This easy hot pepper relish recipe is a wonder condiment, great for preserving your abundant pepper harvest. Use this recipe method with any type of chili pepper.
This very simple pickled pepper relish recipe is great for any type of food you can prepare on the grill. We're talking steaks, chicken breasts, burgers, brats, even the good old hot dog.
It's one of those wonder condiments that goes with so many dishes. Extra bonus - it is also a GREAT way to preserve your abundant pepper harvest.
Loaded with wonderful chili peppers, a bit of onion and garlic, it packs in the flavor.
Make Relish to Preserve Your Peppers
Seriously, if your garden is practically exploding with chili peppers like mine does every year, consider the humble pepper relish. The vinegar not only makes the relish delicious and somewhat sweet, it acts as a preservative, letting you keep your peppers around longer so you can enjoy them.
You can realistically use this recipe on ANY type of chili pepper.
Just be sure to chop them up to consistent sizes and chunks. If you're working with bell peppers and ghost peppers, for example, those two peppers have very different thickness of their pepper walls.
Bells are meatier and thicker, where ghost peppers are thinner. Chop them up accordingly so the bites are fairly consistent throughout.
Let's talk about how to make hot pepper relish, shall we?
Hot Pepper Relish Ingredients
- Chili Peppers. You can use a mix of peppers if you’d like anywhere from mild red bell pepper to superhots like Morugas or Scorpions, though I like to keep the thickness of the peppers about the same so the overall consistency is even. Lean toward hotter peppers. For this, I used some sweet Italian peppers but included a couple ghost peppers for many batches. Today I've used serrano and jalapeno peppers, Fresno peppers and milder Anaheim peppers for body and flavor.
- Vinegar. I use white wine vinegar usually, though any good vinegar will do as long as it is 5% acidity. Consider apple cider vinegar or even balsamic vinegar. Do not use homemade vinegar or low-acid varieties, as the exact acidity is what keeps the relish safe from spoilage.
- Sugar. For sweetness. Honey is a nice substitute.
- Other Ingredients. Onion, garlic, mustard seeds and salt. These all add body and flavor.
How to Make Hot Pepper Relish
Boil the Ingredients. Add all ingredients to a large pan - vinegar and sugar, chili peppers and onion, garlic, mustard seed, salt - and heat to medium heat. Stir until the sugar dissolves. Bring to a boil.
Simmer the Relish. Reduce heat to low and simmer about 25 to 30 minutes, or until liquid is reduced and absorbed into the mixture. It make take only 15 minutes to 20 minutes, so just keep an eye on it as the pepper mixture simmers.
Cool the Pepper Relish. Add to a jar and allow to cool.
Boom! Done! Easy enough, isn't it? Your delicious pepper relish is ready to enjoy. How are you going to use yours?
Recipe Tips and Notes
- Adjusting the Heat Factor. If you're looking for a truly HOT pepper relish, absolutely consider some of the superhot chili peppers. You have your choice with Morugas, 7-Pots, trinidad scorpion peppers, bhut jolokias, though you really don't have to go THAT hot. You can always use some in the upper range of the heat scale, like the wonderful habanero pepper, maybe red savinas, even on down to cayenne peppers, red jalapenos, red serranos. Notice a RED theme here?
- Use Colorful Peppers for a Nice Looking Relish. I LOVE a colorful pepper relish recipe! Yellow and orange are always welcomed colors and red peppers are awesome, as is green, but green isn't quite as enticing as a brightly colored pepper relish. But the choice is yours! As mentioned, you can use this hot pepper relish recipe technique with ANY type of pepper, regardless of the color.
- Pepper Consistency. You can chop your peppers to make them chunkier if you prefer a chunkier relish, or use a food processor to process them finely. The choice is yours, but I find the best results when making all of the peppers a uniform consistency.
- Seeds or No Seeds? You can remove the seeds from your peppers if you wish, but it is not necessary. Contrary to some belief, chili pepper heat is not in the seeds, but in the whitish pithy interior of the peppers. So, if you prefer to reduce the heat, core out the pepper insides before using. The seeds are edible and fine to use, though some dislike their consistency.
Storage Information
Pepper relish will last months in the refrigerator properly sealed because of the acidity from the vinegar. Hot pepper relish is great for water bath canning as well, if you'd like to store the hot pepper relish longer term in a pantry. I've included a pepper relish recipe for canning below the recipe card developed on the USDA tested ratio.
You can freeze pepper relish, though it can affect the consistency.
How Do You Use Pepper Relish?
Use a good hot pepper relish as you would any other condiment. Top your burgers and brats right off the grill for a tangy flavor addition. Spoon it over grilled chicken or pork for an extra tasty component.
Serve it at the table with brunch to scoop over toasts. People love it over cream cheese with crackers.
You can also swirl it into soups and stews to bring on the zest. I love sweet and spicy pepper relish anytime.
