This pikliz recipe is made with shredded cabbage, carrots, bell pepper, and fiery Scotch Bonnets in a simple brine, the perfect crunchy-spicy condiment!
If you are a lover of spicy food, Haitian Pikliz is a recipe you need in your recipe collection.
It's perfect for spicing up sandwiches and grilled meats, and can even be served as a simple side dish.
It's also very easy to make, and you can spice it up as much as you'd like.
What is Pikliz?
Pikliz (pronounced pik-LEEZ, from the French word piquer, meaning "to sting") is a Haitian condiment of pickled cabbage with carrots, bell peppers, onion, and fiery Scotch bonnet peppers. The name says it all.
It's the essential condiment of Haitian cuisine, always on the table, always on the griot (Haitian fried pork), always on the rice and beans. It brings a sharp vinegar tang, a wonderful crunch, and a serious kick of heat from the Scotch bonnets. Think of it as the kimchi of the Caribbean - spicy, fermented, punchy, and completely addictive.
Pikliz is traditionally served with fatty fried dishes like griot, tassot (fried beef), and fried plantains because the acid and heat cut through the richness. But honestly? It's good on just about everything. I put it on sandwiches, grilled meats, rice bowls, so much more. You're going to find a lot of uses for this one.
Let's make it, my friends.
Haitian Pikliz Ingredients
- PIKLIZ VEGETABLES
- Cabbage. Shredded or thinly sliced.
- Bell Pepper. I'm using red bell pepper for color.
- Carrot.
- Scotch Bonnets. Scotch bonnet peppers are quite fiery, with a heat equal to the habanero pepper, about 300,000 Scoville Heat Units.
- Onion. Shallot is good, too.
- Garlic.
- FOR THE PIKLIZ BRINE
- White Vinegar. I use distilled white vinegar, or use apple cider vinegar for more sweet-tart.
- Lime Juice.
- Salt.
How to Make Pikliz
Shred or Chop the Vegetables. Combine the cabbage, carrot, bell pepper, Scotch bonnet peppers, onion, and garlic in a large bowl and toss everything together. You want thin, uniform slices 0 the thinner the cut, the faster the brine penetrates and the better the crunch.
I use a sharp knife or mandoline for the cabbage and bell pepper, and a box grater for the carrot. No need to salt and drain the cabbage first. Unlike a creamy coleslaw, you want the vegetables to stay firm, and the vinegar brine handles all the seasoning.
Jar Them Up. Transfer the vegetables to a large wide-mouth Ball jar - a quart jar works perfectly for this batch. Pack them in firmly but don't crush them. You want the jar full enough that the brine keeps everything submerged, but loose enough that the liquid can circulate around every piece.
Don't worry about layering in any particular order. It's a quick pickle, so just get it all in there.
Make the Pikliz Brine. Whisk together the vinegar, lime juice, salt, and optional black pepper until the salt fully dissolves, then pour it over the vegetables.
This is a cold brine, no heating required. Make sure every piece of vegetable is fully submerged. If anything is poking above the liquid, press it down or add a splash more vinegar. Exposure to air is what you want to avoid.
If you prefer a slightly sweeter, more mellow brine, swap apple cider vinegar for the white vinegar.
Let the Flavors Develop. Seal the jar and refrigerate for at least 24 hours before serving, though 3 days is the real target. At 24 hours the brine has started working but the flavors are still sharp and raw.
By day 3, the Scotch bonnet heat has fully infused the cabbage and carrots, the vinegar has mellowed, and everything has come together. A week in, it's even better. Give the jar a gentle shake once a day if you think of it, which helps the brine distribute evenly.
Boom! Done! Your pikliz is ready to serve. Easy enough to make, isn't it? This is fantastic on grilled meats, or as a spicy slaw for your sandwiches, sausages, and burgers, and don't forget it with rice and beans or piled onto fish tacos.
How Long Does Pikliz Need to Pickle?
Technically, you can eat pikliz the same day you make it. The vegetables are crunchy and the brine is already doing its thing. But 3 days is the sweet spot. That's when the Scotch bonnet heat fully infuses the cabbage and carrots, the vinegar mellows slightly, and all the flavors come together into something amazing.
If you can wait a full week, even better. The longer it sits, the more developed the flavor. I've eaten pikliz that's been in the jar for two weeks and it's still great, maybe better than day three.
The good news is - because it's pickled in vinegar, pikliz keeps in the refrigerator for up to a month, properly sealed. Vinegar is a natural preservative, so you're not going to have any issues as long as you keep it cold.
Recipe Tips & Notes
- Scotch Bonnets. If you're unable to find these peppers, use habanero peppers, which are very similar in heat and flavor. Consider other hot peppers as well, or use milder peppers for a less fiery version.
