This pickled jalapenos recipe makes the best crunchy, spicy pickled jalapenos with a touch of sweet, ready in only 10 minutes, so easy to make! Top your tacos, nachos and so much more!
Homemade Pickled Jalapeños Recipe
You won't believe how easy it is to make your own pickled jalapenos at home. I've been pickling chili peppers for years, and these really are so much better than any store bought pickled jalapeno peppers.
They're crispy and tangy, sweet and spicy, and I have to give fair warning. They're very addictive. I can't help myself from stealing a few straight out of the jar to munch on for a mildly spicy, tangy snack. they're just so good!
And, they only take about 10 minutes to make! It's outstanding for a slow cook like me who takes forever in the kitchen. Even I can whip together a quick batch of quick pickled jalapeños for all sorts of enjoyment.
Let's talk about how to make pickled jalapenos, shall we?
Pickled Jalapenos Ingredients
- Fresh Jalapeño Peppers. Your amount will vary depending on the size of the jalapenos.
- Vinegar. I'm using white vinegar, but you can use apple cider vinegar.
- Water. To dilute the vinegar, though you can use all vinegar.
- Garlic.
- Honey. Or use white sugar, for a touch of sweet. Optional, if desired.
- Salt. Pickling salt is good, or kosher salt.
- Pickling Spices. I'm using Beay Leaf, Mexican Oregano, and Black Peppercorns. You have many flavoring options.
How to Make Pickled Jalapenos - the Recipe Steps
Slice the Jalapenos. Slice your batch of jalapeño peppers into rings and discard the stems. Stuff the sliced jalapeños into a quart sized jar (or large glass jars, or use pint jars).
Make the Pickling Brine. Add white vinegar (or apple cider vinegar), water, garlic cloves, honey or sugar, salt, bay leaf, black pepper and Mexican oregano (and other seasonings) to a pot. Bring to a boil.
Remove from Heat. Stir then remove the water-vinegar-sugar mixture from heat. Cool slightly, then remove the bay leaf. Pour the brine over the jalapenos into the mason jar.
I use these Ball Jars (affiliate link, my friends!). They can hold a lot of peppers! Bonus.
Refrigerate. Top the jalapenos with a jar cover and keep them in the fridge after they cool to room temperature. I like to let mine sit in the refrigerator a good week before enjoying them.
The brine and seasonings penetrate the jalapeno slices more deeply, resulting in greater flavor.
Boom! Done! Super easy, right?
FAQ About Pickled Jalapenos
Can I Pickle Whole Jalapenos?
Yes, to pickle whole jalapeno peppers, poke holes with a knife in several places to allow the vinegar brine to more fully penetrate the jalapenos when you pour the brine, then store them in a large jar.
You won't be able to fit as many jalapenos in a jar as sliced jalapeno peppers, but they will last as long.
What Do Pickled Jalapenos Taste Like?
Pickled jalapeños are tangy from the vinegar brine, slightly sweet from the (optional) addition of sugar or honey, and herbaceous from the Mexican oregano and bay leaf.
You can easily add other ingredients to flavor your pickled peppers. Other popular ingredients include cumin seeds, dried basil, mustard seeds, coriander, ginger, allspice, chili flakes and more.
You can also skip the sugar or honey if you prefer less sweet, or increase the amount for sweeter jalapenos.
See my post on Pickling Spices for Pickling Peppers.
The peppers also maintain their crunch factor for a long time. Some pickled peppers can go a bit soft. This is usually a result of boiling the jalapenos for too long, or from processing the jars for too long in a water bath.
The length of heat exposure is what causes them to go soft, so keep this in mind. Don't boil them for too long.
How Long Do Pickled Jalapenos Last?
Pickled jalapenos will last for several weeks in the refrigerator, easily up to 3 months or longer. Vinegar and salt act as a preservative, letting the pickled peppers keep for longer.
If you'd like to keep your pickled peppers for longer outside of the refrigerator, check out my post on How to Pickle Chili Peppers for information on how to can or jar pickled peppers with a boiling water bath.
