Easy Pickled Jalapeños Recipe (2024)

Looking for the best pickled jalapeños recipe? You have found it my friend! Not only are these pickled jalapeños delicious but they are also very easy to make. They are done in just 10 minutes. Instead of heat canning them, these jalapeños are stored in the refrigerator which keeps them perfectly crispy and crunchy. If you are worried about spice, you are in complete control of the level of heat. Once you learn how to pickle jalapenos, you’ll stop buying the nasty ones from the store forever!

Why I Love This Pickled Jalapeños Recipe

It is no secret that I love pickles. My refrigerated pickles recipe is one of my favorites! Love the acid. I love the sweet. Love the salt. But, I’m not the biggest fan of really spicy foods. I like just a bit of heat, not a level that overwhelms my pallet where I can’t taste anything else. Because I’m finicky with spice, I assumed I didn’t like pickled jalapenos since they contain both the seeds and the white membrane. That is where most of the heat is contained in a jalapeno. In fact, anytime I use fresh jalapenos, I always remove those parts for a more mild heat level.

A few months ago, my son-in-law made a batch of his pickled jalapeños recipe and I decided to give one a try. I really, really loved them! They were just that perfect level of sweetness to tamper down the heat. Right away, I knew how I was going to use the extra jalapenos from my garden that didn’t make it into my recipe for canning salsa.

Pickled Jalapeños Ingredients

What makes this pickled jalapeños recipe amazing is that it uses simple ingredients. All the best recipes keep the ingredients whole and the flavors amazing.

• Freshly picked jalapeno peppers
• White or apple cider vinegar
• Water
• Granulated sugar
• Kosher salt

How to Pickle Jalapeños

The recipe for pickled jalapeños comes together in just a few minutes and there’s no need to use a water bath or pressure canner to preserve the peppers.

Pickled Jalapeños Recipe Variations

• Use whole jalapeños instead of slicing them up. You will need to leave them in the pickling liquid about twice as long as the recipe states since it will take longer for the process to complete on a whole pepper.
• Substitute apple cider vinegar for the white vinegar. This will result in a sweeter pickled jalapeno because the vinegar is naturally sweet. You can either keep the amount of sugar the same if you like sweet pickles or reduce the amount of sugar in the recipe below.
• Add other peppers with the jalapenos. You could use bell peppers, serrano peppers, poblano peppers, or banana peppers.
• Add fresh onion slices with the jalapenos. Make them the same size as the peppers so they pickle at the same rate.
• Add other fresh vegetables with the peppers. Carrots, radishes, cauliflower, jicama, and cucumbers would all be delicious. Just be sure the vegetables are cut to sizes similar to the jalapenos.

Pickled Jalapeños Recipe FAQs

How to pickle jalapeño peppers so they aren’t spicy

The secret to calming the spice lies in how much sugar you use. For me, the perfect amount for a 1-quart jar is 4 tablespoons of sugar. If you like more heat, then use less, anywhere down to 1 tablespoon. Also, the longer they sit in your fridge, the tamer they will become so keep that in mind as well. If you are using them that day or in a day or two, use more sugar to lessen the heat but if you won’t use them for a week or two, 4 tablespoons will make the heat barely noticeable so you may want less sugar.

How long is this pickled jalapeños recipe good for?

Because this pickled jalapeños recipe does not use a water bath or pressure cooker, they will last for 3 months in the refrigerator. They might stay good longer than that because pickling is a great form of preserving food, but be cautious if yours are older than that. If you see any mold inside the jar or on the lid, or if they smell “off”, throw them away.

Can I use apple cider vinegar instead of white vinegar?

Using apple cider vinegar in this recipe would be a delicious variation. The end result will be a bit sweeter since the vinegar is naturally sweet so you might want to consider reducing the amount of sugar in the recipe. Or maybe you like sweet pickled jalapenos, so keep it the same.

Can I pickle the jalapeños whole instead of slicing them?

Yes, that will definitely work with a few alterations. First, remove the stem from the jalapeño, and only use whole peppers that are free from any type of damage or softness. You will need to leave them in the pickling liquid about twice as long as the recipe states since it will take longer for the process to complete on a whole pepper.

Can I remove the seeds to make the pickled jalapeños recipe less spicy?

If you are looking for less spice in this pickled jalapeños recipe, you need to remove both the seeds and the white membrane inside the peppers. In fact, the white membrane is what provides most of the heat in jalapenos. To do this, it would be best to pickle the jalapenos in length-wise slices instead of circles. Cut the jalapenos into quarters along their length and run the knife along the inside to remove the seeds and membrane together. You can pickle those quartered pieces, or cut them into smaller strips if desired.

Pickled Jalapeños Recipe Video

Watch this 40-second video to see how easy it is to make this pickled jalapeños recipe at home!

Looking For More Yummy Recipes?

If this pickled jalapeños recipe is just what you were looking for, be sure to check out these other delicious recipes. Go grab them now before you forget!

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