- Other Vegetables. Add other vegetables to your preference for flavor variations, like other hot peppers, cucumber, asparagus and others.
- Seasonings and Herbs. Make this pikliz your own by adding your favorite herbs and seasonings, like fresh basil or thyme, cumin seeds, whole peppercorns, cloves, lemon, or others. Pikliz is very customizable.
What Do You Eat Pikliz With?
In Haiti, pikliz is most traditionally served with griot (crispy fried pork) and tassot (fried beef or goat). The vinegar and heat balance out all that rich, fatty meat. It's also a staple alongside fried plantains and rice and beans.
Beyond the traditional pairings, pikliz is an incredibly versatile condiment. Here's where I love using it:
- Grilled and smoked meats. Piled onto chicken, pork chops, or steak, it adds a bright, spicy punch that's hard to beat. I love it with smoked pulled pork.
- Sandwiches and burgers. Swap it in anywhere you'd use a spicy slaw. It's especially good on a shrimp po' boy sandwich or fried chicken sandwich.
- Fish tacos. The acid and crunch are perfect taco toppings. Try my favorite fish tacos recipe.
- Rice bowls. A spoonful on top of your favorite rice and beans recipe is classic, or Jamaican rice and peas.
- Eggs. Seriously. Try it along with a fried egg with a little hot sauce. You'll thank me.
Basically, if a dish needs crunch, acid, or heat, and most dishes do, pikliz is just what you're searching for.
Storage
Store pikliz in the refrigerator in a sealed jar. Because it's pickled in vinegar, it will keep for up to a month, and the flavor actually keeps improving for the first week or two.
Can you freeze pikliz? No. Freezing breaks down the cabbage and vegetables and turns everything mushy. Keep it refrigerated and it'll be fine.
Can you eat it right away? Yes, but give it at least 24 hours for the brine to really penetrate. Three days is ideal. A week is even better.
That's it, my friends. I hope you enjoy the pikliz!. Let me know if you make it, and if you enjoyed it. Might be your new favorite condiment!
Tools Used For This Recipe
Amazon Affiliate links, my friends!
Ball Jars - Makes pickling easy, with large enough jars to accommodate a good sized batch of vegetables or peppers.
More Spicy Slaw Recipes to Try
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.
Pikliz Recipe (Spicy Haitian Pickled Slaw)
Ingredients
PIKLIZ VEGETABLES
- 1.5 cups shredded or thinly sliced cabbage
- 1 medium red bell pepper thinly sliced
- 1 medium carrot grated (about 1/2 cup)
- 1 medium onion thinly sliced (about 3/4 cup)
- 2-4 Scotch Bonnet peppers sliced (use habanero as a sub)
- 3-4 cloves garlic minced
FOR THE PICKLING BRINE
- 1.5 cups white vinegar use apple cider vinegar for more sweet-tart
- Juice from 1/2 large lime
- 1 teaspoon salt
- Black pepper to taste optional
Instructions
- Mix the pikliz vegetables - cabbage, carrot, bell pepper, Scotch bonnet peppers, onion, and garlic - in a large bowl.
- Transfer the vegetables to a large Ball jar.
- Whisk together the brine ingredients - vinegar, lime juice, salt, and optional black pepper - then pour it into the jar. Be sure to completely cover the vegetables with the brine.
- Secure the lid and refrigerate for 3 days or longer to let the flavors mingle.
Video
Nutrition Information
FAQ Questions & Answers
What does pikliz taste like?
Pikliz is tangy, crunchy, and spicy. The white vinegar gives it a sharp, bright acidity. The Scotch bonnet peppers bring serious heat, similar to a habanero, and a slightly fruity undertone. The cabbage and carrots stay crunchy even after pickling. It's bold and addictive.
How spicy is pikliz?
Very spicy. Scotch bonnet peppers hit around 100,000-350,000 Scoville Heat Units, in the same range as habaneros. If you're heat-sensitive, reduce the number of peppers or swap in a milder hot pepper. You can make a mild version and still get the crunchy pickled flavor.
What is the difference between pikliz and coleslaw?
Coleslaw is typically creamy and dressed with mayo. Pikliz is vinegar-pickled with no cream. It's tangier, spicier, and has a completely different texture and flavor profile. Pikliz is closer to a quick-pickled relish or kimchi than a traditional coleslaw.
What is pikliz made of?
Pikliz is made from shredded cabbage, carrots, bell pepper, onion, garlic, and Scotch bonnet peppers, pickled in white vinegar with lime juice and salt.
NOTE: This recipe was recently updated to include new information and FAQs. The recipe was not changed.