Quick Note: This is not meant to be a long term preserving method for chili peppers. It is more of a quick pickle to store in the fridge, a short term preserving solution, allowing you to prolong the life of the peppers for many months, which is still a long time.
Enjoying Pickled Jalapenos
Aside from topping nachos and tacos with your peppers, try them out on pizzas, as burger toppings, piles onto grilled hot dogs, brats or sausages, and scattered onto sandwiches.
That's it, my friends! I hope you enjoy your pickled jalapeño recipe! Better than anything store bought.
Try My Other Popular Pickling Recipes and Similar
- Taqueria-Style Pickled Jalapenos and Carrots
- Refrigerator Pickled Peppers Recipe
- Pickled Chili Peppers – A Recipe
- Pickled Banana Peppers
- Chile-Cucumber Chow Chow
- Sweet Chili Pepper Relish
- Hot Pepper Relish
- Green Tomato Relish
- Refrigerator Pickles (Hot Pickles)
- Cajun Pickled Peppers
- Pickled Red Onions
- Pickled Carrots
- Pickled Okra
Got any questions? Ask away! I’m happy to help. If you enjoy this jalapeño 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 Jalapenos Recipe
Ingredients
- 5-6 jalapeno peppers sliced
- 1 cup white vinegar
- 1 cup water
- 1 clove garlic smashed
- 1 tablespoon honey or use sugar
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 1 teaspoon Mexican oregano
- 1 teaspoon peppercorns
Instructions
- First, slice your batch of jalapeno peppers into rings and discard the stems. Stuff the jalapeno slices into a quart sized jar (Ball jar or Mason jar).
- Next, add the vinegar, water, honey, garlic, bay leaf, salt, Mexican oregano, black peppercorns, and salt to a pot. Bring the brine mixture to a quick boil.
- Give it a quick stir, then remove the brine from heat. Cool slightly.
- Pour the brine into the jar over the jalapeno peppers. Secure with a lid and let come to room temperature. Refrigerate until ready to use.
Video
Notes
Nutrition Information
NOTE: This recipe was updated on 8/26/22 to include new information and video. It was originally published on 5/10/19.
Tony Miskowiec says
Thanks for the addition to my refrigerator. I use them all the time. Last night I put them on a hot dog with mustard. What a great marriage of flavors. Thanks Mike
Mike Hultquist says
Thanks, Tony!
Tammy says
Thanks for the recipe! I absolutely love pickled peppers. ALL of them! This will be on my to do list when my jalapeños are ready. Have you tried chipotle’s?
One of my favorite combinations this year has been pickled banana peppers with sliced Thai peppers added for heat.
As far as what we use them on, the list is growing. We eat them on salads, on top as a garnish on chili, nachos, baked in a pastry with Brie, burgers, In cocktails, grilled cheese, all our Mexican and Tex-Mex foods, blended into my V-8. Serve them with my cheese and cracker tray, with my pickled eggs….
Mike Hultquist says
Boom! I love it! Thanks, Tammy. I have not pickled chipotles. =)
Brad Rogers says
Delicious.
added some cayenne peppers as well.
Making a new batch today.
Very addictive. Thanks
Mike Hultquist says
Glad you enjoyed it, Brad!
Alami says
Thanks Mike, I tried my first batch and noticed that they pretty much float. Will they sink down eventually or should I put something to weight them down? I'm concerned that the top ones might rot in contact with air).
Mike Hultquist says
You will have some floating. You can stir it up a bit, or use something like a glass weight or baggie with water at the top to keep everything submerged below the brine.
Lee says
Hi again Mike! Excellent recipe! Made 2 jars over Labor Day weekend (super simple - although I did manage to mess up and used White Wine vinegar instead of regular White vinegar…). Flavor is great and I like the crunchiness. Thanks again for the great recipes!
Mike Hultquist says
Thanks, Lee!
