I really love fermented green beans. Salty, tangy, and delicious. They’re a great source of probiotics. Best of all, fermenting green beans is an easy, no-cook way to preserve this garden vegetable.
Personally, I usually grow yellow beans because they’re quite pretty and stand out against the green leaves. However, it’s still a green bean, even if it’s not green in color!
How to serve fermented green bean pickles
My kids LOVE fermented green beans. They are so delicious that I can just open up a jar as a snack and they’ll be gone within a few minutes! If you aren’t sure what to do with your jar of green bean pickles, here are a few other serving suggestions.
- I like to serve them with a cheeseboard or charcuterie.
- Perfect for picnics and barbecues. Just open a jar and stick a fork in it!
- Make a probiotic Nicoise or cobb salad.
- Add them to a Buddha bowl.
- Use them in your favorite three-bean salad.
- Spicy green beans are perfect for a Bloody Mary.
Preserving for Winter
One of the main reasons why I ferment, is because it’s easier than freezing or canning. When produce is abundant in the summer, I fill my larder with fermented vegetables. Here’s what you need to know about using fermentation to preserve green beans.
- Use a jar that will allow CO2 to escape while preventing contamination. I like fido jars, but an airlock or pickle pipe will work as well.
- Keep everything as clean as possible. I usually sanitize my jars by pour boiling water over them before packing in the beans.
- The green beans will soften as they ferment. So if you stash them in a closet for several months, expect them to be very soft.
Flavoring Fermented Green Beans
Fermenting is the perfect way to play with flavor. This simple recipe makes about 1 pint (or a quart jar not quite filled to the top). So make a few jars and stick different flavors into each one.
Here are a few flavors that we enjoy. Simply add them to the basic recipe. They all taste good with these garlicky green beans.
- Spicy: Add 1/2 tsp of chili flakes or 1 hot pepper sliced in half.
- Dilly: A sprig or head of dill weed.
- Mixed spice: Add 1 tsp of pickling spice to the jar.
- Onion: Add two thin slices of white onion.
Fermented Green Beans
Fermented garlicky green beans are probiotic and delicious. They are a quick and easy way to preserve green beans. See the sections above for 4 different flavor options.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Total Time: 5 minutes
- Yield: 1 pint jar 1x
- Category: Pickles
- Method: Fermented
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegan
Ingredients
- 1/2 lbs green beans
- 2 tsp salt
- 1 clove of garlic
- 2 Tbsp of culture (optional, see notes)
- 2/3 cup of water, enough to cover (chlorine-free)
Instructions
- Dissolve the salt in a 1/4 cup of water in the bottom of a glass jar.
- Wash the green beans and trim the tops. Peel the garlic clove. If you’re using a pint jar, then beans will need to be trimmed to fit.
- Pack the jar with the beans and garlic. Add the culture (if you’re using it) and fill the jar with water, leaving 1 inch of headroom at the top of the jar.
- Use a weight to make sure that the beans remain below the brine. Cap with a lid that will let CO2 escape as the ferment bubbles. See notes for details.
- Place the jar somewhere dark (a kitchen cupboard is perfect) to ferment for 2-3 days. After 3 days the beans will be fermented but still crisp. Store in the refrigerator and eat within 1 month.
- Fermentation can be used for long-term preservation. See the section above for information on how to adjust this recipe for storage pickles.
Notes
- Green beans don’t need a starter. However, feel free to add apple cider vinegar with a mother, sauerkraut juice, or a purchased vegetable starter. I like the flavor ACV.
- If you are doing a short, 3-day ferment, just pack the beans into a wide-mouth mason jar and use a smaller jam jar as a weight (see photo at the top of the post). Cap with a loose-fitting lid. This recipe is designed for a pint-sized jar but will fit more easily in a quart jar.
Keywords: probiotic, healthy, storage, preservation, summer, simple, lacto-fermented, brined, vegan, gluten free, keto, whole 30, dairy free, egg free, nut free
Can i ferment these in a Fido jar, instead, or is it better to use a mason jar?
A fido jar would work as well! I sort of do a mix of mason jars and fidos depending on what I’ve got going on.
We just finished our summer batch of these. What a great and quick way to use up those extra beans from the garden!
★★★★★
I didn’t have enough fresh beans, can i add frozen, thawed beans to make the right amount? Thanks Jo
I don’t recommend mixing in frozen beans. They won’t ferment the same. However, if you’re growing your own beans, feel free to keep adding them to the jar. I only have a patio-sized garden, so I often slowly add products to my jars of fermented vegetables. 🙂 Cheers!
Great instructions. I have slightly overgrown French beans and fermenting seems kinder than cooking in soup. Have you tried this? They are still green but the pods are getting tougher.
I haven’t tried fermenting tough beans. I usually just let those turn into dried beans (either as seeds for next year’s garden or to cook up in bean soup). Fermenting may not soften a tough bean in a pod, however, if you shell the beans prior to fermenting, I bet they’ll be delicious! Cheers!
Thanks Emile, I put ‘em in to see what happens. Will report back!
can you ferment thawed green beans?
There’s no reason why you can’t ferment frozen fruits and veggies. As long as they aren’t freezer burned, they should taste great! However, the texture will end up extra soft as beans are blanched and then frozen, which makes them softer than fresh. Cheers!