Quick and Dilly Spicy Refrigerator Pickled Green Beans
I love pickled things, especially when it involves green beans, and basically anything spicy. I also love quick and easy recipes and don’t always want to get out my pressure canner during the harvest season. If that sounds familiar, then you may enjoy these spicy quick pickled green beans!
To can green beans correctly, you should pressure cook them, not use the water bath method. Most fresh vegetables, like green beans, should be pressure canned. But, if you find that a pressure canner isn’t in your kitchen arsenal or you simply want a quicker method, refrigerator pickles might be the perfect solution. Maybe you have fresh green beans from the garden that need to be used up, or perhaps you’ve already canned all the green beans you need and are looking for a new way to enjoy the last bit. If so, this pickling recipe for green bean pickles is just what you need!
Sure, you could wash and snap them, give the beans a quick blanch, and freeze them for later. But that’s a bit boring. Let’s do something fun instead!
Refrigerator Pickled Green Beans
These easy-to-whip-together pickled green beans last in the fridge for a couple of months, but I doubt they’ll truly last that long as they’re the perfect healthy snacking item. I’ve found myself gravitating toward them when I need something crunchy, spicy, or both. They also make an excellent side dish for a quick dinner or a charcuterie board. If you’re going to a friend’s house and want to be fancy, bring a mason jar of them as a gift—they’ll love you for it, promise.
I initially intended to do a dilly beans recipe, but I wasn’t able to plant my dill early enough to harvest yet. So, I played around and decided on this recipe instead. Gosh, I’m glad I did!
Spicy with a good dousing of garlic, oregano, mustard seeds, and coriander, these beans don’t mess around. Filled with flavor in every bite, they hit all the right notes and pair perfectly with an egg salad or as a side dish.
Preparing the Beans
Simply snap the stem end off, and place the beans in a bowl of ice water for a cold water rinse. Follow this with a cold water vinegar rinse, and finish off with just cold water again. Make sure to completely submerge the beans in the rinse. You’ll be glad you did when you see the little bugs rise to the surface and the dirt sink to the bottom. Green bean skins are slightly like Velcro, and they need a good three-part rinsing to clear them of all the extras no one wants to crunch on.
Just sayin’.
Clean and Prepare Four Pint Jars
I used to have soooo many jars. So many. Years of cultivating mason jars from yard sales, relatives, and everywhere in between. But when we moved across the country, I had to leave most of them behind. I cried. Not even joking. There must have been over a hundred on my shelves, every shape and size. Thankfully, my neighbor was able to take them. She’s basically the only one I would have shared my collection with.
Anyhow, I have to replenish them. These are the sets I bought quickly to can things as they come off. I hope to collect more from yard sales and such as the months go by, but this is a great starter kit that includes lids and screw tops so you’re ready to go!
Clean the jars and lids with hot, soapy water, and allow them to air dry. That’s it. Now move on to the brine.
Brine
The brine is the most important thing to get right. Combine vinegar and water in a large saucepan: 3 cups water, 3 cups white vinegar, and 3/4 cup sugar. Bring it to a boil, and then add 1/3 tsp salt, 6 garlic cloves sliced, 1 Tbsp oregano, 1 Tbsp coriander, and mustard seeds. While it’s all coming to a boil, take one to two fresh jalapeños, or another hot pepper of your choice, and slice them into thin, long sections.
Put It All Together
Gather your trimmed green beans and place them lengthwise in the jars. I place the jars on their sides and add the green beans that way so they don’t get out of line. We want tall, straight soldiers in the jar. Every few beans, place a pepper slice in, then continue to add more beans, then add another pepper. This all depends on how spicy you like it. You may have to play around with the recipe after you make it once or twice and adjust the spice to your specific palate.
Once your jars are filled with pretty beans and peppers, pour the hot brine over the tops of the beans, leaving an inch of headspace at the top of the jar.
Make sure to scoop out the garlic cloves, mustard seeds, and coriander at the end and divide them evenly into all the jars. You don’t want the last jar to get all the goodies included in the final pour!
Let the jars cool on the counter until they’re at room temperature and no longer steaming. Then place lids on and set them in the fridge. You’ll love this yummy addition to your snacking repertoire. Whether you enjoy them straight from the jar or as part of a charcuterie board, they’re a great way to add a bit of spice to your meals.
If you make them, tag me on Instagram, and I’ll reshare your story!
Additional Tips for Perfect Pickled Beans
If you’re new to canning, I recommend checking out the Ball Blue Book for more canning recipes and tips.
For an extra kick, add red pepper flakes or cayenne pepper to the brine.
Experiment with different vinegars like white wine vinegar, red wine vinegar, or apple cider vinegar to create flavored vinegar variations.
Try adding other vegetables like red onions, carrot sticks, or even Brussels sprouts to the mix for a unique twist.
If you prefer a more traditional dill flavor, add sprigs of fresh dill or dill seed to the brine.
Always use canning salt or kosher salt for the best results. Regular table salt can cause cloudiness in the brine.
To ensure a safe recipe, make sure to follow the recipe instructions carefully, especially when working with low acid foods like green beans.
Store the pickles in a dark place in your fridge to maintain their crispness and flavor.
Pickled Spicy Green Bean
Ingredients
- 2 pounds green beans
- 3 cups water
- 3 cups vinegar
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 6 cloves garlic
- 1 Tbsp oregano
- 1 Tbsp coriander
- 2 jalepenos or hot pepper of choice
Instructions
- Clean and snap green beans. Place lengthwise in the jar with sliced peppers. Use as many or few pepper slices to your preferred spice level.
- Make the brine by adding together 3 cups water, 3 cups white vinegar, and 3/4 cup sugar in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, and add 1/3 tsp salt, 6 garlic cloves sliced, 1 Tbsp oregano, 1 Tbsp coriander, and mustard seeds.
- When the sugar is dissolved and the brine is boiling, pour over the green beans, scooping out the last bit of garlic and coriander evenly over the tops of all the jars of beans.
- Let the jars cool on the counter until no longer steaming. Place lids on jars and refrigerate.
- Allow to sit for 24 to 48 hours for the brine and beans to marinate.
Notes
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