Dilly Beans

Name: Dilly Beans
Prep time: 15 min
Total time: 457 h
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: ⅔ cup coarse sea salt; 2 pounds small, tender green beans or yellow wax beans, trimmed; 6 sprigs fresh dill sprigs; 6 cloves small garlic cloves, smashed; 3 whole small dried red chiles; 1 tablespoon dill seeds; 1 teaspoon black peppercorns; crushed

Classic pickled green beans flavored with fresh dill, garlic, and chiles. These crisp, tangy beans are fermented in a salt brine and make a delicious condiment or snack.

6 servings

457 hr

Published October 4, 2025

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Ingredients

•⅔ cup coarse sea salt
•2 pounds small, tender green beans or yellow wax beans, trimmed
•6 sprigs fresh dill sprigs
•6 cloves small garlic cloves, smashed
•3 whole small dried red chiles
•1 tablespoon dill seeds
•1 teaspoon black peppercorns
•crushed

Cooking Instructions

1.
Stir salt and 1 gallon warm water in a large bowl until salt is dissolved. Let brine cool to room temperature.
30 min
2.
Layer beans with remaining ingredients in a large ceramic, glass, or stainless-steel mixing bowl. Add brine to cover. Pour remaining brine into a resealable plastic bag; seal and place on beans to submerge. Cover bowl with a clean kitchen towel. Let stand at room temperature until bubbles form around edge of bowl, 4-5 days.
7200 min
3.
Spoon off any foam from surface of brine. Continue to let stand at room temperature, discarding foam as necessary, until beans are pickled, about 2 weeks.
20160 min
4.
Using a slotted spoon, divide beans, herbs, and spices among 3 clean 1-quart jars. Set a strainer with 2 layers of cheesecloth over a large pitcher; pour brine through strainer. Pour over beans in jars, leaving 1/2" space on top. Cover; chill up to 2 months.
30 min