How to Make Quick Refrigerator Dilly Beans
A crisp dilly bean is like a celebration of the summer garden. This quick refrigerator version only takes minutes to make. Once you learn how to make quick refrigerator dilly beans, you’ll be making them over and over again all summer long.
For the past several years, I have been making refrigerator dill pickles and Ginger and Garlic Quick Pickles using the cucumbers we harvest fresh from our garden. Making those simple, fresh pickles is a great way of pickling cucumbers without needing to spend hours standing over the canning pot. In minutes, I can prepare several mason jars full of cucumber pickles that will be enjoyed by the whole family.
I do make several batches of pickles each summer that are canned for long term pantry storage. With luck and little planning, those water bath processed jars of pickles last us well into the winter. They’re delicious and we enjoy every last bite. Yet, there’s something altogether wonderful about a pickle that can be made in minutes, kept cold in the refrigerator, and eaten fresh during the season when heirloom vegetables are so plentiful in our garden.
Once I mastered the refrigerator cucumber pickles, I started experimenting with other fresh garden produce. These dilly beans are now just as beloved at 1840 Farm as the cucumber variety. Because these quick pickled green beans will be consumed within days instead of months, the vegetables require no cooking and stay crisp and brightly colored.
Much like the cucumber pickles we look forward to each summer, these dilly beans are quick and easy to put together. Simply prepare the brining liquid as you prep the fresh green beans. Once the beans have been trimmed to remove the ends and sized to fit in the mason jars, simply fill the jars with the brine. Within hours, the beans will be infused with the flavor of dill and vinegar. By the next day, they will be dilly bean perfection.
I keep several wide mouth canning jars full of refrigerator dilly beans in our refrigerator. As one jar is emptied, I simply prep enough fresh green beans to refill the jar, add the beans to the brining liquid, and return the jar to the refrigerator I use plastic canning lids and write the day that the fresh beans were added using a dry erase marker. That way, I always know which jar been brined the longest and can serve those dilly beans first.
I find myself making more refrigerator dilly beans and refrigerator dill pickles almost every other day during the summer. They are both irresistibly fresh and vibrant in color and flavor. We can’t seem to get enough of them. Rest assured, I will be planting more cucumbers and green beans in our garden next summer!
If you liked this recipe, you might want to try…
Once you’ve made these pickled green beans, you’ll want to give our Quick Pickled Grapes with Rosemary, Quick Pickled Red Onions and Ginger and Garlic Quick Pickles a try. They’re just as simple and delicious!
Refrigerator Dilly Beans
Ingredients
- 12 ounces white vinegar
- 4 Tablespoons kosher salt or pickling salt
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 12 whole black peppercorns
- 4 cloves garlic peeled and quartered
- 1 bunch fresh dill
- fresh green beans washed and drained
Instructions
- Prepare the brining liquid by combining the white vinegar, salt, and sugar in a saucepan. Simmer gently over medium heat until the salt and sugar are fully dissolved. Remove the pan from heat and set aside to cool to room temperature.
- Gather two pint sized glass jars with lids. I prefer to use wide mouth jars as they are easier to fill, but any clean jar will do. To each jar, add 6 whole peppercorns, 2 cloves of peeled and quartered garlic, and 1 generous handful of dill.
- Trim the ends from the green beans before placing vertically in the prepared jars. Trim longer beans as necessary to fit in the jar. Continue to add trimmed beans until the jar is full.
- Once the brining liquid has cooled to room temperature, pour approximately half of the liquid into each jar. Cover and swirl slightly to disperse the spices.
- Refrigerate the beans until ready to use. These dilly beans must be refrigerated. They are not intended for long term pantry storage.
If you wanted to store them for long term, would you follow the instructions for pressure canning beans? Just curious.
Great question! Dilly beans are a high acid recipe, so they can be processed in a boiling water canner with 1/2 inch headspace for 5 minutes. For longterm storage, I would consider substituting dill seed or dill heads for the tiny dill fronds that I use when making the refrigerator version. Dill fronds tend to break down over time and turn the brine into a murky substance. The beans would still be perfectly safe to eat and taste just as delicious, but their appearance might suffer. Each summer, I intend to can dilly beans, but we always eat them too fast for any to be left over!
I LOVE dilly beans and pickled okra, but never tried refridgerated. Simple and easy for small batches, especially at beginning and end of season harvest.
Years ago, I discovered sour pickles and all the health benefits, along with flavor! I’m hoping to convert your recipe, along with a couple of red chili’s.
Any experience with fermented foods, along with pearls of wisdom you would be willing to share?
That sounds like a delicious idea! I love to make sauerkraut and kimchi. They’re so easy to make and so full of flavor. You can find those recipes right here:
Sauerkraut:
https://1840farm.com/classic-sauerkraut/
Kimchi:
https://1840farm.com/kimchi/
Don’t you have to blanch green beans? I just made these and then was told you have to blanch them before hand. I let the brine cool to warm or room temperature. I’m soo worried. Please HELP.
Green beans are often blanched in order to preserve their bright green color before cooking by another method. In this recipe, the beans will be kept in the brine in the refrigerator to be consumed quickly over a few days. So, blanching is not necessary.
Rest assured that your dilly beans will be bright, flavorful, and delicious. Enjoy them quickly when they are at their best and I hope that you’ll enjoy them so much that you will decide to make more!
No water in the brine?
I like mine to be very strong. If you like, you could absolutely cut it with water if you prefer.
How long can these be kept in refrigerator?
These can be kept for several weeks (although they never last that long here) and still taste crisp and delicious. The vinegar brine helps to keep them tasting just as good after a few weeks as they do the day you make them.
My question is if I vacuum seal these jars would they still need to be in the fridge and if so how long would you recommend they last. I want to experiment this year. And while I have your attention I also have a steamer canner. I got rid of my water bath because I disliked it so much. I primarily use a pressure canner. So I’m thinking the steamer canner would be good for these beans but I would really like to try vacuum sealing. Your thoughts please
I am glad that you want to make these yummy dilly beans. I have only made them to be kept in the refrigerator as a quick pickle. I don’t have any experience sealing them with a vacuum sealer or pressure canner to share. This recipe might help:
https://www.healthycanning.com/dilly-beans
I hope that you’ll be enjoying dilly beans all winter long!