Pickled Green Beans

Written by
Molly Watson
An award-winning food writer and cookbook author, Molly Watson has created more than 1,000 recipes focused on local, seasonal ingredients.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Molly Watson
Updated 03/14/21
Pickled Green Beans recipe, on a white plate

The Spruce / Emily Baker
Prep: 10 mins
Cook: 5 mins
Chill Time: 48 hrs
Total: 48 hrs 15 mins
Servings: 4 servings
Nutritional Guidelines (per serving)
68 Calories
0g Fat
9g Carbs
1g Protein
See Full Nutritional Guidelines Hide Full Nutritional Guidelines
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories 68
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 0g 0%
Saturated Fat 0g 0%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 535mg 23%
Total Carbohydrate 9g 3%
Dietary Fiber 1g 5%
Total Sugars 6g
Protein 1g
Vitamin C 20mg 99%
Calcium 28mg 2%
Iron 1mg 3%
Potassium 159mg 3%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Take advantage of an abundance of in-season green beans from your garden, or from the low prices at the farmers' market, and pickle some green beans. Easy and quick to produce, these green beans retain their color and crunch thanks to an acidic brine that prevents decay and enhances flavor at the same time. Flavorful and snappy, these no-canning, refrigerator green bean pickles are great in salads, tasty alongside meaty fares, and particularly good in place of—or in addition to—a stalk of celery in a Bloody Mary. A few easy-to-find ingredients, one jar, and some patience before eating the beans are all that you need.

Homemade pickles can take a lot of time and require some experience, but in our easy pickled green beans, there is no sterilizing, canning, or sealing jars. Instead, the pickles are allowed to develop their flavor while chilled. Since they are not heat-processed, they must be stored in the refrigerator and totally submerged in the brine to keep them from spoiling.

This recipe makes one 1-pint jar of green bean pickles, which is a generous handful or two of beans. The recipe easily doubles, triples, or even quadruples if your harvest is large and your fridge space is ample. Any beans will fare well with this recipe—snap, bush, pole, or even wax beans—but no matter which one you choose, be sure the jar you're using is tall enough to fit the beans standing upright with at least 1/2 to 1 inch of headspace. With this brine, make a variety of pickled vegetables following the same instructions. Asparagus pickles, okra pickles, and zucchini pickles are delicious in salads or as sides.

Ingredients

  • 5 ounces green beans, or wax beans; washed and pat dried

  • 1 clove garlic

  • 1/2 teaspoon coriander seeds

  • 1 small chile, dried

  • 1/8 teaspoon black peppercorns

  • 1 bay leaf

  • 1 cup cider vinegar

  • 1/2 cup white wine

  • 1 tablespoon sugar

  • 1 teaspoon fine sea salt

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Pickled Green Beans ingredients, garlic, coriander seeds, dried chile, black peppercorns, bay leaf, green beans, salt, sugar, apple cider and white vinegar,

    The Spruce / Emily Baker

  2. Before you trim the green beans, arrange them vertically in a 1-pint jar to see how many will fit. Test-pack them in as tightly as you can. Once you add the hot liquid, they will shrink just a bit.

    green beans in a glass jar

    The Spruce / Emily Baker

  3. Remove the beans from the jar and trim them to fit the jar's height, leaving at least 1/2 inch of headspace.

    green beans with the ends trimmed off

    The Spruce / Emily Baker

  4. Pack the trimmed beans back into the jar.

    trimmed green beans in a glass jar

    The Spruce / Emily Baker

  5. Peel the garlic clove and cut it into quarters. Stuff the garlic pieces into the jar with the green beans.

    green beans in a glass jar with garlic

    The Spruce / Emily Baker

  6. Add the coriander seeds, dried chile, peppercorns, and the bay leaf into the jar, accommodating the ingredients around the beans. 

    green beans in a glass jar with garlic, chile, bay leaf, and coriander seeds

    The Spruce / Emily Baker

  7. Place the vinegar, wine, sugar, and salt in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat and boil for 2 minutes, or until the sugar and salt are completely dissolved.

    vinegar, wine, sugar and salt in a saucepan

    The Spruce / Emily Baker

  8. Pour the hot mixture over the beans until they're all completely covered by the brine.

    green beans and seasonings in a glass jar with pickling liquid

    The Spruce / Emily Baker

  9. Screw on the lid and let the jar sit until it's cooled to room temperature. Once the jar is cool, refrigerate the bean pickles for at least 2 days or up to 3 months before eating. Store any remaining pickles in the fridge.

    Pickled Green Beans in a glass jar

    The Spruce / Emily Baker

  10. Enjoy!

What Is the Best Vinegar to Use?

The best vinegar is the one you like best. White wine and distilled are better at keeping the color on vegetables for longer, while apple cider brings a stronger vinegar flavor. It depends on your palate and what you're looking for in a pickle. But no matter which vinegar you use, be sure it is of 5 percent acidity or more to ensure proper food preservation.

Make Safe and Delicious Refrigerator Pickles

Here are our expert tips to make the best of your refrigerator pickle recipes:

  • Clean your jar with soap and run boiling water over it and the lid. Let sit for a few minutes and discard.
  • Wash your vegetables with running water many times over. Any soft or discolored green beans should be discarded.
  • Use clean utensils to take the beans out of the jar, and always put them back in the fridge as soon as you're done taking the portions you need.
  • If your pickle recipe calls for water, always use bottled water, as the chemicals in heavily chlorinated water can change the flavor, appearance, and quality of the pickle.
  • Discard the beans if the jar is oozing liquid or there are any signs of mold, foam, or rancid smells.