The BEST recipe for easy homemade pickled jalapeños from scratch! Fresh jalapeños are quickly pickled, jarred and ready to eat in under an hour – although they will be super spicy! Delicious on burgers, pizza, stuffed into burritos or on top of nachos. Really, the options are endless. Yields 1 liter or about 4-1/4 cups.

Easy Homemade Pickled Jalapenos

I needed a way to make Easy Homemade Pickled Jalapeños and fast.

At one point in time, between my oldest daughter, my husband and myself we’ve polished off at least 6 jars of pickled jalapeños in about a year. We quickly become addicted to the vinegar-y tang and of course the spicy heat. We have no shame and admit that we could eat them straight out of the jar but also enjoy these homemade pickled jalapeños on anything from tacos to pizza to pulled pork.

Easy Homemade Pickled Jalapenos

It was one fateful evening when I used up the last of the store-bought jar, I randomly thought: ‘If I made a big jar of my own pickled jalapeños, I wouldn’t run out all the time’. *light bulb moment*

And that was how the idea pickling my own jalapeños was born. Originally, I posted this recipe in 2013. Over these last 9 or so years it’s quickly became one of my most popular recipes. So I decided to reshoot the photos, update the post a smidge and share it again for those new here.

Easy Homemade Pickled Jalapenos ingredients

To make these Homemade Pickled Jalapeños You will need:

  • jalapeños Medium to large in size.
  • garlicThis adds distinct and punchy flavor.
  • white distilled vinegarUsed in all sorts of food preservation methods.
  • waterTo cut the vinegar.
  • sugarAdds flavor and is totally optional.
  • kosher saltFor flavor and aids in preservation.

close up of jalapenos

Look for jalapeños that are medium in size.

liter jar

Some small ones are of course fine, but the goal is to fit everything in a 1 liter jar. With that said, wash your jar well with warm soapy water and dry with a towel.

wash jalapenos

Quickly wash and pat dry the jalapeños.

sliced jalapenos

I highly recommend wearing gloves to protect your hands while handling this many jalapeños. Trim of the stems and then slice the jalapeños into rings.

Set these off to the side for a moment.

add sugar, salt and garlic to saucepan

Next, in a medium sauce pan add in 1/4 cup sugar (this is optional), 2 tablespoons kosher salt and drop in two peeled and slightly crushed cloves of garlic.

add water

To that, pour in 1-1/4 cups of distilled white vinegar and 1-1/4 cups of filtered water .

heat until sugar and salt dissolve

Bring those to a boil, stirring until the sugar and salt are both dissolved.

add jalapenos to pickling liquids

Remove off of the heat and add the sliced jalapeños into the vinegar bath.

soak for 20 minutes

Use a wooden spoon or a rubber spatula to press the sliced peppers down into the liquid and stir every so often. Let these soak for about 20 minutes.

pickling jalapenos

After 10-15 minutes you’ll start to recognize the color of the jalapeno rings. They will start turning that distinct olive-y green color.

use tongs to transfer jalapenos to jar

Use tongs to remove the jalapeños and transfer then into a clean liter jar.

press them down as you go

Pack the jar FULL with all the pickled jalapeños.

add pickling liquids

Then use a ladle to pour the pickling liquid over top. I made a mess of it. Which is to be expected.

Easy Homemade Pickled Jalapenos

I’m not gonna lie, I snacked on quite a few of these spicy peppers while they were still warm. Yes my mouth was on fire, but it was a delicious sort of pain.

So worth it.

Easy Homemade Pickled Jalapenos

Let these cool down to room temperature before securing the lid and popping them into your fridge. If you have some jalapenos that are still are bit of the bright green, don’t worry. They’ll turn that signature green color while in the fridge.

Easy Homemade Pickled Jalapenos

Can this pickled jalapeño recipe be canned?

This is not a canning recipe therefore not shelf stable and will need to be kept refrigerated. If looking for canning instructions or directions, follow the USDA guidelines.

With that said, I personally treat these pickled jalapeños as I would any opened jar of pickled produce in your fridge.

How Long Will These Pickled Jalapeño Last?

If kept in the airtight jar and stored in the refrigerator, they will last up to 2 months.

How Spicy are These Pickled Jalapeños?

At first they are very hot. However, the spicy heat of the peppers should mellow out the longer they are in the fridge.

How Can I make Crunchy Pickled Jalapeños?

Allow the pickling liquids to cool completely before adding the sliced jalapeños. They are soaking in a liquid so there’s always a chance they soften a bit over time.

Click Here For more quick pickling recipes!

Easy Homemade Pickled Jalapenos

Enjoy! And if you give this Easy Homemade Pickled Jalapeños a try, let me know! Snap a photo and tag me on twitter or instagram!

Easy Homemade Pickled Jalapenos

Easy Homemade Pickled Jalapenos
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Yield: 1 liter jar

Easy Homemade Pickled Jalapeños

The BEST recipe for easy homemade pickled jalapenos from scratch! Fresh jalapeños are quickly pickled, jarred and ready to eat in under an hour - although they will be super spicy! Delicious on burgers, pizza, stuffed into burritos or on top of nachos. Yields 1 liter jar or about 4-1/4 cups.

Ingredients

  • 20 jalapeños, sliced, stems discarded
  • 2 cloves garlic, smashed and peeled
  • cup distilled white vinegar
  • cup filtered water
  • 1/4 cup sugar, optional as this is for flavoring
  • 2 tablespoons kosher salt

Instructions 

  • In a medium sauce pan combine sugar, salt, garlic, water and vinegar,
  • Heat to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar and salt. Once at a boil; add the sliced jalapenos pressing them so they are submerged under the pickling liquids. Remove the pot off of the heat and let them sit for 10-15 minutes.
  • Use tongs to transfer the jalapenos into a clean jar. Ladle the pickling juices over top until you've reached the top of the jar. Let cool at room temperature before securing a lid and popping them into the fridge.

Notes

This is not a canning recipe therefore NOT shelf stable and will need to be kept refrigerated.
I recommend treating these as I would any opened jar of jalapenos. They should last a long while if kept refrigerated in the airtight jar.
If looking for canning instructions or directions, follow the USDA guidelines.
Nutrition Disclaimer: All information presented on this site is intended for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and any nutritional information shared on SimplyScratch.com should only be used as a general guideline.
Serving: 1jar, Calories: 340kcal, Carbohydrates: 70g, Protein: 3g, Fat: 1g, Saturated Fat: 0.3g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.3g, Monounsaturated Fat: 0.1g, Sodium: 13984mg, Potassium: 729mg, Fiber: 8g, Sugar: 62g, Vitamin A: 3019IU, Vitamin C: 334mg, Calcium: 82mg, Iron: 1mg