Quick Pickled Spicy Peppers
Published 8/12/2023 • Updated 8/20/2023
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Ready to enjoy in under 2 hours, these quick pickled spicy peppers are a great way to easily preserve peppers. They add a spicy sweet touch to any dish!
We’re big fans of quick pickling peppers and onions. Not only are they a delicious addition to many of our favorite dinner recipes, they’re wildly easy to make. Simply make the brine in a jar, add the peppers, shake, and refrigerate. After 2 hours, they’re ready to go!
We like to keep a jar of these on hand in the studio at all times – they add a flavorful punch that instantly elevates a dish. And, this quick recipe is easily adaptable to your sweet/spice preference! Once you try pickled peppers, you’ll never look back.
Featured Comment
“These are amazing!! They’ll be a staple from here on out!” – Katy
What You Need for Pickled Peppers
Like all pickled recipes, there are 2 parts to pickled peppers: a brine and in this case, peppers. The spicy brine and variety of peppers yields perfectly pickled peppers every time.
Brine
- Vinegar: Classic white + apple cider vinegar is the base.
- Red Pepper Flakes: For an extra kick and depth of flavor.
- Honey: A little sweetness offsets the spice.
Peppers
Our favorite peppers for pickled peppers:
- Poblano
- Jalapeño
- Anaheim
- Serrano
This combination of all 4 peppers is what sets these pickled peppers apart from others we’ve tried. Don’t forget to add a few cloves of garlic and diced onion for a little something extra!
Variations
We like pretty spicy pickled peppers, but there are a couple options for sweeter pickled peppers:
- Remove the seeds of spicier pepper varieties before pickling
- Eliminate spicier peppers, like jalapeños from this recipe
FAQ
The longer you pickle, the spicier the result! We love quick pickling for at least 2 hours to bring out the delicious spicy flavors, but if you have time to pickle overnight, that is ideal for maximum heat.
Any kind of air-tight container works great for pickled peppers. We like to use 16 ounce mason jars with a lid but any size works. If you have smaller jars, just divide the ingredients between 2 smaller containers. Another option are air-tight food storage containers.
Storage
Pickled peppers last for up to 2 weeks in an air-tight container in the refrigerator. To save time (and dishes), use a mason jar with a lid so you can pickle and store them in the same container!
Serving Suggestions
Spicy pickled peppers add a welcome pop of flavor to many of our favorite recipes! They’re great toppers for:
- Quinoa Sweet Potato Burgers
- Juicy Turkey Burgers
- Black Bean Burgers
- Salmon Patties
- Slow Cooker BBQ Pulled Chicken
PS: Add pickled peppers to your next bloody mary for an extra kick!
Quick Pickled Spicy Peppers
Ingredients
- 2 cups white vinegar
- 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon red pepper flakes
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 1 poblano pepper, sliced or chopped
- 1 red or green Anaheim pepper, sliced
- 1 jalepeño pepper, sliced and deseeded
- 1 Serrano pepper, chopped
- 1/2 small white onion, diced
- 5 cloves garlic, peeled and mashed
Instructions
- Place apple cider vinegar, white vinegar, red pepper flakes, salt, and honey into a mason jar. Screw the cover on and shake the jar until the salt and sugar have dissolved.
- Then, add the cut peppers, sliced onion, and mashed garlic cloves into the jar. Be sure that all of the peppers are covered in vinegar.
- Place the lid back on the jar and give it one more shake.
- Finally, place the jar in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours or overnight for the optimal quick pickled peppers!
Tips & Notes
-
- Sweeter Pickled Peppers: For sweeter pickled peppers, remove the seeds of spicier pepper varieties before pickling or eliminate spicier peppers, like jalapeños, from this recipe.
- Spicier Pickled Peppers: Refrigerate the peppers overnight for maximum spice.
- Jars: We like to use these 16 ounce mason jars for pickled peppers.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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Amazing recipe. I made it but not in a spicy version – I definitely prefer mild ones! I used different kinds of peppers as I was having lots of them from my father. At the beginning of the year together with my family we ordered vegetable seeds on https://gardenseedsmarket.com/vegetables-en/ and some crops were canned to preserve them for winter. I think that your recipe is a bingo, it looks amazing and I can’t wait to taste it!
These are amazing!! They’ll be a staple from here on out!