Homemade quick pickled green beans are a delicious snack or accompaniment. They're easy to make with pantry ingredients. Add spicy pickled green beans to a cheese board, cocktails (like a Bloody Mary or Caesar), or eat them straight from the jar! Perfect for entertaining. Chili peppers are optional.
Blanch green beans: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over medium-high heat. Meanwhile, fill a large bowl with ice water. Add green beans to boiling water and cook until bright green and barely tender, 30 to 45 seconds (see note 2). Use tongs to transfer beans to ice water. Let cool, in ice water, for 2 minutes. Drain in a colander.
Make brine: Combine boiling water, salt, and sugar (see note 1). Stir until dissolved. Add vinegar.
Assemble: To 1 (1L) mason jar, add garlic and chili (if using). Add drained green beans, then pour in brine. (If the brine is not covering the green beans, add equal parts water and vinegar until covered.) Cover with a lid and refrigerate overnight. Green beans are ready to eat when they dull in color and taste tangy.
Notes
Boiling water for brine: We usually use a kettle to boil the water for the brine—and then combine it with the sugar and salt in a heatproof glass liquid measuring cup. This way you can easily measure and pour the brine, without dirtying other dishes. If you prefer, you could boil the water in a small saucepan over the stove, and dissolve the sugar and salt directly in that.
Cooking the green beans: The green beans will soften in the brine, so you're not looking to fully cook the green beans in this step. Just a quick 30 to 45 second boil to help remove the "raw" taste and soften them slightly. Avoid overcooking, as you want to retain some "snap" in the finished beans. In developing this recipe, we also tested this recipe without blanching/cooking the green beans—they tasted too "raw", so we don't recommend skipping this step.
Storage instructions: Keep quick pickled green beans sealed in the fridge. Quick pickling is a short-term preservation technique, so use in 2 to 3 weeks.
Serving suggestions: Quick pickled green beans are a delicious snack—straight from the jar. You can also add them to cheese boards, cocktails (such as a Bloody Mary and Caesar), or set them out with holiday appetizers for snacking.