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These quick Pickled Jalapeños are tangy, spicy and just a little sweet, with only a few simple ingredients. They take about 15 minutes to prepare, then chill in the refrigerator until they’re crisp, flavorful and ready to pile onto tacos, burgers, nachos, sandwiches and more.
Once you see how easy this Pickled Jalapeno Recipe is to make at home, you’ll want to keep a jar in the fridge all the time.
Table of Contents
- Kellie’s Note Let’s Get Spicy
- Why You’ll Love My Pickled Jalapeños
- Ingredients for Pickled Jalapeños
- How to Make Pickled Jalapeños
- Tips for the Best Pickled Jalapeños
- Easy Pickled Jalapeño Variations
- What Are Pickled Jalapeños?
- How Spicy Are Pickled Jalapeños?
- Are fresh jalapeños spicier than pickled jalapeños?
- How to Use Pickled Jalapeños
- How to Store Pickled Jalapeños
- More Easy Pickle Recipes
- Quick Pickled Jalapeños Recipe
Kellie’s Note
Let’s Get Spicy
Who knew jalapeños were so easy to grow. It’s just about the only thing, besides basil, I can grow in the garden in the summer. And boy, do they grow! If you ever grow your own jalapeno peppers, you’ll know what I’m talking about and you’ll need this Quick Pickled Jalapeno recipe to use up all those chili peppers.
We usually buy jalapeno peppers in a jar at the store to put on top of nachos or tacos and to garnish our chili. But, it’s so simple to make your own pickled jalapeños at home and they taste soooo much better!
Why You’ll Love My Pickled Jalapeños
- Great for using up fresh peppers: It’s an easy way to turn a big batch of garden or farmers market jalapeños into something you can enjoy for weeks.
- Quick and easy: They take just minutes to prep before chilling in the refrigerator.
- Sweet, tangy and spicy: Apple cider vinegar, brown sugar and pickling spice give the peppers a balanced flavor with plenty of zip.
- Easy to adjust the heat: Leave the seeds and membranes intact for more heat or remove some for milder jalapeños.
- Better than store-bought: Homemade Pickled Jalapeños have fresh flavor and a crisp texture you can customize to your taste.
- Perfect for everything: Keep a jar in the fridge for tacos, burgers, nachos, sandwiches, eggs, chili, queso and more.
Ingredients for Pickled Jalapeños
You only need a handful of ingredients for this easy Pickled Jalapeno Recipe.
- Jalapeños: Use fresh, firm green or red jalapeños without wrinkled or soft spots.
- Apple cider vinegar: Gives the pickling brine its tangy flavor with a slightly fruity finish.
- Brown sugar: Balances the vinegar and gives the peppers their slightly sweet flavor.
- Kosher salt: Seasons the peppers and the pickling brine.
- Pickling spice: Adds savory, aromatic flavor without having to measure several individual spices.
- Water: Mellows the vinegar so the finished peppers aren’t overwhelmingly sharp.
How to Make Pickled Jalapeños
These refrigerator Pickled Jalapeños take just a few simple steps.
- Slice the jalapeños. Remove the stems and slice the peppers into rings. Pack them into clean jars.
- Make the brine. Add the apple cider vinegar, water, brown sugar, salt and pickling spice to a saucepan. Heat until the sugar is completely dissolved.
- Add the brine. Carefully pour the hot brine over the jalapeños, making sure the peppers are covered.
- Cool the jars. Allow the jalapeños and brine to cool before covering the jars.
- Refrigerate. Chill for at least 1 hour before serving. For even better flavor, let them sit overnight.
Tips for the Best Pickled Jalapeños
- Wear gloves. Jalapeño oils can irritate your skin and eyes, especially when you’re slicing a large batch.
- Control the heat. Remove some of the seeds and white membranes before slicing if you want milder Pickled Jalapeños.
- Don’t overcook the peppers. Pour the hot brine over the raw jalapeño slices rather than boiling them in the brine. Too much heat can make them softer.
- Keep them covered. Make sure the jalapeños stay submerged in the brine while they’re stored.
- Give them time. You can start enjoying them after they’ve chilled, but the flavor gets even better after they sit overnight.
Easy Pickled Jalapeño Variations
This simple brine makes it easy to customize your Pickled Jalapeños.
- Leave the seeds and membranes intact if you like your jalapeños extra spicy.
- Add a smashed garlic clove for extra savory flavor.
- Add black peppercorns for a little more bite.
- Add mustard seeds or cumin seeds for extra spice.