Julia says
*****. Five star delicious! Love this recipe and wondering how would I alter this for canning?
Mike Hultquist says
Awesome, Julia. You can "can" it as is, but if you're concerned, you can use all vinegar instead of the 1:1 vinegar to water mixture. Use sterilized jars and process in a water bath at least 10 minutes (20 minutes for higher elevation).
Julia says
Thanks Mike for the quick reply. I can vouch for them lasting almost a year in the fridge but I want to gift more this year so canning it is! As far as Im concerned my guacamole and pizzas are elevated with your recipe!
Mike Hultquist says
Thanks, Julia!
Paula says
I your recipes! But I prefer to ferment my halipnos. This way you keep the nutrient goodness in the halipnos and the bonus of probiotics from the fermentation.
They are so yummy on sandwiches, salads, tacos, extra.
Mike Hultquist says
Fermentation is great. I ferment lots of peppers each year, mostly for making hot sauce. Cheers.
Jerry Segraves says
Looks like a great recipe!!! I started pickling when my grandma taught me when I was 10 years old, I'm 65 now!!! 1/2 vinegar, 1/2 water, salt (a little in each jar and some in the liquid pot) pickling spices of your choice (a little in each jar and some in the liquid pot), sweetener, if any, microwave a ceramic bowl of water, very hot, to throw your lids in to soften up the rings, fill jars with hot liquid, put lids on fairly tight, turn upside down a couple minutes, then right side up. Wait for lids to ping and jars to cool, put away in dark closet for up to 2 years. No boiling water bath, or oven bake necessary. The heat seals the lids and the acid preserves the food. I do this for all pickles, okra, peppers, etc. Now, salsa and Italian sauce i oven bake on cookie sheets at 320 for 40 minutes. Then same procedure, turn jars upside down for a few minutes. This saves heating and steaming up the kitchen so bad in the hot summer!!!
Mike Hultquist says
Awesome, Jerry! Thanks for sharing!
Grant says
Thanks for the terrific recipe, Mike! I followed it exactly and also threw in three or four whole dried allspice berries. I have a few pepper plants in the garden that are just about ready to harvest (fatalii, habanero, etc.). I think I'll try this pickling solution with those peppers as well. Or I might try your Caribbean-style Sweet Chile Sauce again; I tried that recipe with some very hot Red Caribbean chiles a few years ago and it worked really well to tame the heat! Thanks for all your great recipes: I have a number of them in a binder where I keep favorite recipes. I especially enjoy your curry recipes as I am a big fan of Indian and Southeast Asian cuisine.
Mike Hultquist says
Thanks so much, Grant. Super happy you are enjoying the recipes! I do appreciate the comments.
Patrick Driscoll says
My wife and I were at this great restaurant in Ocean Beach, San Diego last weekend and she's like - "What!? I need these pickled jalapenos! I can tell they're homemade". And voila! What recipe was sent to my email today? We've got a great crop coming in at the moment.
Thanks Mike!
Mike Hultquist says
Perfect, Patrick! Great timing!
BlueBoomer says
Okay, so I had a pretty good pile of jalapeños and banana peppers from the garden, so I decided to try this. Good news: These are absolutely awesome! Bad news: I'm never going to be able to tolerate store-bought peppers again. I opened the first jar, and before I could stop myself, half of them were gone. Absolutely awesome!
Mike Hultquist says
Awesome. I know, I can't remember last time I bought these from the store. I pickle just about everything now. SO good.
Nhoc Semus says
Hello! I am growing jalapeño for the first I stumbled on this recipe and I want to make it already. with store bought peppers ! I don't think I can wait for my peppers.
I have a question , do you use canning lids for the jars or plastic lids?
I am very excited to try these because I love hot chilli
Thanks
Mike Hultquist says
Hello! Yes, you can make this with store bought peppers. I use canning lids, but you can use plastic if doing a simple refrigerator version. If you want to water bath it, use canning lids. Enjoy!
Brandon says
Great recipe so quick an easy. Even my wife eats them and she doesn’t like hot eatables
Mike Hultquist says
Very nice! Thanks, Brandon!