Have you ever tried yellow green beans? Gold rush beans are a tasty variety of green beans with a unique color. These pretty yellow beans stand out both on your plate and in the garden with bright cheery color and excellent flavor.
Keep reading to learn all about the gold rush bean including recipe ideas and tips for growing our own!
Characteristics of Gold Rush Beans
Gold Rush Beans are an heirloom variety of green beans with a rich, buttery yellow color. When ripe they’re almost completely yellow with just a hint of green at the tips.
They’re a bush variety meaning the plants grow rounded and bushy rather than sending out long vines like pole bean varieties.
Plants grow to around 16 inches tall with a high yield of pale yellow beans.
The beans are long and thin, between 4-5 inches long, and about as wide around as a pencil. The seeds inside are small and tender, as long as they are picked at the right time. Beans that are left on the plant too long can get large and tough.
Why are They Yellow?
Regular green beans get their color from chlorophyll. Yellow green beans don’t have any chlorophyll in the beans which is why their color is yellow.
The plants themselves do contain chlorophyll in the stems and leaves which is how the plant is able to photosynthesize, but the beans don’t!
Yellow green beans are often called wax beans because of their color and the shiny or waxy appearance of their skin.
Aside from their color, there aren’t many differences between green and yellow beans. The size, texture, flavor, and nutrition content are all very similar.
Eating Gold Rush Beans
Gold rush beans taste a lot like regular green beans. They have a subtle, buttery flavor that is easy to incorporate into a variety of recipes.
They can be eaten raw or cooked and are a simple way to add a boost of nutrition to your meals.
Since they’re so similar, gold rush beans can easily be substituted for regular green beans in any recipe.
Cooking Ideas
For a simple side dish, saute gold rush beans with butter or olive oil until tender, then sprinkle with salt and pepper. For a little more flavor, try these Wax Beans with Garlic and Basil.
Yellow green beans are perfect for three bean or green bean salads. You can also use them in homemade green bean casserole, add them to a fresh green salad, pasta salad, soup, or stew for a boost of nutrition and flavor.
Serving them to Kids
Kids who don’t like green vegetables may be more interested in the fun color of yellow gold rush beans.
Serve them steamed on their own or try a kid-friendly recipe like these Oven Fried Crispy Green Beans to help your kids eat more vegetables!
Nutrition
Yellow green beans are an excellent source of vitamins and minerals. They’re high in vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin K, folate, iron, and fiber. They’re low in fat and have around 2 grams of protein per serving.
With only about 25 calories per cup, you can eat as many yellow green beans as you like!
Growing Your own Gold Rush Beans
Gold rush beans are very easy to grow. Once established, the plants are simple to care for. Just pick the beans regularly and make sure the soil stays moist. Gold rush beans need about an inch of water per week.
These beans grow well in a variety of growing zones so they’re an excellent choice no matter where you live.
Planting and Growing
Green beans, including gold rush beans, like warm soil. Wait until 1-2 weeks after the last frost to direct sow seeds into the garden.
You can sow seeds as soon as soil temperatures reach 65 degrees. For quicker germination, wait a little longer until the soil is around 77 degrees.
Seeds germinate in 8-16 days and beans are ready to harvest in 50-60 days.
Harvesting
Beans are ready for harvest when they reach 4-6 inches long and are about the thickness of a pencil. The beans should be firm and snap when you bend them.
To harvest, hold the plant with one hand and gently pull the beans away one at a time. You can also use sharp pruning shears or scissors to cut the beans away from the plant.
Plants produce steadily in moderate temperatures. When temperatures get above 90 degrees the plants will slow down and stop producing.
Once temperatures cool off again in late summer or early fall, the plants begin producing again.
Where to Find Gold Rush Beans
Check out your local farmer’s markets or health food stores to see if they have fresh gold rush beans. They aren’t very common in regular grocery stores, but you may be able to find them in the summer months.
Where to get seeds
If you’d like to grow your own gold rush beans, you can order seeds online from places like True Leaf Market.
Preserving Gold Rush Beans
Whether you grow your own or have a large haul from the farmer’s market, there are several ways to preserve gold rush beans so you can keep enjoying that fresh summer flavor long after the harvest.
Freezing
To freeze beans, start by blanching them. Wash and trim your beans then boil a pot of water on the stove. Add the beans and cook for about three minutes then remove the beans and plunge them into a bowl of ice water.
Spread the beans out on a baking sheet and place them in the freezer. Once frozen, transfer the beans to a freezer bag or airtight container.
Canning
Canning is a more complicated process than freezing, but it doesn’t have to be overwhelming. Here’s a simple tutorial for Canning Green Beans.
Dehydrating
Dried green beans are tasty and crunchy. You can use a dehydrator or an oven to dehydrate green beans.
If using an oven, blanch the green beans first then spread them out on a baking sheet. Cook them at 125 degrees for 8-12 hours or until they are dry and crisp with no moisture left.
Strike It Rich With Gold Rush Beans!
What’s your favorite way to eat green beans? Whether you eat them raw, or cooked, in a recipe or on their own, gold rush beans are a tasty way to add some color and nutrition to your diet.
To learn more about different bean varieties, make sure to visit our beans page. You’ll discover even more recipe ideas and maybe even find a new favorite bean.