- Add a pinch of oregano for an herby flavor.
- Add thinly sliced carrots or shallots for a mixed quick-pickle jar.
What Are Pickled Jalapeños?
Pickled jalapeños are fresh jalapeño slices soaked in a tangy vinegar brine. This recipe uses a quick-pickle method, which means there’s no fermentation or water-bath canning required.
The hot brine is poured over the sliced peppers, then the jars cool and pickle right in the refrigerator. It’s an easy way to preserve fresh jalapeños while giving them that sweet, tangy flavor that makes them so good on just about everything.
For quick pickles and refrigerator jams, I like to use these clasp style canning jars since we’re not heat processing. They keep your recipes fresh for days in the refrigerator. Great for storing leftovers, too!
How Spicy Are Pickled Jalapeños?
Pickling mellows some of the sharp heat of fresh jalapeños, but every batch of peppers is a little different.
For milder Pickled Jalapeños, remove some of the seeds and white membranes before slicing the peppers. If you love plenty of heat, leave them intact.
Keep in mind that jalapeños naturally vary in spiciness, so one batch may be hotter than another even when you prepare them exactly the same way.
Are fresh jalapeños spicier than pickled jalapeños?
The pickling process does tame the spice level a little bit in jalapenos so, while they will still retain their heat, pickled jalapenos are not as spicy as fresh jalapenos.
How to Use Pickled Jalapeños
A jar of Pickled Jalapeños can wake up just about anything. Their sweet, tangy heat is especially good with rich, cheesy or savory dishes.
Try them with:
- Top Crockpot Chicken Tacos or The Very Best Loaded Beef Nachos
- Top your favorite Queso Blanco for a little extra heat.
- Add to a Breakfast Burrito or Breakfast Taco
- Mince them up and stir into this Pico de Gallo
- Make a spicy guacamole by mixing in a few tablespoons
- Enchiladas are nothing without a few tossed on top
- Add to Fajita Chicken Quesadilla
- Add to Smash Burgers
- Serve with The Best Chili Recipe
They’re also pretty irresistible straight from the jar.
How to Store Pickled Jalapeños
- Always use a clean fork or pair of tongs when removing peppers from the jar and keep the remaining jalapeños covered with brine.
- These are refrigerator pickles and this recipe has not been tested for shelf-stable canning.
- There’s no need to reheat them. Serve Pickled Jalapeños cold, at room temperature or add them directly to hot foods.
- I don’t recommend freezing them because freezing can change the texture of the peppers.
- Store Pickled Jalapeños in a tightly sealed jar in the refrigerator for up to 2 months.
More Easy Pickle Recipes
If you love keeping quick pickles in the fridge, try these next:
- Pickled Red Onions
- Bread and Butter Pickles
- Pickled Okra
- Giardiniera
- Pickled Radish
- Pickled Beets
- Quick Pickled Garlic
- Quick Pickled Green Beans (Dilly Beans)
Have extra fresh jalapeños? Use them to make Jalapeño Poppers, Pico de Gallo or a spicy homemade guacamole.
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Quick Pickled Jalapeños
Equipment
- Clean glass jars with lids
- Small saucepan
- sharp knife
- cutting board
Ingredients
- 1 pound sliced jalapeño
- 1/2 cup kosher salt
- 1 1/2 cups apple cider vinegar
- 1 1/2 cups water
- 3/4 cup brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon pickling spice
Instructions
- Pack the sliced jalapeños into clean glass jars.
- Add the salt, apple cider vinegar, water, brown sugar and pickling spice to a small saucepan.
- Bring the mixture to a boil and cook just until the sugar is completely dissolved. Remove from the heat and cool for about 5 minutes.
- Carefully pour the hot brine over the jalapeños until the peppers are covered.
- Allow the jars to cool, then cover tightly and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or overnight for more flavor.
- Serve as desired and keep refrigerated.
Notes
- Pickled Jalapeños can be stored tightly covered in the refrigerator for up to 2 months.
- For milder jalapeños, remove some of the seeds and white membranes before slicing.
- For the best texture, pour the hot brine over the raw peppers rather than cooking the jalapeños in the brine.
- Keep the peppers covered with brine during storage.
- This is a refrigerator pickle recipe and has not been tested for shelf-stable canning.
- Freezing is not recommended.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Have you canned these in a hot water bath?
I haven’t tested it for canning.
wen do you add the salt
Salt is in the list of ingredients but not in the instructions….just wanted clarification! Thank you! I LOVE your recipes!
it’s been corrected! Thank you!