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Pickled Green Beans (Dilly Beans)

Photo Credit
Bjoern Wylezich/Shutterstock
Written By: The Old Farmer’s Almanac Editors The Almanac Editors and Staff
Yield
4 pints
Category
Beans
Pickles and Preserves
Course
Side Dishes
Preparation Method
Boil
Sources
Yankee Magazine

Our Pickled Green Beans recipe is a wonderful way to preserve the fresh green beans from your garden. This recipe has a little cayenne pepper to give your pickled green beans some zip and flavor! 

If you’re from New England, you may know these as the perennial favorite: Dilly Beans!

You can easily modify the recipe by adding chili flakes or more garlic (or less!). A warning: They’ll go quickly and it’s hard to stop folks from making multiple trips to the pickle jar!

Ingredients
2 pounds fresh green beans
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
4 stems fresh dill or 4 teaspoons dill seed
4 garlic cloves
2-1/2 cups water
2-1/2 cups white vinegar
1/4 cup salt

Instructions

  1. Trim green beans into 4-inch pieces. Pack beans lengthwise into 4 hot 1-pint canning jars, leaving 1/2-inch head space. 
  2. To each jar, add 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, 1 dill stem (or 1 teaspoon dill seed), and 1 garlic clove. 
  3. In a medium-sized saucepan, bring the remaining ingredients to a boil. Pour boiling liquid over beans, leaving 1/2-inch head space. 
  4. Run a hot knife along the inside of the jar to remove air bubbles. 
  5. Wipe jar rims. Seal tightly. Process 40 minutes in a boiling-water bath. Remove and cool. You’ll hear the lids “pop” when they seal. Let beans stand at least two weeks before tasting to let the flavor develop.

About The Author
The Old Farmer’s Almanac Editors

The Old Farmer’s Almanac Editors

The Almanac Editors and Staff

Under the guiding hand of its first editor, Robert B. Thomas, the premiere issue of The Old Farmer’s Almanac was published in 1792 during George Washington’s first term as president.Today, the Almanac...
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Comments

<span>Cathy</span> Sat, 04/26/2025 - 16:09
Can this be made without canning, just mixing and letting it stand in the fridge for a couple weeks?
<a title="View user profile." href="/author/editors">The Editors</a> Mon, 04/28/2025 - 09:29

Hi, Cathy, You can certainly store these in the refrigerator rather than canning them. Think of them as you would refrigerator pickles.

 <span>Cricket</span> Sat, 09/02/2023 - 12:17
When water bath canning, do I need to boil the ladle and funnel and tongs before using them to add ingredients to jars?
<a title="View user profile." href="/author/editors">The Editors</a> Tue, 09/05/2023 - 10:06

Hi, Cricket. The equipment should all be thoroughly cleaned, but you do not necessarily need to boil everything. Here is a step by step guide to the canning process: Canning 101.

 <span>Sue</span> Mon, 05/16/2022 - 16:41
Can I use 1L jars and double the recipe?
<span>Sandra</span> Sat, 10/06/2018 - 02:44
Is it safe to use Kosher salt for pickling vegetables or is this what pickling salt is?
<a title="View user profile." href="/author/editors">The Editors</a> Tue, 10/09/2018 - 16:09

Hi, Sandra. As long as the kosher salt has no additives or anti-caking agents, it is fine to use.

 <span>Carolyn</span> Sun, 07/29/2018 - 13:00
Where are the canning and safety instructions that were supposed to be included?
<span>Lib Poteat</span> Tue, 08/08/2017 - 18:12
I think the ones done in a stone crock have to be better.