French Potato Salad with Green Beans
This herby French potato salad with green beans is tossed in a simple lemon and garlic vinaigrette over a bed of arugula topped with poached eggs.
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This herby French potato salad with green beans is tossed in a simple lemon and garlic vinaigrette over a bed of arugula topped with poached eggs.
While many potato salads are tossed in a mayonnaise-based mixture, these potatoes are boiled until just tender and served simply with a light dressing and lots of flavorful herbs. It is creamy thanks to the emulsified dressing and rich egg yolks from the poached eggs.
French Potato Salad with Green Beans
Table of contents
Key Ingredients in This Recipe
- Eggs – The eggs are poached in this recipe so the gooey yolks become part of the dressing. Soft boiled eggs also work well for this dish.
- Potatoes – I use Yukon gold potatoes for this recipe. They are a versatile potato, in between a starchy russet potato and a waxy potato like red potatoes. Look for potatoes on the smaller end.
- Green beans – Trimmed green beans are blanched to retain their bright color. The method of boiling them then shocking them with an ice bath keeps them not only vibrant but also tender.
How to Make French Potato Salad with Green Beans
- Make the dressing. In a small bowl whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, dijon and garlic until combined. Season to taste with salt and set aside.
- Blanch the green beans. Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the green beans and potatoes to the boiling water. Cook the green beans until bright green and tender, about 2 minutes. Remove with tongs to a bowl of ice water until chilled then drain and set aside.
- Boil the potatoes. Continue to boil the potatoes until tender, about 15 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to remove the potatoes to a strainer and return the pot to heat. Add the vinegar and bring the water to a bare simmer.
- Poach the eggs. Create a clockwise swirling motion with a ladle to create a whirlpool then carefully crack each egg individually into the pot, being careful to space them out. Cook until the whites are just set and the yolk is runny, about 3 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to remove the eggs and set them aside on a plate.
- Toss the components. In a medium bowl toss the potatoes and green beans with half the dressing. Add the shallots, chives, dill, parsley and continue to toss.
- Serve. Add the radish, arugula and the remaining vinaigrette then toss and divide among serving plates. Top with a poached egg and serve.
Tips and Tricks for This Recipe
Tips for the Best Poached Eggs
- Make sure you set your timer! This is one where you don’t want to estimate the time. Poaching the eggs for 3 minutes will leave you with a runny yolk.
- Create a swirling vortex in the pan. This will fold the egg whites in on themselves and keep them in a small area rather than spreading them out. This method works best when you’re cooking one egg at a time.
- Add white vinegar to your water. Vinegar will help keep the whites together when they are added to the pot.
- To poach the eggs you want to make sure the water is simmering, not boiling. The turbulence will cause the egg whites to spread.
- Crack your eggs into ramekins first. This makes it easier to pour the egg in the water in a swift motion (without breaking any yolks).
Serving suggestions
- Serve this refreshing 30-minute recipe alongside your favorite seared fish or meat or on it’s own. The combination of the eggs and potatoes make it a heartier salad.
- The green bean and potato portion of the salad can be made ahead of time and tossed with the dressing up to a day ahead of time. Add the arugula and remaining vinegar just before serving and top with poached eggs.
Swaps and substitutions
This recipe is naturally gluten-free and dairy-free.
How to make this recipe vegan
To make this potato salad vegan, simply omit the eggs!
Other Recipes to Try
If you enjoyed this French potato salad recipe, give these a try:
French Potato Salad with Green Beans
Ingredients:
- ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon dijon mustard
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- Kosher salt, as needed
- 4 ounces green beans, ends trimmed
- 1 pound small Yukon Gold potatoes
- 2 tablespoons white vinegar
- 4 large eggs
- 1 medium shallot, diced
- ¼ cup chopped chives
- ¼ cup chopped fresh dill
- ½ cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
- 1 small watermelon radish, thinly sliced
- 3 ounces wild arugula
Instructions:
- In a small bowl whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, dijon and garlic until combined. Season to taste with salt and set aside.
- Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the green beans and potatoes to the boiling water. Cook the green beans until bright green and tender, about 2 minutes. Remove with tongs to a bowl of ice water until chilled then drain and set aside.
- Continue to boil the potatoes until tender, about 15 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to remove the potatoes to a strainer and return the pot to heat. Add the vinegar and bring the water to a bare simmer.
- Create a clockwise swirling motion with a ladle to create a whirlpool then carefully crack each egg individually into the pot, being careful to space them out. Cook until the whites are just set and the yolk is runny, about 3 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to remove the eggs and set them aside on a plate.
- In a medium bowl toss the potatoes and green beans with half the dressing. Add the shallots, chives, dill, parsley and continue to toss.
- Add the radish, arugula and the remaining vinaigrette then toss and divide among serving plates. Top with a poached egg and serve.
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