for about 10–14 minutes once simmering, until a fork reaches the centers easily while the pieces still hold their shape.
  3. Drain and dress the potatoes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer potatoes to the colander, leaving their cooking water in the pot. Drain for 2–3 minutes. Gently fold the warm potatoes into the dressing and leave for about 5 minutes while cooking the green beans. The colander is now available for the beans.
  4. Cook the green beans. Return the potato cooking water to a boil. Add fresh green beans and cook for about 3–5 minutes, until tender with a little bite. Drain into the empty colander, rinse briefly with cold water to stop cooking, and drain thoroughly. If using frozen beans instead, cook them separately according to package directions.
  5. Finish and serve. Fold cannellini beans, green beans, red onion, and optional parsley into the dressed potatoes with a broad spoon. Stop once combined to keep the vegetables intact. Taste a dressed potato and white bean together, then adjust salt or lemon gradually. Serve slightly warm promptly, or refrigerate without delay.

Notes

Timing and yield: Makes 4 side servings or 2 lunch servings. Allow about 10 minutes preparation, 20–25 minutes cooking including bringing water to a boil, and about 5 minutes draining and finishing, or 35–40 minutes overall. The card displays the upper estimate. The potatoes stand in dressing while the green beans cook, so that 5-minute stand is concurrent. Optional chilling takes additional time.
Texture: Drain both vegetables thoroughly, and fold gently rather than stirring vigorously. Cook potatoes only until their centers are tender and their pieces still hold together. Frozen green beans need separate package-directed cooking.
Swaps: Great Northern beans can replace cannellini. For a different dressing, replace lemon juice with 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar, then adjust to taste. Grainy mustard can replace Dijon. Rinse and drain the chopped onion if its raw flavor is too sharp.
Storage: Refrigerate in shallow containers within 2 hours, or 1 hour above 90°F. Keep at 40°F or below and use within 3–4 days, counted from cooking day. Pack chilled portions with an ice pack. A salad without mayonnaise still requires refrigeration. Freezing is not recommended for texture. If serving leftovers hot, reheat to 165°F; the vegetables will soften.