Marianne says
This has become my go-to recipe. Tastes just like my mom's!
Mike Hultquist says
Outstanding!! I love to hear it! Thanks!
Dylan says
I wanted to make something Hatian for my neighbor, who is from Haiti, that I swap dishes with. This was a great baseline. I didn't nail the salt to acidity ratio the first time, but j got better. I made a double batch and used some peach ghosts, bohemian goats, scotch bonnets, golden habanero, and primatalli's. It came out great with a heck of a lot of bite to it. This will be a condiment I keep on hand from now on. Thanks for the help!
Mike H. says
You are very welcome, Dylan. Glad I could be helpful!
Janice says
Hello Mike,
This was a wonderful recipe. I used 50% brine from fermented carrots and 50% cider vinegar as, 100% vinegar too tart for me. I am new to this and cannot find out how to sterilize plastic mason jar lids. I did put them in boiling water for 10mins and I am having a problem screwing them on to the mason jars so I am wondering if I should not have boiled them. Searched the internet and could find nothing about plastick lids. I also boiled the plastic airlock parts and they all melted basically into strange shapes? I have ruined a few things making sure everything was sterilized. The only think I did not sterilize was me but, I did consider a hazmat suit when making recipes with ghost and scorpion peppers LOL. Sorry to ramble but just wondered what you think of plastic mason jar lids. Should I put them in boiling water and can I rub some oil or something on the screw part so I can get them on and off the jars? Once I do get them on, I cannot open them.
Thanks Janice
Mike Hultquist says
Thanks, Janice. Right, it's not a good idea to boil plastic lids for that reason. You can use the metallic Ball jar lids, which work well.
Janice says
Thanks Mike. I have just found out that not all wide mouthed mason jars are 'exactly' the same in size.
Mike Hultquist says
Sure thing! Yes, I have some wide and some not-so-wide. We like the wider ones, especially for Patty's kombucha.
Janice says
This was way too vinegar tasting for me. I used apple cider vinegar. Can I pour out 1/2 the vinegar and add distilled water. ? Or what can I do to tone it down?
Thanks Janice
Mike Hultquist says
Janice, yes, you can pour off vinegar and add water, or make another batch without vinegar and combine.
Beth says
Just made this, but used the bottom half of a reaper diced up as small as I could (my sb and habs are not ripe yet). It is delicious. Great easy recipe!
Mike Hultquist says
Boom! That's some nice heat, Beth! I love it! Glad you're enjoying it!
eric p says
yummy! I bought broccoli slaw, 2 habaneros, brine mostly as directed. great on tacos.
Mike H. says
Love it. Thank you for sharing!
Kurt M says
Been making pikliz for over 15 years when I moved to south Florida. There were no recipes on the net at the time, so I reverse engineered it from a batch that I got at a Caribbean store in Deerfield Beach. Basically the same, except no red bell pepper (but I like the idea for color) and I use at least 12 Scotch Bonnet/Habaneros for a 2 quart batch. We use it in place of sauerkraut on hot dogs. Just did some dogs last week for International Hot Dog Day. Running low, so it is on my to-do list. Just pulled a dozen orange datils from our pepper plants, so I will give it a try with those.
Mike Hultquist says
Awesome, Kurt! I think this will be fantastic with datil peppers. Enjoy! Thanks for sharing.
Lorna Wiens says
Can I process this in a hot water bath to keep it longer?
Mike Hultquist says
You should be able to, though I've never tried it. You'll need to make sure the acidity is high enough - shoot for pH of 3.5 or lower for home water bath preserving. You could make sure it's all covered in brine.
Lorna says
I did increased the lime and salt amount. It looks so pretty with all the different colours. Thank you. I will let you know how it turns out.
Margaret says
Good stuffs
Mike Hultquist says
Thanks!
Connie Davis says
OK this was a total win with my husband. Had all the factors he enjoys......pickled, crunch, & spicy heat
Mike Hultquist says
Awesome! Glad to hear it, Connie! I love it.
Dave says
Best I’ve ever had used jalapeños
Mike Hultquist says
Awesome!
Bill says
I'm thinkin' this would go well on a banh mi sandwich!
Mike Hultquist says
Yes!! Perfection right there, Bill.
Jérémie says
Hey Mike, nice recipe! very similar to mine. Love pikliz and haitian dishes!
I recommand you to use it in Poul Ak Nwa (Haitian chicken with cashews) which is also made with Ti Malis sauce, a magnificent and very mustardy hot sauce ...that I also recommend, if you do not know it!
Mike Hultquist says
Thanks, Jérémie! Thanks for the suggestions! I love it! Very nice.