Chow Chow is a quick pickled relish made with a combination of vegetables. This version includes a mixture of bell and banana peppers along with fresh cucumber and basil.
Patty and I were at the grocery store recently and they had some crazy sales going on. We're talking super cheap bell peppers of every color. You should have seen my face as I approached the display with all those vibrant capsicums piled up and threatening to spill over.
In fact, some of them DID spill over, right into our cart. Eleven of them, to be exact. It was a "Buy 10, Get 1 Free" deal. I just had to! PLUS! There were cucumbers. Oh my! HUGE cucumbers.
Patty needed one for a particular cocktail she was planning to make, but somehow we wound up with THREE of them in our cart.
So! What does one do with too many peppers and cucumbers in the fridge? One makes CHOW CHOW.
Really? YEP. What exactly IS Chow Chow?
What is Chow Chow?
Chow chow is a southern U.S. recipe. At its core, it is a combination of vegetables that are quick pickled and used as a condiment. Of course anytime you have a general recipe, it leaves it open for interpretation.
This recipe is a spin off of Classic Southern Chow Chow, and includes PLENTY of chile peppers, along with cucumbers and banana peppers, as well as torn basil from the little plant in our kitchen that just keeps going and going.
With Spring here and gardens on your mind, this is a recipe to keep in your back pocket to help you preserve those wonderful chile peppers and other garden delights so you can use them much longer.
Besides, it is nice to have a sweet and tangy relish on hand for MANY a meal. Use this like you would use any type of condiment. Spoon it over chicken or fish, onto grilled meats that are popped into a bun, into cold soups, over quick tacos, over a plate of beans.
Let me show you how to make it.
Ingredients Needed
- White Vinegar.
- Lemon Juice.
- White Sugar.
- Salt.
- Crushed Red Pepper.
- Cucumber. Diced.
- Bell Peppers.
- Banana peppers. Diced.
- Fresh Basil. Chopped.
How to Make Chile-Cucumber Chow Chow
First, add the vinegar, lemon juice, sugar, salt and crushed red pepper (if using) to a wide pan. Bring to a quick boil, then reduce heat and simmer about 5 minutes, or until the liquids reduce by about a half.
Next, add the cucumber and peppers. Stir and cook a couple of minutes. Remove from heat.
Let sit about 30 minutes to get that quick pickling.
Stir in the basil and serve.
You can store this in the fridge for at least a month or longer.
Recipe Tips & Notes
- For bell peppers, use red, yellow, or orange, or a combo. Green is fine, but the color will be less exciting.
Serving
Chow chow is tangy and briny with a touch of sweet, perfect as a general condiment. Spoon it over chicken or fish, onto grilled meats that are popped into a bun, into cold soups, over quick tacos, over a plate of beans.
It will change your hot dog experience forever, or any grilled sausages, though it is classically paired with beans.
Storage & Leftovers
Store Chile-Cucumber Chow Chow in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a month. To maximize the storage life, make sure to refrigerate your chow chow promptly. And you may consider canning your chow chow to keep it for up to 1 year or even longer.
Check Out These Other Popular Pepper Relish Recipes
Got any questions? Ask away! I’m happy to help. 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.
Chile-Cucumber Chow Chow - Recipe
Ingredients
- ½ cup white vinegar
- ½ cup lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons white sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper if desired for some heat
- ½ cucumber diced
- 2 bell peppers diced – Use red, yellow, or orange, or a combo. Green is fine, but the color will be boring.
- 3 banana peppers diced
- 1 teaspoon fresh chopped basil
Instructions
- Add the vinegar, lemon juice, sugar, salt and crushed red pepper (if using) to a wide pan. Bring to a quick boil, then reduce heat and simmer about 5 minutes, or until the liquids reduce by about a half.
- Add the cucumber and peppers. Stir and cook a couple of minutes. Remove from heat.
- Let sit about 30 minutes to get that quick pickling.
- Stir in the basil and serve.
- You can store this in the fridge for 3-4 weeks or longer.
Nutrition Information
NOTE: This post was updated on 7/20/26 to include new information, including serving ideas. The recipe was not changed.
Tom Cooper says
Great stuff, Mike. Just looking for a clarification - in the How to Make Chile Cucumber Chow Chow section and in the recipe card, it says it will keep for a month or longer if refrigerated. In the Storage & Leftovers section, it says it will keep 1-2 weeks when refrigerated.
Mike Hultquist says
Thanks, Tom! Glad you like it! Good eye. I made an update to make the storage time more clear. Cheers!
Sparki says
Mike, how do I check for the pH?
Mike Hultquist says
Sparki, best to use a pH meter for most accurate results. pH strips can work, but they're not as accurate.
Sparki says
Can this be canned in a water bath for shelf life?
Mike Hultquist says
Yes, though check for acidity - shoot for a pH of 3.5 or lower for home canning.
Anne S Williams says
very good! Can I can this?
Mike Hultquist says
You should be able to, Anne. Check the acidity, though. Shoot for 3.5 pH or lower for home canning, or look into pressure canning. Enjoy!
Carolyn says
Can you make this shelf ready?
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Carolyn, you can, though you'll need to make sure there is enough acid to process in a water bath. Shoot for a pH of 3.5 or lower for home preserving. Or, use a pressure canner.
Lulu says
Update: Made this in Sept and just finished the last jar 5 months later. Used sterilized jars and kept in fridge. There's a lot of acid in this so it would definitely keep this way all winter. We grow hot Hungarian wax peppers well around here, so next year I'll use those and skip the chili. Once again, thank you! P.S, You didn't mention the most wonderful use - hotdogs and hamburgers!
Lulu says
I just polished off my 1st of 2 jars of this. Bravo! I only did 2 just to try it but this is lovely and fresh especially in winter. It will be in my regular rotation every summer from now on ☺ Oh and since I'm diabetic, I made it with erythritol (Swerve in the US) and it's perfect. Thank you.
REPLY: That's great, Lulu. Thanks! -- Mike from Chili Pepper Madness.
Phil Minor says
Chow-chow recipe looks pretty good but being from the south and having made chow-chow for at least 50 years you have left out at least two very important spices that truly make it "chow-chow". True chow-chow must have mustard seeds and celery seeds and a little dash of tumeric. Just sayin'....Love your newsletter!