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Vegetarian, Busy evenings

Green bean, potato and soft boiled egg salad

This green bean, potato and soft boiled egg salad takes 35 minutes to make for 4 people, rates as very easy, and costs about €1.40 per person. It combines crisp green beans, warm potatoes and eggs with a runny yolk, all tied together by a mustard and shallot vinaigrette. Success comes down to timing the eggs at exactly six minutes and dressing the vegetables while they're still warm.

Crisp green beans, warm potatoes and soft boiled eggs, tossed with a shallot vinaigrette.

Green bean, potato and soft boiled egg salad
Total time
35 min
Difficulty
Very easy
Cost per person
€1.40
Calories per person
440 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Summer, Spring

This salad stands out from ordinary green salads because it plays on texture as much as flavor. The green beans stay crisp, the potatoes turn soft, and the soft boiled egg brings a yolk that runs and coats everything once you cut into it. The mustard, shallot and red wine vinegar dressing gives this simple dish the punch it would otherwise lack.

It's a spring and summer salad, good as a full meal on a night when it's too hot to cook for long, or as a generous starter for guests. It takes a bit of organizing, since you're timing three separate cooking steps, but nothing technical is involved. Mon Chou suggests it on evenings when you want something light that still feels like a real meal.

The ingredients

4 people

Fruits and vegetables

  • Green beans 500 g
  • Potatoes 600 g
  • Shallots 2
  • Parsley 1 sprigs

Dairy

  • Eggs 4

Pantry

  • Mustardoften in the pantry 1 tbsp
  • Red wine vinegaroften in the pantry 2 tbsp
  • Olive oiloften in the pantry 4 tbsp
  • Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch

Allergens Eggs, Mustard

The step by step recipe

  1. Cook the potatoes in their skins, then peel and slice them into rounds. 20 min

    Peel them while still warm, they soak up the vinaigrette better.

  2. Cook the green beans in boiling salted water, then cool them under cold water. 8 min

    Keep them a bit crisp.

  3. Lower the eggs into boiling water for six minutes, then cool and peel them. 6 min

    A runny yolk, a firm white.

  4. Mix the mustard, vinegar, oil, chopped shallots, salt and pepper.

    Whisk until emulsified.

  5. Dress the beans and potatoes, arrange with the halved eggs, and scatter with parsley.

    Dress the potatoes while still warm, they soak it right up.

Our tips to get it right

  • Salt the cooking water for the green beans the way you would for pasta, it makes a real difference to their flavor.
  • Make the vinaigrette while the vegetables cook, so the shallot has time to mellow into it.
  • If you need to wait before serving, keep the eggs separate and add them at the last minute so the yolks stay runny.

The variations

  • Swap the red wine vinegar for cider vinegar for a softer edge.
  • Add halved cherry tomatoes for more color and freshness in summer.
  • For kids who don't like runny yolks, boil the eggs for nine minutes instead, they'll be hard but the rest of the salad stays the same.

What to serve it with

  • Grilled country bread
  • A slice of ham
  • A glass of homemade lemonade

Storage

This salad keeps for 2 days in the refrigerator in a sealed container, though the eggs lose their runny yolk over time. It doesn't freeze well. Take it out of the fridge a bit before serving, it tastes better slightly cool than cold.

Questions about this dish

Can you make this salad ahead of time?

You can cook the potatoes and green beans a few hours ahead and keep them at room temperature. Make the soft boiled eggs just before serving so the yolks stay runny.

How do you get soft boiled eggs right every time?

Lower room temperature eggs into already boiling water and time exactly six minutes. Cool them in cold water right after to stop the cooking and make peeling easier.

Can you swap out the mustard in the vinaigrette?

Yes, a wholegrain mustard adds more character, or you can cut back the amount if you're cooking for kids. Keep the same balance of vinegar to oil.

What type of potato works best here?

Pick a firm, waxy potato, like a fingerling or red potato, that holds its shape when sliced. A starchy potato would fall apart too easily in the salad.

How long does it take to make a green bean, potato and soft boiled egg salad?

Count 35 min in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “very easy”.

How many calories are in a green bean, potato and soft boiled egg salad?

About 440 kcal per serving, for a recipe meant for 4 people. Calories are calculated by Kiloach, your weight coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does a green bean, potato and soft boiled egg salad cost?

About €1.40 per serving, or €5.60 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains eggs, mustard. Always check the labels of the products you buy.

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