English Ivy snap peas salad (Printable Version)

Fresh snap peas and green beans twined with sharp white cheddar and tangy dressing.

# What You Need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 7 oz snap peas, ends trimmed
02 - 7 oz green beans, ends trimmed
03 - 1 small shallot, thinly sliced

→ Cheese

04 - 3.5 oz sharp white cheddar, cut into small cubes or shards

→ Dressing

05 - 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
06 - 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
07 - 1 tsp Dijon mustard
08 - 1/2 tsp honey
09 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

→ Garnish

10 - 2 tbsp fresh chives, finely chopped
11 - Optional: microgreens or pea shoots

# How-To Steps:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add snap peas and green beans; blanch for 2 minutes until bright green and tender-crisp.
02 - Transfer vegetables immediately to an ice water bath to halt cooking and preserve color. Drain thoroughly and pat dry.
03 - In a large bowl, whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, honey, salt, and pepper until emulsified.
04 - Add blanched snap peas, green beans, and sliced shallot to the dressing. Toss gently to coat evenly.
05 - Arrange the dressed vegetables in long, winding vines on a serving platter. Scatter sharp white cheddar cubes on top.
06 - Sprinkle finely chopped chives and optionally garnish with microgreens or pea shoots. Serve immediately.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The snap peas stay impossibly crisp and bright, and that quick ice bath is the difference between a sad salad and one that actually snaps.
  • Sharp white cheddar doesn't just sit here—it melts slightly into the warm vegetables and creates this tangy, creamy contrast that feels almost luxurious.
  • It looks stunning plated, which means you can serve it at a dinner party and feel like you've done something more interesting than you actually have.
02 -
  • Don't skip the ice bath—it's the difference between vegetables that taste like your attempt at cooking and vegetables that taste like you actually know what you're doing.
  • The cheddar doesn't need to be melted into the salad; let it stay as shards or cubes so you get those surprising pockets of sharp, creamy flavor throughout.
03 -
  • The vegetables should still be warm when you dress them; warm vegetables are more porous and will absorb the dressing better than cold ones.
  • Pat the blanched vegetables completely dry before tossing with the dressing, or any excess water will dilute the flavors you've worked to build.
Go Back