Green Bean Salad with Black Lime Roasted Tomatoes
This green bean salad is a refreshing take on the classic summer BBQ side. A sharp, bright basil dressing and charred, tangy roast tomatoes transform plain green beans into a sweet, sour and umami palate cleanser, perfect alongside heavy meats.
Why This Recipe Works
- This recipe is really hands off. You can put it together in about 10 minutes of active time. Even better, you can prep the roast tomatoes a few days ahead of time, so assembly only takes a few minutes.
- Roasting the tomatoes with sugar develops deep caramelization and intensely tomato-y flavor bombs. Coating them in black lime then amps up their inherent tangy and umami flavors to 11.
- Black lime powder has a uniquely smoky, citrusy tang that brightens dishes without making them too acidic. Though it is a rare ingredient, so sumac can be substituted instead for a similar effect.
- Microwaving the green beans keeps them perfectly tender-crisp with a slight snap
Roast Black Lime Tomatoes
The roast tomatoes are the star of this dish, not only are they a flavor bomb for every bite, but they’re also in the dressing, giving it a sweet and lightly acidic background. Roasting them with a little sugar until deeply charred and caramelized really packs in that flavor. Partway through roasting, we remove a few tomato halves and set them aside to flavor the dressing.
Once roasted the tomatoes will have a gorgeous charred appearance and lightly smoky flavor. We then use the liquid released during roasting in the dressing, while the tomatoes themselves get tossed with black lime powder and salt until they’re deeply tangy.
Basil and tomato dressing
We blend the reserved cooking liquid from the roast tomatoes into a herby basil dressing, giving the green beans their bright flavor. Since the tomatoes only release a small amount of liquid, we’ll top it up with olive oil to measure 2½ tablespoons in total. Then we add plenty of basil leaves, along with the reserved, lightly roasted tomatoes, salt, and black pepper.”
We also add the zest of half a lemon and some lemon juice, then blend until the olive oil emulsifies with the basil and tomato, creating a creamy, herby dressing. This recipe makes enough dressing for 2 of these green bean salads. I use the leftovers on regular chopped salads, and I’ve also used it as a dipping sauce for roast chicken. Store it in an airtight container in the fridge, and the dressing will keep for 2-4 days, though its bright color will fade over time.
Cooking Green Beans and Assembly
After washing and removing the stems from the green beans, briefly cook them so that they’re still firm and have a slight snap. My preferred way to do this is in my microwave as it’s fast and low mess. Transfer them to a large bowl, add a few tablespoons of water, and cover, then microwave for a couple of minutes on high.
Alternatively you can boil the green beans for 60 to 90 seconds, or steam in a steaming basket for 2 to 3 minutes. After cooking, discard any liquid left in the bowl, then pour in about half the dressing and toss the beans to coat them well.
On a serving platter or individual plates, stack the beans in a pile, then scatter on the black lime roasted tomatoes. These are intensely flavoured so a little goes a long way.
To garnish, toast some pine nuts in butter or oil, then sprinkle over the top for textural contrast.
Green Bean Salad with Black Lime Roast Tomatoes
Ingredients
For the roast tomatoes
- 225 grams Baby plum or cherry tomatoes (halved)
- 1 teaspoon Sugar
- 2 tablespoons Olive oil (extra virgin)
- 1/4 teaspoon Salt
- 1/4 teaspoon Black lime powder (substitute with sumac)
For the dressing
- 2 1/2 tablespoons Cooking liquid reserved from roast tomatoes (add olive oil to make up remaining quantity)
- 20 large Basil leaves
- 6 to 8 Roast tomato halves (from above)
- zest of half a lemon
- 1 1/2 tablespoons Lemon juice (freshly squeezed)
- 1/4 teaspoon Salt
- 1/4 teaspoon Black pepper
For the green beans
- 150 grams Fine green beans (stems snapped off)
- 2 tablespoons Water
- 2 tablespoons Pine nuts
Instructions
Roast the tomatoes
- Preheat the oven to 200C (400F) with fan on.
- Slice the tomatoes in half. Transfer to a bowl, add sugar, and toss to combine. Add olive oil and mix until all tomatoes are coated.225 grams Baby plum or cherry tomatoes, 1 teaspoon Sugar, 2 tablespoons Olive oil
- Transfer tomatoes and liquid to a parchment paper lined baking tray. Flip tomatoes to be skin side down. Roast for 30 minutes. At the 10 minute mark, when the tomatoes are soft and blistered, remove 6 to 8 tomato halves and set aside for the dressing. Cook the remaining tomatoes until well caramelized and charred.
- Transfer roasted tomatoes to a bowl and set aside to cool for 5 to 10 minutes. Transfer the roasting juices from the tray to a jug to use in the dressing.
- Add salt and black lime powder to the tomatoes. Mix gently to coat.1/4 teaspoon Salt, 1/4 teaspoon Black lime powder
Make the dressing
- To the reserved roasting liquid, top up with olive oil to measure 2 1/2 tablespoons total. Add basil leaves, salt, black pepper, and the reserved blistered tomato halves.2 1/2 tablespoons Cooking liquid reserved from roast tomatoes, 20 large Basil leaves, 1/4 teaspoon Salt, 1/4 teaspoon Black pepper, 6 to 8 Roast tomato halves
- Add lemon juice and the zest of half a lemon, blend until the olive oil emulsifies into the basil and tomato, creating a creamy and herby dressing.1 1/2 tablespoons Lemon juice, zest of half a lemon
Cook the green beans and assemble
- Wash the green beans and snap off the stems. Transfer to a large bowl, add water, and cover with a plate. Microwave for 2 minutes at 900 watts, until perfectly steamed with a firm but soft texture and a very slight snap. Alternatively steam for 2-3 minutes in a steaming basket150 grams Fine green beans, 2 tablespoons Water
- Discard remaining water, then add about half the dressing and toss the beans to coat every inch.
- Plate the beans in a pile, scatter the seasoned roasted tomatoes on top. Garnish with toasted pine nuts.2 tablespoons Pine nuts
Notes
- If you can’t get black lime powder, sumac can work too
- Multiply this recipe by 2 or 4 to make enough for a party. Serve on sheet pans or large platters
