Can you believe these crunchy, tangy, and sweet pickled jalapenos are ready in under 10 minutes?! After trying this quick pickled jalapeno recipe, I promise you will never go back to jarred jalapenos again. This recipe seriously could not be easier and is well worth the time.
These jalapenos are so much better than canned and do not contain preservatives or artificial colors. The mixture of vinegar and salt act as a natural preservative (no canning needed) and help keep the jalapenos good in the fridge for up to two months. Although, I doubt they will last that long! a jar never lasts longer than a week around here.
This method also works well with any other type of chilis or even sliced pickles. I sometimes toss in some baby carrots or slices or bell peppers and they tastes so good too! You can also control the heat level but adding more or less sugar. I used 2 tablespoons and the jalapenos are still spicy but not too spicy and have a nice tangy/sweet flavor.
Quick 10 Minute Pickled jalapeno
Ingredients
- 1 cup white vinegar
- 1 cup water
- 2 cloves garlic, smashed
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 7-8 jalapeno peppers, thinly sliced
Instructions
- Combine the vinegar, water, garlic, sugar, and salt in a medium pot and bring to a boil. Add jalapeno slices, stir, and remove from heat.
- Let sit for at least 8 minutes then use tongs to remove the jalapenos from the pot to a jar; cover with the brining liquid to fill the jar.
- Store in the fridge for up to two months.
Equipment
Spicy deliciousness! This is my third time making this recipe. My family loves it. I used one tablespoon of organic cane sugar and three cloves of garlic. The flavor is amazing and super hot!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it!! Thanks for reporting back!
Sounds good to me. I dont boil anything though. I mix it up and pour over peppers. Cold. Why do the extra work?
This time I also added sticks of celery and hard parts of napa cabbage. Fingers cross and hope for the best.
Sounds good to me. I dont boil anything though. I mix it up and pour over peppers. Cold. Why do the extra work?
This time I also added sticks of celery and hard parts of napa cabbage. Fingers cross and hope for the best.
I love gardening, and I have an abundance of jalapeño peppers. I made jars of pickled jalapeños from your recipe. They are so delicious!!
I can’t believe how good these were. I never knew u could control the spice level with sugar and it’s been a total game changer. I made 2 large mason jars full, thinking I made too much, I was so very wrong! I have been putting them on everything!!! They’re delicious and have the perfect amount of medium heat. I honestly don’t think I can ever live without a jar of these on hand again. Something so simple, I’d never think it would be such an important ingredient but when done right, they’re invaluable.
Same! I’m glad you enjoyed it, Thank you!
do i not have to seal the lid on the jar or anything with this recipe??
Wondering the same!
Nope! This is a refrigerator pickle recipe so no sealing or canning is needed! 🙂
I’m not a fan of pickles but I love these pickled jalapeños! I done 4 batches so far and couldn’t be more pleased with the results.
Love this, been using this recipe for years now. Was wondering if you can reuse the brine by boiling it again?
I was wondering the same thing!
Save the brine and use it for potato salad, for salad dressing, etc.
What a great, easy recipe! This will be my second time making it. However, I changed from adding the Jalapeno peppers to the liquid. Instead, I cut all my Jalapeno peppers, put them into a sterilized bowl, added the liquid and let it sit for an hour or so. The flavors blended so well and they tasted delicious!
I am curious to know if anyone had this experience. The garlic cloves I added turned “blue.” Any idea why that happened?
Happened to me too. It’s a chemical reaction with the brining liquid that causes it and is totally normal/safe. Sometimes it turns blue, sometimes more green, other times, it doesnt change at all
Yes they do for me too! I think it’s a reaction between vinegar and the crushed garlic, only crushed or sliced, because I’ve found that whole cloves don’t do this.
Chinese garlik frequently changes color, also tastes funky. Just dont eat it. It will not affect the peppers. Next time pass the “plastic net” garlic and go for the loose stuff. It usually is much better quality.
My family can’t get enough!
