IBS-Friendly Potato, Green Bean & Egg Salad

Preparation Steps

1. Cooking the potatoes — Wash the potatoes thoroughly without peeling them. Place them whole in a saucepan of cold, lightly salted water. Bring to the boil, then cook over a medium heat for approximately 20 minutes, until tender when pierced with a knife but not falling apart. Drain and leave to cool completely at room temperature before peeling and slicing into rounds or wedges. This cooling stage is key: it converts a portion of the starch into resistant starch, which is far more beneficial for your gut microbiome.

2. Cooking the green beans — Top and tail the green beans if needed. Cook them in a large saucepan of boiling salted water for 7 to 9 minutes, until tender but still with a slight bite. Avoid overcooking — a mushy texture is less pleasant and leads to a greater loss of vitamin C and folate. Drain immediately and plunge into a large bowl of cold water for 2 minutes to stop the cooking and preserve their vibrant green colour. Drain again and set aside.

3. Cooking the eggs — Gently lower the eggs into a saucepan of cold water. Bring to the boil, then simmer on a low heat for 10 minutes for hard-boiled eggs. Transfer immediately to a bowl of cold water to make peeling easier and to prevent the grey-green ring from forming around the yolk. Once cooled, peel and cut into quarters or slices according to your preference.

4. Making the dressing — In a small bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, mild mustard, and a pinch of salt. Gradually incorporate the olive oil, whisking gently until the dressing is smooth and lightly emulsified. Adjust the seasoning with black pepper and a little more salt if needed. This simple dressing — free from garlic, onion, and strong vinegar — is specifically suited to irritable bowels and sensitive stomachs.

5. Preparing the fresh herbs — Rinse the chives and flat-leaf parsley. Pat them dry gently with kitchen paper. Finely snip the chives with scissors and roughly chop the parsley with a knife. These herbs add freshness, colour, and a pleasing phytochemical richness without contributing any problematic fermentable compounds.

6. Assembling the salad — Place the cooled potatoes in a large salad bowl. Pour half the dressing over the potatoes while they are still slightly warm if possible — this allows them to absorb the flavours more deeply. Add the drained green beans and the egg quarters. Pour over the remaining dressing and toss gently to avoid breaking up the ingredients.

7. Finishing and serving — Scatter generously with snipped chives and chopped parsley. Add a final grind of black pepper. Taste and adjust the seasoning as needed. Serve the salad warm or at room temperature. To maximise the prebiotic effect of the resistant starch, you can also prepare it ahead and enjoy it cold, straight from the fridge after a few hours of resting.

💡 Gut-Friendly Tips

For the most sensitive guts: start with a modest portion of green beans if you are in a strict elimination phase, and increase gradually according to your individual tolerance.

To add variety: you can include the green tops of spring onions (the white part is high in fructans and best avoided with IBS), or a few sprigs of fresh dill to ring the changes.

Best avoided during a sensitive phase: raw or powdered garlic, raw onion, heavily pickled gherkins, large quantities of mayonnaise, or creamy dairy-based sauces.

Storage: this salad keeps for up to 24 hours in the fridge in an airtight container. The potatoes develop even more resistant starch after a night in the cold — good news for your microbiome!