Cherry Pepper Relish Recipe

This cherry pepper relish recipe is quick, chopped, and packed with tangy heat, ready in about 10 minutes with no cooking at all. It is the sub shop style relish you see piled onto hoagies, hot dogs and eggs, and it is ridiculously easy to make at home.

If you have ever ordered a sub and asked for the hot chopped pepper relish on top, you know exactly what I'm going for here. I eat at Jersey Mike's regularly, and the turkey sub with a good spoonful of their cherry pepper relish is one of my go-tos. The relish makes the sandwich extra tasty. It's tangy, garlicky, a little sweet, with a nice hit of heat that hits the spot.

It's easy to make at home for other sandwiches and such, and only takes about ten minutes. No cooking, no canner, no long simmer. Just chopped cherry peppers, a splash of vinegar, garlic, and a bit of sugar and salt to balance it out. Let it sit in the fridge overnight and it tastes like the real thing.

Let me show you how to make it.

What Are Cherry Peppers?

Cherry peppers are small, round, thick walled chilies that look a lot like a cherry, which is where the name comes from. They come in both red and green, and you will find them in both sweet and hot varieties.

The hot ones typically run about 2,500 to 5,000 Scoville Heat Units, which sets them on the milder end of jalapeno heat territory. They are fruity, slightly sweet underneath the heat, with a fruitiness that make them perfect for a flavorful relish. You get warmth without a burn that wipes out everything else on the sandwich.

You may also see them sold as pimento peppers, cherry bombs, or Hungarian cherry peppers, and the sweet versions are the ones commonly stuffed with provolone and prosciutto at the deli counter. For this recipe, hot cherry peppers are what you want, though I will cover the sweet version below.

Learn more about cherry peppers.

Ingredients You'll Need

The full ingredients list with measurements is listed in the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post.

• Hot cherry peppers. Jarred and drained for the quickest version. A 16 ounce jar is perfect. Red, green, or a mix all work, and a mix looks best.
• Reserved brine. Do not pour it out. That liquid is vinegar based and full of pepper flavor, and a couple of tablespoons goes right back into the relish.
• White wine vinegar. Brightens the relish and gives it a clean, sharp tang. Plain white vinegar works in a pinch, though white wine vinegar is a bit softer. It's also very flavorful with red wine vinegar.
• Garlic. Fresh, grated or very finely minced. Do not use powder if you can help it. The fresh garlic is a big part of what makes this taste like the deli version. If you're like me, go heavy on the garlic.
• Sugar. Just a teaspoon. This is not a sweet relish. The sugar rounds off the vinegar bite and lets the pepper flavor come through.
• Salt. To taste.
• Olive oil (optional). A teaspoon gives it a little body and that deli counter flair.
• Dried oregano (optional). More Italian sub territory. I like it, Patty likes it without. Try both.

Want to Pickle Your Own Cherry Peppers First?

Jarred cherry peppers are convenient, but if you grow your own peppers, or find fresh cherry peppers at the farmers market in late summer, pickle them yourself and then make this relish from those.

Home pickled cherry peppers have a firmer bite, a cleaner flavor, and you get to control the brine, the garlic, the herbs, and the salt going in. When you chop them into a relish, you'll notice the difference immediately. It is the same reason homemade anything beats the jar.

The process is simple. Pack your cleaned cherry peppers into jars, cover them with a hot vinegar brine, and let them sit at least a few days in the fridge so they take on the pickle. Then drain, save the brine, and pick this recipe right back up at step one, using your own pickled peppers and your own brine in place of the store bought.

See my Pickled Pepper Recipe page for more detailed instructions.

How to Make Cherry Pepper Relish

Drain the peppers. Drain your cherry peppers, but 2 tablespoons of the brine. Pull off any stems. For medium heat, scrape out some of the seeds and innards. For a hotter batch, leave them in. Note that you'll see a lot of seeds, though. They are edible, but there will be a lot.

Chop, do not puree. Pulse the peppers in a food processor 5 or 6 times, until they are finely chopped but still chunky. You can also hand dice them small. This is the step people get wrong. You want a relish texture with visible pieces, not a smooth paste. Go light on the processor.

