Ever tried pickled green beans? They're everything pickles should be: crisp, tangy, and the perfect fix for your salty snack cravings. Enjoy this pickled green beans recipe straight out of the jar or with a gourmet grilled cheese sandwich!
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Just like zucchini, when green beans hit the garden, they do it with gusto! My first harvest went straight into a pot of green bean stew (Fasolia), the obvious choice.
As the green bean harvest kept coming in, I started thinking about pickling them. Mom always added green beans to her torshi mix, so why not? I went with a simple pickling brine to let their fresh flavor shine. The result: crisp, flavorful green beans that only take 20 minutes of work to make!
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Making pickled green beans is a great way to use up green beans when they're in abundance.
- These refrigerator pickles can actually be canned so that they are shelf-stable.
- Pickled green beans can be eaten as a snack or served as a side with your favorite meal.
Ingredients & Substitutions
- Green Beans: Fresh green beans, ends trimmed.
- Garlic: Two to four cloves of garlic.
- Dill: Fresh dill may be substituted with 1 teaspoon dill seeds or dill weed.
- Vinegar: White vinegar is preferred, but you can also use apple cider vinegar.
- Seasoning: Salt, sugar, and black peppercorns.
- Serranos: For less spicy green beans, you can substitute jalapeños or leave them out entirely.
- Optional: Other spices can be added to your pickled green beans, including dill seed, red pepper flakes, mustard seeds, or coriander seeds.
Helpful Equipment
To make pickled green beans, you'll need a medium saucepan, a whisk, and two pint jars. If you decide to process the pickled green beans, you'll also need a water bath canner or a stock pot.
How To Make Pickled Green Beans
Step 1: Wash green beans and trim ends so that they can fit into a pint-sized jar with about an inch of clearance. If the green beans are too long, just slice them in half, crosswise. Pack green beans upright into two sterilized pint-sized jars.
Step 2: Combine vinegar, water, salt, sugar, and peppercorns in a small saucepan and whisk to dissolve the salt and sugar. Once the brine comes to a boil, remove it from the stove.
Step 3: Slice a serrano pepper in half and add one half to each jar. Slice each garlic clove in half and divide between the jars, then add dill.
Step 4: Divide brine between the two jars, leaving ½ inch of headspace. Wipe jar rims, then add lids and tighten collars. Marinate for at least 3 days to a week before enjoying.
Hot Water Bath Instructions
For longer storage, pickled green beans can be processed in a water bath canner. Once the jars are filled and sealed, add them to a pot of boiling water. Make sure the water level is at least a few inches above the jars. When the water returns to a full boil, process the jars for 10 minutes. Remove jars and allow them to seal before storing in the pantry.
Adjust for altitude
If you live above 1,000 feet, add extra minutes according to your elevation:
- Above 6,000 ft → +15 minutes
- 1,001-3,000 ft → +5 minutes
- 3,001-6,000 ft → +10 minutes
Serving Suggestions
Serve pickled green beans with Chicago-style hot dogs, smoked burgers, or your favorite sandwich. Mix into dill potato salad, or serve as part of an easy charcuterie board. Or just eat straight out of the jar as a crunchy snack!
FAQs
Yes, raw green beans can be packed into jars and then covered with hot or boiling brine.
Pickled green beans can last up to a year or more if processed in a water bath canner. If not, they should be refrigerated and consumed within 3 months.
Pro Tips
- When choosing green beans, use young, firm green beans with no bulging seeds.
- Arrange the beans vertically in jars; it looks nice and prevents floating.
- Make sure the vinegar you use has 5% acidity.
- Use white vinegar for a sharper flavor or apple cider vinegar for a softer, fruitier tang.
- Resist eating them right away! They're best after 1 week so the flavors meld.
More Pickle Recipes
If you enjoy this pickled green beans recipe, check out these other tasty pickle recipes!
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Recipe
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Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Wash green beans and trim ends so that they can fit into a pint-sized jar with about an inch of clearance. If the green beans are too long, just slice them in half, crosswise. Pack green beans upright into two sterilized pint-sized jars.
- Combine vinegar, water, salt, sugar, and peppercorns in a small saucepan and whisk to dissolve the salt and sugar. Once the brine comes to a boil, remove it from the stove.
- Slice a serrano pepper in half and add one half to each jar. Slice each garlic clove in half and divide between the jars, then add dill.
- Divide brine between the two jars, leaving ½ inch of headspace. Wipe jar rims, then add lids and tighten collars. Marinate for at least 3 days to a week before enjoying.
Nutrition
Notes
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- When choosing green beans, use young, firm green beans with no bulging seeds.
-
- Arrange the beans vertically in jars; it looks nice and prevents floating.
-
- Make sure the vinegar you use has 5% acidity.
-
- Use white vinegar for a sharper flavor or apple cider vinegar for a softer, fruitier tang.
-
- Resist eating them right away! They're best after 1 week so the flavors meld.
Kelly Methey says
These pickled green beans are sooo good! They are crunchy, a bit spicy and have the perfect pickle flavor. I can’t stop eating them!
I never thought to make pickled green beans until I came across this recipe! Fantastic! This is sure to be a go to recipe for me!
Hilda Sterner says
Thanks, Kelly! I'm happy to hear they were enjoyed! 🥰
Hilda Sterner says
Hope you enjoy these tasty pickled green beans!