Green Bean Potato and Zucchini Salad
This green bean potato and zucchini salad is a hearty, colorful, and incredibly flavorful vegan salad made with crispy roasted potatoes, tender roasted zucchini, fresh green beans, juicy tomatoes, vegan feta, and a delicious homemade balsamic dressing.
Unlike a traditional leafy salad, this recipe is packed with roasted vegetables, which makes it much more satisfying and perfect as a main meal or substantial side dish. The potatoes and zucchini are roasted with olive oil, salt, black pepper, and smoked paprika until golden around the edges and tender in the middle. They are then combined with fresh green beans and juicy tomatoes before being finished with a bright parsley and balsamic dressing.
The final touch is crumbled vegan feta, which adds a creamy, salty element that brings all the flavors together.
Why You’ll Love This Green Bean Potato and Zucchini Salad
There are so many things to love about this simple vegetable salad.
It’s hearty and satisfying
Potatoes make this salad much more filling than a typical vegetable salad. The roasted potatoes become golden and flavorful in the oven, giving the salad a deliciously satisfying texture.
It’s packed with vegetables
You get several different vegetables in one bowl: potatoes, zucchini, green beans, and tomatoes. It’s an easy way to create a colorful and vegetable-packed meal.
The roasted vegetables add incredible flavor
Roasting the potatoes and zucchini with smoked paprika gives them a slightly smoky, savory flavor and caramelized edges.
The dressing is simple but delicious
The parsley, onion, olive oil, and balsamic vinegar dressing takes just a few minutes to prepare. It is tangy, fresh, slightly spicy, and perfect with roasted vegetables.
Vegan feta adds the perfect finishing touch
The creamy, salty flavor of vegan feta contrasts beautifully with the sweet roasted vegetables and tangy balsamic dressing.
It’s perfect for meal prep
This salad can be prepared ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator, making it a great option for weekday lunches.
Ingredients You’ll Need
The ingredient list is simple, colorful, and made up mostly of fresh vegetables.
Potatoes
You’ll need 3 large potatoes, cut into wedges.
Potatoes form the hearty base of this salad. Cutting them into wedges gives you plenty of surface area for the olive oil and spices to coat, while also allowing the edges to become beautifully golden and crispy in the oven.
You can use regular white potatoes, yellow potatoes, or another variety suitable for roasting.
Try to cut the wedges into relatively similar sizes so they cook evenly.
Zucchini
You’ll need 2 medium zucchini, sliced into thick rounds.
I recommend cutting the zucchini fairly thick because it softens considerably during roasting. Thick rounds hold their shape better and develop lovely roasted edges without becoming too mushy.
You can use green zucchini or yellow zucchini.
Olive Oil
A tablespoon of olive oil is used to roast the potatoes and zucchini.
You don’t need a lot of oil because the vegetables will release some moisture as they cook. The olive oil helps the vegetables brown and allows the smoked paprika and seasoning to stick.
You’ll also need additional olive oil for the dressing.
Smoked Paprika
Smoked paprika is one of the ingredients that gives this salad its distinctive flavor.
It adds a gentle smoky quality to the roasted potatoes and zucchini without making the salad spicy.
If you love smoky flavors, you can add a little extra.
Green Beans
You’ll need 2 cups of green beans, boiled until tender.
Green beans bring a completely different texture to the salad. While the potatoes and zucchini are soft and roasted, the green beans add freshness and a little bite.
Don’t overcook them. You want them tender but still vibrant and slightly firm.
Tomatoes
Use 2 medium tomatoes, cut into bite-sized chunks.
Fresh tomatoes add juiciness and acidity to the salad. Since the potatoes and zucchini are roasted, the fresh tomatoes provide a nice contrast.
For an even more colorful salad, you could use cherry tomatoes, although regular ripe tomatoes work perfectly.
Vegan Feta
The salad is finished with 50 g crumbled vegan feta.
The vegan feta adds a salty, creamy element that works beautifully with the balsamic dressing and roasted vegetables.
Add it shortly before serving so the feta stays visible and doesn’t completely blend into the dressing.
The Balsamic Parsley Dressing
The dressing is what brings all the ingredients together.
You’ll need:
- 1/2 cup finely chopped parsley
- 1/2 small onion, very finely chopped
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp chili flakes
- 1 tbsp water
How to Get Perfectly Roasted Potatoes
The potatoes are one of the best parts of this green bean, potato and zucchini salad, so it’s worth giving them a little attention.
First, make sure the potato wedges aren’t too thick. Very large wedges can take longer to cook and may not develop crispy edges before the center is tender.
Second, don’t overcrowd your baking tray.
The potatoes need space around them so hot air can circulate. If they are touching each other too much, they can steam instead of roast.
Finally, make sure they are evenly coated with the oil and spices.
You don’t need a lot of oil. One tablespoon is enough to help them brown while keeping the salad relatively light.
Can You Make This Salad Ahead of Time?
Yes, this salad works very well for meal preparation.
You can roast the potatoes and zucchini, cook the green beans, chop the tomatoes, and prepare the dressing ahead of time.
For the freshest result, store the components separately in the refrigerator and combine them shortly before serving.
However, you can also store the assembled salad in an airtight container.
If preparing it ahead, I recommend keeping the vegan feta separate and adding it just before serving.
You can also add a little extra balsamic vinegar or olive oil if the vegetables absorb too much of the dressing while sitting.
Can You Serve It Warm or Cold?
Both!
This salad is delicious when the roasted vegetables are still slightly warm.
The warmth of the potatoes and zucchini allows them to absorb the balsamic dressing, making the flavors especially delicious.
It is also excellent at room temperature, which makes it ideal for picnics, potlucks, and gatherings.
You can even refrigerate it and serve it chilled.
For the best flavor, take it out of the refrigerator about 15–20 minutes before serving.
Storage
Store leftover salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
The roasted vegetables will soften slightly after refrigeration, but the salad will still be delicious.
If possible, store the vegan feta separately and add it when serving.
You can also refresh the salad with a small splash of balsamic vinegar and a drizzle of olive oil before eating.
Check out more recipes:
Green Bean, Potato and Zucchini Salad
Ingredients
For the Salad
- 3 large potatoes cut into wedges
- 2 medium zucchini sliced into thick rounds
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- Salt to taste
- Black pepper to taste
- Smoked paprika to taste
- 2 cups green beans
- 2 medium tomatoes cut into bite-sized chunks
- 50 g vegan feta crumbled
For the Dressing
- 1/2 cup finely chopped parsley
- 1/2 small onion very finely chopped
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp chili flakes
- 1 tbsp water
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 200°C.
- Place the potato wedges and thickly sliced zucchini on a baking tray.
- Add 1 tablespoon olive oil, salt, black pepper, and smoked paprika. Toss well to coat.
- Roast for 35–40 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender and golden and the zucchini is nicely roasted.
- Meanwhile, boil the green beans until tender. Drain well.
- Chop the tomatoes into bite-sized chunks.
- To make the dressing, combine the chopped parsley, finely chopped onion, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt, chili flakes, and water in a small bowl. Mix well.
- Add the roasted potatoes and zucchini to a large bowl along with the green beans and tomatoes.
- Pour over the dressing and gently toss everything together.
- Sprinkle with the crumbled vegan feta and serve warm, at room temperature, or chilled.