I made the first batch about 6 weeks ago and finished the jar off a couple of days ago. I just made my second batch. Such an easy, delicious method. I add some sliced mini sweet peppers for those who don’t like all the heat of a jalapeno. Great color, great crispness, great flavor and a fraction of the cost of commercial jarred peppers.
O.M.G!!!!! These were so simple to do and are absolutely delicious!!! Crispy. Yummy. Gorgeous green.
I used two tablespoons of granulated sugar. There is still a lot of heat. Not sure if I can wait until they’re chilled before I go back for seconds 🙂
Thank you !
Can you freeze after brining?
Hi there! Would this recipe work for pickling beets? Looking for a recipe just as good as this – for beets!
Thanks!
No, only works for jalapeños.
Made my second batch today. They won’t last long.
I’ve made this recipe half a dozen times. It’s amazing; thank you!
Are you able to do this same process for whole jalapenos?
Simple and quick. This was so good. No way I’m buying pickled jalapeños from the grocery store again. So much better!
Making it again right now. Thank you!
Did you have heat your jars like you would canning tomatoes?
Added some cucumbers and some garlic and red onions along with jalapenos, all from my garden… These are fantastic. 👍👍. I ‘m never buying store bought ones every again.
My husband says the same thing. LOVED THEM. added carrots and onions and ppper corns. I don’t eat them but they smell really good. And I am using our fresh home grown jalepenos $from our tree. 3 years going.
Love this recipe! Quick, easy & tasty. My go to when we have extra peppers. I’ve used it with serranos & can’t wait to try other varieties when they come in.
Quick, simple and delicious. Best jalapeños ever.
First time pickling jalapenos. Turned out great. YUMMY. I packed two pint jars with the raw, sliced jalapenos and then poured the boiling pickling brine over the peppers. This recipe as written provided the perfect amount of brine for two pints of peppers, with maybe 1Tbsp leftover brine. The peppers were a bit too sweet and mild for my taste, so next time I will cut down on the sugar and add a couple sliced habaneros.
yum
This was my first time making pickled jalapeños. I have made other peppers but I was disappointed because peppers got soft. These are crunchy and spicy! Loved them and will use for other types of peppers. Thank you for sharing this recipe!!!
Thanks for sharing. This is a simple and effective way to pickle my chilies. Love it!
Great, simple recipe. I use it all the time.
I love this recipe I have used it multiple times now. Do you think I can do the same with cucumbers to make pickles or do you have a recipe?
Kayla. I have done this with Cucumbers for years. I don’t always have time for then to cool if the brine is cool but they rarely last long enough for it to matter. You can do it without heating but they only stay good about a week or so.
Wow! I loved eating them while they were still warm as I was transferring them into the jar!
I am now making about a quart jar every 4-5 days. I now include them on my corn tortilla chips & roasted red pepper hummus when snacking.
I took advantage of your tip and added 3.5T of sugar to cut the heat and it came out delicious right out of the jar. Was great on a cold roast beef sandwich.
Is there an ideal amount of time I should let them pickle before i eat them?
Used onion powder and garlic powder and skipped the salt and sugar . Added some green beans and sliced carrots. Delicious! Great recipe!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it!! Thanks for reporting back!
I’ve made this recipe for the last 2 years starting with fresh cucumbers sliced long wise and cut to fit in the jar around the edges and fill in the center with jalapenos, Serrano’s and double the garlic (smashed and sliced) and onions. Add a 1/4 tsp of Alum for crispy on top then add the boiling brine. The best flavor and great gifts for friends that always ask for morel of my spicy pickles
Delicious!! I have used this recipe several times. My son says these are better than any store-bought pickled jalapeños.
Could you use this with asparagus and green beans?
Can you omit the garlic or use garlic powder?
With whole peppers, it would probably be better to poke a hole in a side, to allow brine to get inside. Pepper skins are not permeable. Only the small area around the stem end has stomates.
Best recipe yet. I add different peppers and some pepper flakes for extra heat but it’s great regardless.
