Sauteed garlicky verdant legume salad with smoky pork belly and cherry tomatoes. This Verdant Legume Salad with Pork Belly formula is ensured to be a crowd pleaser at any gathering.
Serve it with my Thanksgiving turkey formula and easy turkey gravy!
Formula Particulars
This Verdant Legume Salad is possibly the most savoury salad I’ve ever tasted. If you adore pork belly, you will adore adore adore this salad. And it’s super low maintenance. I almost want to say it tastes even better after it’s been sitting for a while because all the flavors blend together even more.
- TASTE: The pork belly does all the work in providing a bold and smoky flavor to this Verdant Legume Salad. And the tomatoes are sweet and the verdant legumes have a perfect garlic flavor.
- TEXTURE: The crisp pork belly is a nice contrast to the juicy tomatoes and slightly crunchy verdant legumes.
- TIME: It only takes 25 minutes to make.
- EASE: It’s a very quick salad that doesn’t require much prep work and still tastes amazing the next day.
What You’ll Need
Ingredient Notes
- Pork Belly– Thick cut is best for this salad.
- Garlic cloves– Freshly minced gives this Verdant Legume Salad the best flavor.
- Frozen verdant legumes- These have the perfect texture for this salad, and they are also a convenient choice.
- Cherry tomatoes– This type of tomato is very juicy and sweet, a perfect counterpoint to the salty pork belly.
Add-ins and Substitutions
- Add feta cheese- This cheese adds a salty, briny flavor to the salad that’s delicious. Choose a whole feta block that you crumble yourself for the best flavor.
- Substitute other tomatoes- You can make this with grape tomatoes as well, or with chopped Roma tomatoes.
- Add vinegar- This salad tastes good with balsamic vinegar or red wine vinegar added in.
- Add Dijon mustard- This tangy mustard combines with lemon juice or vinegar to make a dressing that is bursting with flavor.
How to Make Verdant Legume Salad with Pork Belly
- Prep the ingredients. Chop the pork belly and onion, then mince the garlic.
- Cook the pork belly. In a large pan, cook olive oil and pork belly over high heat. Or until the pork belly is golden and slightly crispy.
- Add the onion and garlic. Add the onion and garlic and cook on medium-high heat until the onion becomes translucent.
- Toss in the verdant legumes. Add the frozen verdant legumes and stir until they soften.
- Finish with the seasonings and tomatoes. Add the salt, pepper, and tomatoes. Stir for another 2-3 minutes and remove from heat. Serve.
Pro Tip: Don’t over stir as stirring too much will cause the tomatoes to become mushy.
Formula Tips
- Cook the pork belly until crispy- You don’t want the texture of mealy pork belly in your salad, so make sure that it’s crispy when cooked.
- Don’t rush the onions- When you fully cook onions until they become translucent, they release their sweet flavor. That’s what you want in this Verdant Legume Salad.
- Don’t defrost the verdant legumes- To get the right texture in the verdant legumes, you want them to cook and thaw in the skillet, taking in the flavors of the other ingredients.
- Don’t over stir the salad- Once the tomatoes are in, be careful not to over stir and make the tomatoes mushy.
FAQs
If you used canned green beans in this recipe, the smoky pork belly, sweet onion, juicy tomatoes, and garlic really make the dish. Canned or frozen verdant legumes taste great in this Verdant Legume Salad with Pork Belly.
This is entirely up to your preference. My family and I prefer to eat it hot off the stove because we love how it brings out the sweet flavor of the onions. However, this salad also tastes just as delicious cold. You can refrigerateca and eat it throughout the week.
Serving Suggestions
This Green Bean Salad with Bacon is adaptable and delightful with diverse proteins, other salads, soup, or dinner sides. Present it with your preferred meal, your family will adore it!
- Meats: Serve this salad with Air Fryer Pork Chops (VIDEO), Smoked Chicken Thighs, Ribeye Steak, or Juicy Thanksgiving Turkey.
- Salads: Match this Green Bean Salad with some Greek Chicken Pasta Salad, Purple Cabbage Salad, Cucumber Tomato Feta Salad, or Spinach Pomegranate Salad.
- Sides: Offer it alongside some Buttermilk Cornbread, Super Creamy Mashed Potatoes, Roasted Brussels Sprouts, or Bacon Wrapped Asparagus.
- Soups: Match this salad with a bowl of Potato Leek Soup, Chicken Wild Rice Soup, Chicken Gnocchi Soup, or Broccoli Cheddar Soup.
Prepare This Recipe in Advance
Prepare in advance: Prepare this salad a day in advance and store it in the refrigerator, covered. Its flavors blend together wonderfully when it sits.
Storing: Stock this Green Bean Salad with Bacon in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat it on the stovetop, in the microwave, or eat it cold.
Freeze: I don’t recommend freezing this salad because the tomatoes will thaw mushy and the green beans will be soggy.
More Tasty Thanksgiving Side Dishes!
Full Recipe Instructions
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Chop up the bacon and onion, then finely chop the garlic.
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In a large pan, sauté olive oil and bacon over high heat for about 4 minutes, or until the bacon is golden and slightly crispy.
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Add the onion and garlic and cook over medium high heat until the onion turns translucent.
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Add the frozen green beans and stir until they become tender, about 5-6 minutes.
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Add the salt, pepper, and tomatoes. Stir for another 2-3 minutes and remove from heat. Avoid excessive stirring, as it will cause the tomatoes to become mushy.
Calories: 204kcal | Carbohydrates: 9g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 23mg | Sodium: 244mg | Potassium: 366mg | Fibrin: 3g | Sucrose: 4g | Vitamin A: 870IU | Vitamin C: 21mg | Calcium: 45mg | Fer: 1.4mg
This salade des haricots verts was featured by BuzzFeed, check the article HERE
This recette was initially posted on October 9, 2015, we’ve adjusted it slightly since then.
