This pickled peppers recipe is quick and easy so you can preserve your pepper harvest, perfect for all kinds of peppers, use them on everything!
Pickled Peppers Recipe
Pickling peppers is one of the most popular and traditional methods of preserving your chili pepper harvest. I've pickled so many peppers over the years, I can hardly count, and I'm always happy to have them around.
Pickled peppers of any type are a welcomed addition to many a meal. They add a briny, spicy pop of flavor to sandwiches, pizza toppings, salads, and even snacks. I just love them.
If you're like me, you wind up with a huge number of chili peppers harvesting at the same time, and pickling is an ideal way to keep them.
I freeze a lot of them, make lots of sauces and hot sauces, cook them into stews, dehydrate them, so much more, but pickled peppers is certainly a favorite for their versatility.
Let's talk about how to pickle peppers, shall we?
Pickled Peppers Ingredients
- Chili Peppers. You can use any kinds of pepper with this recipe. The amount will vary depending on how you chop them.
- Vinegar. I usually use white vinegar, though others will work, such as apple cider vinegar.
- Water.
- Garlic. For additional flavor.
- Black Peppercorns. You can use many other seasonings. See below.
- Pickling Salt.
- Sugar. Optional, for a touch of sweet.
Pickled Peppers - The Recipe Method
Wash and Dry Your Peppers. Always be sure to wash and dry your chili peppers before pickling them. Also, sterilize any jars and jar lids in a boiling water bath before using.
Bring to a boil a pot of water and boil them on the stove for a half hour, or throw them in the dishwasher for a cycle or two.
Simple Brine. The basic steps for making pickled peppers include chopping your peppers, then bringing a seasoned brine solution to a boil. The brine consists of vinegar and salt.
Pickling Spices. From there, you'll add your own preferred pickling spices, which you can use coarsely chopped or whole.
Typical pickling spices include salt and sugar, Pepper Flakes, All Spice, Bay leaf, Cardamom, Cinnamon, Cloves, Coriander, Garlic, Ginger, Mustard seeds, Peppercorns, and more.
See my Pickling Spices for Pickled Peppers page.
Pickle the Peppers. Pour the hot brine into the jar, over the peppers, and seal with a tight lid. Cool and refrigerate.
Wait a Week. Let the peppers sit a few weeks before using so they can get nicely pickled, though they are fine to eat right away.
It is best to wait to let the flavors develop. If you can't wait, wait at least 24 hours, then enjoy them.
Recipe Tips & Notes
- Use Any Types of Peppers. This recipe works with any types of chili peppers. You can pickle bell peppers and sweet peppers all the way up to superhot chili peppers.
- Select Fresh, Ripe Peppers. It is best to pickle the freshest of peppers. Avoid any peppers that have started to soften too much or show signs of rot or disease. Fresh is best.
Storage Information
Store your pickled peppers in the refrigerator for many months. The pickling process essentially preserves them.
You can store them in your pantry or in a cool, dark place, though you will need to process them in a hot water bath to make them shelf stable. They can last for years this way.
However, once you open them, they will need to be refrigerated.
Using Pickled Chili Peppers
You can chop and stir them into soups or stews, use them as a condiment by topping sandwiches, cook them onto pizzas. Go crazy, really. I prefer pickling a variety of chili peppers, though you can keep one type all to itself in its own jar.
Pickled jalapenos, anyone? Yeah! Jalapenos are crazy popular any time of year.
This truly is a quick and easy recipe.
Additional Resources for Pickling Your Chili Peppers
Additional Resources for Preserving Chili Peppers
Related Pickled Chili Pepper Recipes and More
If you enjoy this recipe, I hope you'll leave a comment with some STARS. Also, please share it on social media. Don't forget to tag us at #ChiliPepperMadness. I'll be sure to share! Thanks! -- Mike H.
Pickled Peppers Recipe
Ingredients
- 3-4 cups chili peppers - you can use any type of pepper here. The amount will vary depending on how you chop them.
- 1 cup white vinegar
- 1 cup water
- 4 garlic cloves chopped
- 3 tablespoons black peppercorns
- 2 tablespoons pickling salt
- 2 tablespoons sugar
Instructions
- Wash and dry the chili peppers. Cut the large ones up into small chunks. Any small peppers you can leave whole, but poke holes in them to the pickling solution can enter the peppers. Pack them all into a cleaned quart jar.
- To a large pot, add vinegar, water, garlic, peppercorns, salt and sugar. Stir.
- Heat and bring to a quick boil, then reduce heat and simmer about 2 minutes. Cool slightly.
- Pour the brine into the jar, over the peppers, and seal with a tight lid. Cool and refrigerate.
Video
Notes
Nutrition Information
Learn more about pickling peppers here.
NOTE: This post was updated on 9/15/23 to include new photos and information. It was originally published on 10/17/15.
Julie says
I have a variety of peppers I want to use this recipe for. I haven’t made anything like this since I was a kid. Just wondering if the sugar is actually needed? I don’t like sweet hot peppers. Do these turn out sweet?
Mike Hultquist says
Julie, you can skip the sugar/honey. It is only added to balance out the heat and/or bitter flavors, but they're great without it. Feel free to omit if you'd like. Enjoy!
Brian M. says
Made this several times, and it turns out perfect every time. I've found using a half cup of apple cider vinegar and a half cup of white vinegar gives it a nice little tanginess. Great on nachos, hot dogs, pizza, or just a snack!
Mike Hultquist says
Awesome!! Thanks so much, Brian!
Steve says
Mike, I pickled Jalapenos using your recipe many times and always loved them! First batch I did earlier this year, for some reason I let someone talk me into doing a hot water bath! Opened a jar tonight to have with nachos and they are soggy and soft, I'm more use to them being more crisp and didn't really like them this way. I believe it's because of putting the jars in the water bath. Any suggestion for the soft peppers or should I just sacrifice them!
Thanks
Mike Hultquist says
Sorry to hear, Steve. The BIGGEST culprit in soft pickled peppers is HEAT. Likely the water bath processing is the reason here. You can't really make them crispy again, so maybe find another use? They're still good where texture isn't important, like swirling into soups or stews. Try pureeing the batch in your blender for a hot sauce.
Steve says
You are the best Mike! I took the three jars of Jalapeños with a Reaper in each jar to add heat and all the garlic cloves and processed it all up with some of the brine, and it's a pretty tasty hot sauce!
Thanks for the suggestion. Making your Jambalaya recipe for dinner tonight!
Thanks Again.
Mike Hultquist says
Outstanding!!! I love to hear it! Enjoy the jambalaya!
Julia says
Another great recipe! Any adjustment for canning so we don't need to refrigerate?
Mike Hultquist says
Julia, this should be acidic enough, but best to check. Shoot for a pH of 4.0 or lower (3.5 preferred), unless pressure canning. Thanks so much!!
Dawn says
Made these with red hot cherry peppers and jalapeños. Let them sit for a month before I let my husband try them. He said they were amazing and are half the jar in one sitting!
Mike Hultquist says
This is fantastic to hear, Dawn! Haha, guess you'll need to make another batch! Thanks so much.
Larry says
Once they cool can you store them in the basement or does it have to stay in the fridge?
Mike Hultquist says
Larry, you can store them in cool place. Best refrigerated if you don't process them (in a water bath or presure canner). There is a lot of acidity, though.