Great recipe! So nice to be putting a jar of pickled peppers in the refrigerator less than 20 minutes after they were picked. Next time I will check to see how spicy the peppers are before I scrape all of the seeds in…whew! Thanks.
How long do you have to leave them in the fridge before you can eat them?
This will be the third year we have used this recipe for our crop of jalapeños. I store the full jars in the fridge for months. They are always delicious.
What size jar did you use for storage ? Any one ? This looks great and have a couple plants in the garden , perfect for keeping them going for a while and gifting. Thanks for sharing.
Looks like a pint to me.
any size. I just put 8 large jalapenos in a quart jr with the garlic herbs and brine. worked perfectly. could do even larger jar if you have a harvest
I doubled the recipe and used 2 pint jars. Still had some liquid left over. Maybe enough for another pint.
I have tried many pickling recipes and this is by far the best! I have been using it for years and gotten so many compliments on my pickled jalapeños. THANK YOU FOR SHARING THIS!
Best pickled jalapeno ever
Do you think you could can these after you make it so they could last longer because I want to make a large batch?
Hello, anonymous reader here, I followed this recipe because I don’t like canned jalapeños, too mushy, etc. I boil the mixture for 5 minutes then add the mixture to quart jars (sterilized) already packed with the jalapeño rings, (I don’t boil the rings, as in this recipe) just make sure you add the boiling mixture straight from a hard boil. (Make sure your jars are warm, not cold, duh🤣) wipe off rim and add lid and ring, tighten by hand, let cool 1/2 hour then keep in fridge up to 1 year. Yes, 1 year, I’ve been doing this for several years now with no issues. Just made my first batch of the season and threw away the 5 remaining jars that were a year old, no sense chancing it after a year. Enjoy!
Do you put the lid on tight while they’re still hot?
No, these can’t be canned. Look to Ball for safe canning recipes.
We love these refrigerated pickled jalapeños!! We have a lot of jalapeños coming in our garden. Do you have a version of the recipe for if I need to water bath can them?
How many weeks should I wait before they’re ready to enjoy?
It’s a quick-pickle recipe so I usually dig in the next day. Basically once they’re cold in the fridge, they’re ready! 🙂 Enjoy!
Can you pickle the jalapenos whole?
You can pickle whole peppers but should put a slice in the pepper so the brine can fill the inside of the pepper when it’s submerged
I cut my jalapeno in half so that works . Hoping they will turn out in a container since I don’t have a jar right know. Did not think to buy jars at least a few of them. I only did one container with 10 of jalapeno in it .
This looks great for my pickle peppers.
My first time to make these. I doubled the recipe added some fresh chili peppers, home grown and homegrown carrots. I used1 clove smashed of goliath garlic. My husband said they were the best EVER pickled jalapenos he has ever had. Thanks for the recipe. It was so easy!
I just made this for the second time. My family love these! I am addicted to the crunch! Delicious! Thanks for sharing your recipe.
What kind of salt did you use? Coarse kosher or fine table?
Pickling salt. It’s a course salt, similar to flacky salt.
What size jar do you use?
So quick, so easy, amazingly tasty! I’ve also used this recipe with bell peppers and they were incredible! I just pour the brine over the peppers, directly in the mason jar, it’s easier and they are perfect!
I tried this recipe and love it. Found myself going to the fridge to eat them straight from the jar. 👍👍Two thumbs up
I love jalapeños and am about to try it, just a question can I use the liquid of store bought jalapeños
5 stars for ease! Just did this for the first time and this recipe is a good base but I’ll have to adjust for my taste and technique, haha. I omit the garlic to make it FODMAP friendly (darn you fructans!). 2 tablespoon sugar make them a tad too sweet and they also came out a bit too soft also. Simple things to adjust but the fact that I CAN adjust them is amazing. I’m looking forward to making these again and again!
The sugar impact is explained very good.