Enjoy! It's time to make the relish!
This Recipe Is In our Cookbook - FLAVOR MADNESS
Did you know that you can find this recipe in our new cookbook FLAVOR MADNESS? It's waiting for you on PAGE 71.
Check Out These Other Popular Pepper Relish Recipes
If you try this recipe, please let us know! Leave a comment, rate it and tag a photo #ChiliPepperMadness on Instagram so we can take a look. I always love to see all of your spicy inspirations. Thanks! -- Mike H.
Hot Pepper Relish Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 cups chopped hot chili peppers – You can use a mix of peppers if you’d like anywhere from mild bells to superhots like Morugas or Scorpions, though I like to keep the thickness of the peppers about the same so the overall consistency is even. Lean toward hotter peppers. For this, I used some sweet Italian peppers but included a couple ghost peppers.
- 3/4 cup white wine vinegar
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 2 cloves garlic chopped
- 1/2 small onion chopped
- 2 teaspoons yellow mustard seed
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Add all ingredients to a large pan and heat to medium heat. Stir until the sugar dissolves. Bring to a light boil.
- Reduce heat to low and simmer about 25-30 minutes, or until liquid is reduced and absorbed into the mixture.
- Add to a jar and allow to cool.
- Serve!
Video
Notes
Nutrition Information
How to Can Hot Pepper Relish for the Pantry
The quick version above is a refrigerator relish. It keeps for weeks in the fridge thanks to the vinegar, no canning gear needed. But if your garden is producing peppers faster than you can eat them, water bath canning is ideal for longer term pantry storage.
NOTE: For shelf-stable jars, use the recipe below, not the quick refrigerator version above. That one was developed for flavor and for the fridge, where refrigeration keeps it safe. A jar sitting on a pantry shelf has no such backup, so the vinegar has to do the safety work, and that means the pepper-to-vinegar ratio matters as much as the taste.
The recipe below is developed on the USDA tested ratio, so it is safe for the pantry. Two important rules:
- Keep the total ground peppers at 10 cups. Use any peppers, from super mild to superhot and any mix in between.
- Do not change the vinegar, sugar, salt, or mustard amounts, and use vinegar that is 5% acidity.
Canned Hot Pepper Relish (Water Bath)
Ingredients:
- 5 cups ground sweet or mild peppers (bell, Anaheim, or a mix), with their juices, about 3 to 4 pounds before grinding
- 5 cups ground hot chilies (jalapeno, serrano, Fresno, with a habanero or two if you want real heat), with their juices, about 3 to 4 pounds before grinding
- 1 1/2 cups ground onion (about 3 medium yellow onions), with juices
- 2 1/2 cups distilled white or apple cider vinegar, 5% acidity
- 2 cups sugar
- 4 teaspoons pickling salt
- 4 teaspoons mustard seed
Instructions:
- Prep your canner and jars. Fill a water bath canner, set the rack, and bring it up to a simmer. Wash 6 pint jars (or half pints) and keep them hot until you fill them. Prep new lids and bands per the manufacturer.
- Glove up and grind. Wear gloves and keep your hands away from your face while you work with hot peppers. Wash and stem the peppers, seed the sweet peppers, and coarsely grind the peppers and peeled onion (a food processor on pulse or a grinder attachment both work).
- Measure into the pot. Measure 5 cups ground sweet peppers, 5 cups ground hot peppers, and 1 1/2 cups ground onion, all with their juices, into a large stockpot. Add the vinegar, sugar, pickling salt, and mustard seed.
- Boil, then simmer. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to a low boil and cook 30 minutes, stirring often so it does not scorch.
- Fill the jars. Ladle the hot relish into your hot jars, leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Run a bubble tool around the inside, recheck the headspace, and wipe the rims with a clean damp paper towel. Set the lids and tighten the bands fingertip tight.
- Process in the water bath canner for the time in the chart below for your altitude. Start timing once the water is at a full rolling boil.
- Cool and check. Turn off the heat, wait 5 minutes, then lift the jars out and set them on a towel. Leave them undisturbed 12 to 24 hours, then check that every lid sealed. Sealed jars keep up to a year in a cool, dark pantry. Refrigerate any jar that did not seal and use it first.
Altitude chart (this recipe, boiling water canner, pints or half pints):
| Your elevation | Processing time |
| 0 to 1,000 ft | 10 minutes |
| 1,001 to 6,000 ft | 15 minutes |
| Above 6,000 ft | 20 minutes |
Makes 6 pint jars.
Canning safely: this recipe follows a USDA tested ratio. For full water bath canning guidance and safety background, see the National Center for Home Food Preservation.
NOTE: This recipe was updated on 6/30/26 to include new information, including canning information. It was originally published on 7/29/2015.
