Marinated Wax Beans

Wax Beans
From The Cook’s Garden © 2025 by Kevin West. Excerpted by permission of Alfred A. Knopf, a division of Penguin Random House LLC. All rights reserved.
Yields 6-8 Servings
AuthorKevin West

Any type of young, tender bean will work for this recipe. I like wax beans for their look, and I usually add a few of another color for contrast. I “top” the beans—trim the stem end—but leave them whole. The marinade is a quick-pickling brine; white wine and herbs give it a suave French-y vibe. Float a layer of good olive oil on top, and the beans emerge pre-dressed in a fragrant vinaigrette. My first cookbook, Saving the Season, includes more recipes for pickled green beans, alias Dilly Beans, as well as for fermenting green beans, a delicious technique for anyone who appreciates kosher dill pickles.


We only recommend things we love. If you buy something through our site, we might earn a commission.

Ingredients

 1 cup dry white wine
 ½ cup white wine vinegar
 2 cloves garlic, lightly crushed and peeled
 ½ tsp dried savory or thyme, or several fresh sprigs
 2 small bay leaves
 1 arbol chile or other dried red chile, split lengthwise
 ½ tsp yellow mustard seeds
 ¼ tsp black peppercorns
 1 tbsp plus 1/2 tsp salt, divided
 1 ¼ lbs tender wax beans or other beans, topped
 4 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
Nutrition Facts

6 servings

Serving size

How to Make It

1

Fill a large bowl with ice and water.

2

In a small saucepan, combine the wine, vinegar, ½ cup water, garlic, savory or thyme, bay leaves, chile, mustard seeds, peppercorns, and ½ tsp of the salt. Bring to a boil over high heat, then remove from the heat and set aside.

3

In a medium saucepan, bring 2 quarts of water to a boil and season with the remaining 1 tbsp of salt. Add the beans and blanch, uncovered, for 4 to 5 minutes, or until just cooked. Drain and shock in the ice-water bath, then drain the beans again.

4

Pack the beans into two clean pint jars. Bring the marinade to a boil for a second time and pour into the jars. Top each jar with 2 tbsp of olive oil. Seal and refrigerate overnight.

5

The beans will keep for 2 weeks in the refrigerator. Remove them 1 hour before serving to knock off the chill.

Ingredients

 1 cup dry white wine
 ½ cup white wine vinegar
 2 cloves garlic, lightly crushed and peeled
 ½ tsp dried savory or thyme, or several fresh sprigs
 2 small bay leaves
 1 arbol chile or other dried red chile, split lengthwise
 ½ tsp yellow mustard seeds
 ¼ tsp black peppercorns
 1 tbsp plus 1/2 tsp salt, divided
 1 ¼ lbs tender wax beans or other beans, topped
 4 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
Marinated Wax Beans
IngredientsDirections

Search All of Sunset's Recipes

The Latest