Ok, so i just finished making these. MY FIRST PICKLED ANYTHING. It was fun, but I had a bag of serrano peppers on hand, and even though i rinsed em and used 2 tbsp of sugar, they’re still mighty hot. Stick to jalapenos everyone. LOL. I’m glad i found this recipe. Its fun.
Followed recipe as written. Best I’ve ever tasted.
Not gonna lie, i was skeptical at first because this seemed too easy. As a guy however, easy is a big win so i thought i would try.
I’ll just say this…once we tasted these, it was a RACE between my wife and I to see who could get to the bottom of the jar first. No kidding, just came in from collecting the next harvest and im going to make many more jars. Kudos and thank you for the recipe!
Thank you for the recipe. I first tried something similar that were sold at a local festival. I then found something similar at Trader Joe’s, which are excellent but they can get expensive because the jars are small and cost $2.50. This recipe is great and it’s so much cheaper to make them yourself. I make double batches using 3 tbsp of sugar, which fills 2-16 oz mason jars. They are still plenty hot for me. I did one thing different, after letting them sit for 8 minutes in the brining liquid, I jarred them and placed the jars in an ice bath to completely stop the cooking.
Why have I never made these before? So easy and elevates so many different meals/sandwiches!
So easy and terrific way to preserve summer jalapenos.
I have not had many jalapeños at one time this year, but have quite a few frozen whole in my freezer. Can these be used in this pickle recipe?
Frozen jalepenos turn mushy when you freeze them and thaw them out. I suppose you could try pickling them whole after freezing, but they most likely wouldn’t hold up after being frozen.
I wonder if you could not make some sort of relish out of “mushy jalapenos” ? After all, it may be worth a try so you would not have to throw them out?
You could use this recipe and then actually can them. You’d have to look and see what the differences were and make adjustments but there’s no reason you couldn’t do some canned pickled jalapenos. It’s probably as easy as sealing the lid.
Tried a lot of recipes and this is the B⃨E⃨S⃨T⃨!⃨Thanks😀
How long to chill before you eat them?
I’m waiting to see if anyone answers u. I just made a batch myself & I’m curious to see when I can try them.
I made these 5 days ago and I tried them the next day and were good, a bit spicy. Every day I’ve tried them and I love them most today so far, 5 days after. They’re not sealed so dig in! I’ll be making another jar because I loved these. I hate the soft mushy jalapenos you get in the stores. I made mine thicker and crisp!
Why wait? As long as you can stand the thermal temperature. Just made a batch and had a slice while they were sitting hot.
Right away. Once they are cool enough!
Until they cool
Quick, crisp, but 2 T sugar seemed too sweet.
Very easy to follow, I just wish I read the bit about the sugar vs spice first as I added 2 tablespoons and wish only used 1 or even none as I love the heat. Does this work for other varieties of chili peppers as well?
THE BEST! We’ve used this recipe for a little over a year and it never fails. We go through pickled jalapeños like crazy in our household and it is so wonderful to have a perfect recipe to follow so we can do it ourselves. Thanks so much for sharing! Stay well~
For the life of me, couldn’t figure out what to do with the buckets of jalapenos coming in from my garden. Found this recipe, and the rest is history. Currently snacking on them as I write this. This recipe is definitely a keeper.
Buckets? Do you live in a hot climate? I tried them for the first time this year and I ended up with half a baggie. Also the first time that I have used a greenhouse. Can you offer any advise to a beginner?
You are right! I will never buy jarred pickled jalapeños again, these were amazing and so simple. I used apple cider vinegar as that’s all I had and omitted the garlic as intolerant and still great flavour. Thank you.
My neighbour gave me a large amount of jalapenos and I had no idea how I was going to use them before they went bad. Found this recipe, doubled it, and spent the afternoon making up several jars. Hubby loves them, and my neighbour also gave the recipe 5 stars. Definitely a keeper!!
I wonder if you could not make some sort of relish out of “mushy jalapenos” ? After all, it may be worth a try so you would not have to throw them out?