Mix it up. In a bowl, combine the chopped peppers with the reserved brine, white wine vinegar, garlic, sugar, and salt. Stir in the olive oil and oregano if you are using them.

Taste and adjust. Add a pinch more sugar to round out the heat, a splash more vinegar to brighten it, or more salt to season. Every jar of peppers is a little different, so trust your palate over the measurements. I've noticed a bitterness in some brands, so watch out for that. Balance it out with salt, sugar, and vinegar.

Chill it. Transfer to a clean jar, cover, and refrigerate at least 1 hour. Overnight is much better. The flavors meld and the garlic mellows into everything. Then pile it on.

Boom! Done. Your cherry pepper relish is ready to serve, and it will be even better tomorrow. Makes about 1.5 cups.

Variations

Sweet cherry pepper relish. Swap in sweet cherry peppers for a mild, sweet condiment with no real heat. Nice for a crowd, and great on a charcuterie board. If sweet relish is really what you are after, my Sweet Pepper Relish Recipe is just what you need.

Fresh cherry peppers. Fresh peppers are not pickled, so they need tang and a little time. Dice 12 to 16 ounces of fresh hot cherry peppers, toss with 3 tablespoons white wine vinegar, 1 teaspoon salt, and the sugar, then let them sit covered in the fridge overnight before adding the garlic and oil. Or pickle them properly first, which is better still.

Cooked down version. For a thicker, jammier relish, add the chopped peppers to a pan with a diced small onion, the vinegar and sugar, and simmer 20 to 30 minutes until the liquid reduces. It is a different animal, sweeter and softer, and very good on brats and grilled meats.

Add-ins. Try a diced red bell pepper for color and sweetness, a couple tablespoons of diced onion for bite, or a spoonful of chili garlic sauce for heat and deeper flavor. Mustard seeds are a nice touch.

Want a bigger, cooked, harvest sized batch? When the garden is overflowing, my Hot Pepper Relish Recipe is the one to make. It is a cooked relish made for a big harvest, and it includes a tested version for water bath canning so you can put jars up for the pantry.

Serving Cherry Pepper Relish

This is a condiment, so use it like one. It is outstanding on:

• Italian subs, hoagies, and grinders, especially with turkey, roast beef, or cold cuts - try the classic muffaletta sandwich or jazz up this pimento cheese sandwich recipe
• Hot dogs, brats, and Italian sausage
• Burgers, in place of ketchup and mustard
• Scrambled eggs, omelets, and breakfast sandwiches
• Cream cheese and crackers, or on a charcuterie board
• Stirred into tuna salad, potato salad, or a pot of beans
• Spooned over grilled chicken or pork chops

Storage

Keep your cherry pepper relish in a sealed jar in the refrigerator and use it within 2 to 3 weeks. Always use a clean spoon, which keeps it fresh much longer.

This one is a refrigerator condiment, not a canning recipe as written. The vinegar keeps it good in the fridge, but the ratios here are adjusted for flavor, not for the acidity needed for shelf stable pantry storage. If you want jars for the pantry, use a tested canning recipe. My Hot Pepper Relish Recipe includes a canning version made on a USDA tested ratio.

You can also freeze it, though the texture softens up. Portion into small containers, leave a little headroom, and use within 6 months.

That's it, my friends. I hope you enjoy this easy cherry pepper relish recipe. Let me know if you make it. I'd love to hear how it turned out for you, and if you decided to spice it up!

Check Out These Other Popular Pepper Relish Recipes

• Chow Chow Recipe (Classic Southern Relish)
• Chile-Cucumber Chow Chow
• Green Tomato Relish
• Green Tomato Chutney

Cherry Pepper Relish FAQs

Is cherry pepper relish spicy?

It has a moderate heat. Hot cherry peppers run about 2,500 to 5,000 Scoville Heat Units, roughly the same as a jalapeno. You can make it milder by removing the seeds and innards, or hotter by leaving them in and adding a hotter chili to the mix.

Can I use fresh cherry peppers instead of jarred?

Yes. Fresh peppers are not pickled, so either pickle them first, which gives the best result, or toss the diced fresh peppers with vinegar, salt and sugar and let them sit overnight before finishing the recipe.