Christina Auer says
This recipe was excellent. I had one serrano plant that produced a bazillion peppers. I followed somebody else's suggestion and did one colored bell pepper and a combination of serranos and jalapenos to make up 3 cups. I made a triple batch and am currently making a quadruple batch. This time I cut down the sugar a little as I thought it was pretty sweet, although delicious. Will be a yearly recipe for hot pepper harvest.
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Thanks, Christina! Glad you enjoyed it! Happy cooking!
Deborah Graham says
Made this for the very first time, and loved it! So easy to make. One can use any variety of peppers to measure 3 cups. I doubled it and it went so fast, I had to make more! Great use of my peppers!! Thanks you! It's wonderful! Hubby puts it on everything!
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Thanks, Deborah! Glad you enjoyed it.
Jen Maple says
So this is my year of peppers apparently. I grew purple, green, mad hatters, to Cayenne, chilis, serrano, tabasco and jalapeños. People also wanted to share there peppers with me so, I found this recipe. Made it first per recipe, and almost chased my family out of the house bc of the amount of capsaicin..we had to evacuate for a couple hours and take the dog too.
2nd time making it, I had 18 cups of peppers! So..I took this show outside, double gloves, goggles too bc after 2 squirts of hot pepper juice in the eye one should learn. I cooked this on the burner on the grill and have been eating this like mad. I have friends/ neighbors/foodies who are all giving me peppers so I will make more and share it with them! Love this!
Also..just wondering.
The mustard seed...whole or powered? I think I did powdered 1st and seed 2nd time.
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Outstanding! I love it. I use mustard seeds, but powdered will work as well.
Joe Feild says
1 medium red bell pepper and enough chopped serranos to make 3 cups of peppers total, 1 small red onion. Delicious. I tried it on a bagel with cream cheese. I'll be making more of this! Recipe claims a yield of 4 cups. I came up with exactly 2 cups. Not complaining just FYI
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Thanks, Joe. Glad you enjoyed it. Also, you're right, the yield is definitely closer to 2 cups, as everything breaks down. I've updated my information accordingly.
Sherri West says
Absolutely awesome!!! So simple and easy to make! We love everything spicy, and this was absolutely awesome! I used jalapeños, red chili peppers, serotto peppers, Cayenne pepper, ghost pepper and habanero! Thank you for the recipe! I never leave reviews BUT this deserved it!!!
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Very nice!! Glad you enjoyed it, Sherri! I love to hear it.
Tom C. says
I used cherry peppers, Fresnos, Anaheims, purple bells, and a few jalapenos, basically whatever came from my garden that week. I did really like the cherry pepper though, as that's what I grew up with.
Outstanding, I haven't had a person taste it that didn't want a jar from the next batch.
Thanks!
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Awesome! Great to hear, Tom! Enjoy.
Patty A Paulsen says
Holy Hannah! This is good. Mine is x-hot, so a little will go a long way. Thanks!
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Thanks, Patty! Yes, you can definitely make some hot relish! Enjoy.
Neil says
I mad the for the first time, just wow! Easy to do and follow.
I did tweak it slightly, I added 2 chopped tomatoes and an additional clove of garlic. Additionally, I used an immersion blender to chop it a bit more. My only thought is for my taste I’d cut the surgery to perhaps a 1/3 cup.
Thanks for sharing!
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Nice! Glad you enjoyed it, Neil! Thanks for sharing.
Ginny Milano says
Hi Mike! I will soon be using your wonderful hot pepper relish recipe for the third year! Just wanted to thank you again for sharing your delicious and easy recipe!
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Awesome! Glad to hear it, Ginny! Thanks!
David Gilmour says
I made this today in my kitchen in Wales U.K. Turned out so tasty, I added a little black garlic salt and two scotch bonnets. Awesome, thanks Mike.
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Glad you enjoyed it, David!
Jérémie says
Great video, dear Mike. I never made chili pepper relish, until now. So I just made a few amount of it, to try, with ½ cup of peppers. I used 1 Bhut Jolokia, 1 Brown Habanero, 1 Aji Cristal, 3 Datils, plus brown sugar, sherry vinegar and brown mustard.
I served it with a bunch of nice French cheeses… and all I wanted was to eat all the relish!!! Thanks a lot.
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Awesome! Thanks, Jeremie!
Kathleen says
Looking forward to making batch of the pepper sauce. Thank you.
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Enjoy!!
Laura Coons says
Love this recipe, so easy, used red sweet peppers a d a ghost pepper and Carolina reaper, great flavor. Tossed brussel sprouts with it a d baked in the oven, was amazing!
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Great! Thanks, Laura! Got some heat there with the Reaper! You are a true chilihead.
Stephanie says
Can you freeze this relish in the jar?
Mike Hultquist says
Yes, you can freeze relish. It'll get softer after it thaws, but still good. Use a freezer-safe jar/container.