Too early to rate but it’s super simple to follow. Had a large jalapeño growth this year so thought I’d look for a recipe, first one I cam across and great reviews. Added some carrot sticks in the brine, because who doesn’t love colour! And a few random chilies. Can’t wait to try it
Just made for first time I got 6 pints and followed recipe except added some small onion chunks and garlic powder instead of cloves . Plenty hot right now hopefully cool off some in jars🙂 I didn’t remove seeds .
I have all the ingredients on hand except for fresh garlic. Can I use jarred, minced garlic instead?
Yes you can!
How much minced do you use
For me, they were over-cooked. Easily remedied of course by just letting the brine cool for a while before adding the jalapenos. As an aside, I sliced them once longitudinally to take out the seeds and then sliced in strips to eliminate some prep time. Irrelevantly, I added teaspoon of crushed mustard seed and a teaspoon of crushed coriander seed, just because I had them around and wanted to jack it up a bit.
This was super simple to make and very delicious. I used to my garden jalapenos.
Is the salt you use table salt or kosher? It makes a difference in the amount used.
I used kosher and they turn out great
Do you let them cool before covering and putting in refrigerator?
Nope.
I made ths recipe with a mix from my garden of serranos, hungarian wax peppers and cubanelles, used the lower amount of sugar.
WOW! These are so delicious on everything and you weren’t kidding, they will not be around for long and it will soon be time to make more.
Try some on toasted rustic bread with cream cheese, truly amazing, but once you taste them you will think of so many uses.
Can cider vinegar be used instead of white vinegar?
Cider vinegar should work fine as long as the acidity is 5%. This is more important if you were actually canning the pickles instead of just refrigerating. (Foods w/ higher acidity can be canned w/ the water bath method as where low acid foods must be processed w/ a pressure canner.) Good luck!
Have you processed them in hot water bath??? Did they get mushy?? Is there enough salt in the recipe for canning them???
I cheat and start with the Jalapenos in the mason jar and just add the hot liquid. also i upped the vinegar and water to 1 1/2 cups and salt i eyeballed a little more in the spoon. added a couple sprigs of Dill and some extra green onions and once regular onion i had that needed to be used, skipped the sugar as i don’t need it in my diet, and all were excellent made about 4 different times now. changed a little every time with onions and amt of garlic and dill used, always excellent.
Next time might try and get some fresh oregano to add to the jar.
Can this recipe be doubled? I have a ton of jalapenos in the garden. Should I just double ingredients or make adjustments?
Thanks
You can just double the recipe and use a large jar or 2-3 jars.
This recipe is awesome! For those of you that don’t like the kick/spiciness that jalapenos have, take the time to knife out the seeds and the ribs. If you like a little hum, leave some of the ribs in. I tried this for the first time last year and loved it. I planted more jalapenos this year, just because of this recipe. For those of you that are inexperienced with peppers…..in my opinion, the jalapeno is one of my favorite flavors for peppers. Time to do another batch! Enjoy!!!
Thoughts on adding sliced red onions to this.
Do it! It’s a good addition. Also, I just stuffed the jars and poured boiling liquid over instead of the eight minute wait. Works just fine.
Everyone in my family eats jalapeños like they are candy. We like em spicy! I planted several jalapeño plants this year that have been producing like crazy and happened to stumble across this recipe. THE BEST!! Thank you sooo much!!!!! 😁
Can I use whole jalapeños instead of sliced ones ?
You sure can!
What size jar?
16 oz works perfectly!
I am totally hooked on these! I have made it with different peppers from the garden – jalapeños, Santa Fe’s, banana, and wax. Some jars have been single variety and others a medley. YUM!!
My one question, which may be silly but this whole canning thing is new to me… can I can this recipe in a water bath?
This is my favorite way to use extra jalapeños! Super easy and delicious. Thank you for sharing! It is definitely better to wait a few days before using them since the heat is reduced and the flavor just gets better!
