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fermented dilly beans in mason jar with fresh green beans, fresh garlic, and fresh dill heads on the table

Fermented Dilly Beans Recipe

Kayla Ruetten
Crunchy, tangy fermented dilly beans—easy to make, gut-friendly, and perfect for Paleo, GAPS, or clean eating! A probiotic-rich snack you’ll love.
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Equipment

  • mason jars
  • mason jar lids
  • chopping knife
  • cutting board

Ingredients
  

  • 2 tbsp sea salt (or rock salt)
  • 3 cups green beans (fresh - stems removed)
  • garlic (fresh - optional)
  • dill (fresh - especially the heads/flowers)
  • cabbage leaf (or fermentation weight)

Instructions
 

  • Stir salt into 1 cup of filtered water until dissolved.
  • Pack the beans into a clean quart jar, leaving about 1 inch of head-space at the top.
    OPTIONAL: Use a large cabbage leave or fermentation weight to ensure beans are completely submerged and none are floating. This will help prevent mold growth.
  • Pour additional water over the beans, ensuring the beans are completely covered.
  • Wipe the rim of the jar clean and screw plastic lid on tightly.
  • Allow the beans to ferment for up to 3 weeks at room temperature. The longer they ferment, the tangier/more fermented they become. Our kids prefer a shorter ferment. To slow the ferment, simply store in a cool place, such as a cellar, basement, or fridge. Fermentation will be more rapid in hotter weather or temperatures.
    fermented dilly beans in mason jar with fresh green beans, fresh garlic, and fresh dill heads on the table

Notes

  • We love adding fresh garlic and dill heads to this recipe. If you are starting with very picky eaters, consider trying just the salt water brine first and slowly add in garlic in future recipes. Our kids do love the garlic as well!
  • Adding dill makes the beans taste like pickles-almost everyone loves pickles!
  • It is completely normal for fermented foods to look "cloudy" when fermented (see picture on the post).
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