Holy mother of God! 2 tablespoon s of sugar, and still fiery hot.
this recipe worked out well. i messed up and added double of everything. double water, double vinegar etc etc, but it turned out the same. instead of white vinegar i used a mild rice vinegar. i de-seeded the peppers as well from advice here. i used a toothpick. they aren’t flaming but a nice hot taste.
1st time with this receipt. So much better than can you buy at the store. Thanks for sharing. You have converted another one!
Can I can these in a water bath. I have a lot of peppers
Has anyone tried canning these for longer storage? Curious how well they hold their firmness after the hot water bath.
I am still eating peppers from last year, and I did not process them. They are kept refrigerated though
Yes, I have used a water bath for the last two years and the peppers have been excellent.
I put the jars in the water bath for 10 mins. It’s very easy to do.
Enjoy.
Is there enough salt in Thai recipe to can them?b
Can they be eaten right away or do I have to wait 24hrs?
You can go ahead and eat as soon as they cool!
I have made these and having to make more as everyone wants a quart after tasting. I use 3 Tbls. Sugar when I made 3 qts. and I omit the garlic.
This is absolutely the Easiest and BEST Recipe I have discovered!! Thank You!
Excited to try! Question…I didn’t have a ton of jalapeños from the garden yet to fill the jar. As I get more jalapeños can I just slice and add? Or should I sit in hot vinegar/water prior to adding?
I tried it and it didn’t turn out the same. It’s much better to make a new batch of the vinegar solution.
I totally agree! We had very little left in the jar other than the juice so I added more fresh jalapeños. Totally not the same even after letting them sit in the fridge for a few days. I’m actually in the process now of making new juice bc it’s sooo good and I don’t want my peppers to go to waste!
This recipe is outstanding! Definitely remove the seeds, cause it’s HOT! If you like the pickled banana peppers at subway, this recipe taste just like it!
Crunchy, unlike commercially packed peppers.. Flavor is perfect! Thanks for posting this, love ’em..
This is an easy, quick, delicious recipe for pickling jalapeños. I used it all summer long. I gave the jars away as gifts. Everyone loves them. I used whatever peppers I have on hand from the garden. Thank you so much for sharing this recipe!
Do you store the peppers in a jar without the liquid? It seems that way from reading the recipe but I had assumed they would stay stored in the jar with the liquid but maybe they would get too mushy that way.
The one and only pickled jalapeños recipe I ever need – simple, delicious and so fast!
Is the brining liquid the combination of all the ingredients that was boiled? (Sorry if that’s a stupid question, I don’t cook much)
Correct!
I’ve made this several times. we use it on sandwiches it takes it to a new level. We love it in deviled eggs . I’m growing my own jalapeno peppers .this summer.I do remove seeds and add a bit more sugar. Great recipe!
My first batch turned out delicious but HOT AS HELL!
I am definitely no wimp if it comes to hot food but two slices chopped up and tossed over a bowl of pasta just made me reaching for a towel to wipe off the sweat 😀
I’ll try and de – seed the chilies for the second batch.
Can monkfruit sweetener be used instead of refined sugar to make it healthier?
CCareful with monkfruit for guest. Many ppeople are allergic. Swerve/stevia might be wworth a try.
I have used this method a few times now and love the result. Jalapeños turn out crunchy and delicious. I use two table spoons of sugar and find the heat to be just right. They certainly taste better after being in the jar for a few weeks.
did that much sugar make the peppers have a sweetness to them?
If I use this recipe and put the jars in a canning bath, should I just put the jalapeños in the jar without cooking them in the brine?
I absolutely love pickled jalapeños but every time you buy them jarred from the store they’re mushy and just awful. These are crunchy and spicy – just perfect!!! Since I found this recipe they have become a staple in our fridge and must be brought to every family event ! Thank you for this recipe! Honestly can’t say thank you enough! Side note they’re really spicy day one but after a few days the sweetness and pickly tang just shine. Incredible!!!!! 5 stars for sure!