Take your condiment game a notch higher with my Pickled Jalapeños Recipe. They are a lot better than most mushy, bland, store-bought brands! I created the recipe when I stumbled upon a cheap sale. I couldn't resist buying a whole load since Jalapeños are rare where I live; fresh or jarred, it's like striking gold! What's a man to do with a bunch of Jalapeño peppers? I thought, why not pickle them?
The goal was simple: make them crisp, full of flavor, and keep them low-carb - something I could load onto low-carb fajitas or any other delicious Mexican dish that loves a spicy, tangy twist. And guess what? It worked! These simple homemade pickled peppers are what you have been missing in your salads, sandwiches, grilled meats, and low-carb snacks. Let's learn how to make them!
This recipe is: Low Carb, Keto, Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Paleo, Vegetarian and Vegan
Table of Contents
5 Reasons to love this recipe
I am confident that this is one of the best pickled jalapeños recipes for 5 reasons:
- Incredibly easy to make.
- Perfectly crisp!
- Low-carb and keto-friendly.
- Great topping for any Mexican-style dish.
- Pairs perfectly with grilled meats like burgers and chicken.
Are Pickled Jalapeño Peppers Low-Carb?
Yes, many pickled jalapeño peppers are low-carb because jalapeños are typically low in carbohydrates. However, pay keen attention to the ingredients list of store-bought pickled jalapeños to spot added sugars or starches.
Also, you have to check my article on "Are Jalapenos Keto?" - amazing details backed up by our certified nutritionist!
This recipe is low-carb with less than 1 g net carbs per serving. You may happily pile them onto grilled burgers, grilled chicken breasts, a big platter of fajitas. You can use this jalapeño pepper recipe without worrying about undesirable carb spikes.
Pickled Jalapeño Peppers Ingredients List
You need the following ingredients to hack this recipe for pickled jalapeños:
- 15 fresh jalapeños, thinly sliced
- 1 cup white vinegar or apple cider vinegar
- 1 cup water
- 2 garlic cloves, smashed
- 2 tablespoons monk fruit sweetener (adjust based on your taste preference)
- 15 black peppercorns (optional)
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt or sea salt
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano (optional)
Ingredients Substitutions
Use these substitutions if you can't anything mentioned in the list above:
- Jalapeños: Use banana peppers, serrano peppers, or even hotter peppers like scotch bonnets or habaneros if you’re really into the heat!
- Monk fruit sweetener: Any other low-carb sweetener like erythritol, stevia, or allulose will do. Remember, the sweetness varies between these sweeteners. You may need to do a little experimenting.
- Dried oregano: Try dried basil, thyme, or store-bought Italian seasoning mix.
Additional Ingredients
While the ingredients listed above are perfect for pickling jalapeños, I love to add a new flavor dimension to the recipe with these optional ingredients:
- Spices: Increase the overall complexity of the flavors by adding some red chili pepper flakes (more heat!), dried mustard seeds, or coriander seeds. Be sure to add these spices into the brine rather than when you are adding the jalapeños to the jar, as they will just float to the top.
- Onions: I like adding some sweet or red onions into the mix. They are also delicious when pickled and add a good crunch.
- Vegetables: Add sliced carrots or thinly sliced celery for extra crunchiness. Be careful with the amount of carrots as they are higher in carbs.
- Aromatics: Add a bay leaf to the brine for a depth of flavor. Thin slices of fresh ginger also add a touch of complexity to the jalapeno pickles.
Note: The additional ingredients are not part of the original recipe. Use them only to jazz up the recipe.
Cooking Tools
The pickled jalapeños recipe requires the following ingredients:
How To Make Pickled Jalapeños: Complete Guide
Cooking Method
- Simmering
Preparation Steps
- Gather the tools and ingredients.
- Measure the ingredients.
- Prepare the brine: First, make the brine, so it can cool while you're slicing the peppers. Combine the white vinegar, water, monk fruit sweetener, smashed garlic cloves, salt, and spices in a saucepan. Heat this mixture until it simmers for the flavors to meld together and the sweetener to dissolve completely.
- Slice the jalapeño peppers: Wash and slice the jalapeño peppers to the desired thickness. Keep in mind that thinner jalapeño slices pickle more quickly, and thicker ones remain more crisp in the fridge longer. A tip: wearing gloves can save you from a spicy surprise later on!
- Jar them up: Place your sliced jalapeños tightly into a jar. This could be a clean mason jar or any other glass jar.
- Pour over the brine: Carefully pour the brine over the jalapeños in the jar once it cools, ensuring they are fully submerged in the liquid.
- Cool and refrigerate: Let the jar cool to room temperature. This step is crucial before you pop them into the fridge. These pickled jalapeños are a quick pickle, meaning they are ready to eat after just 24 hours in the fridge, and don't require a water bath like traditional jarred or canned pickles.
Step 1: Combine all the ingredients for the brine. Boil and set aside.
Step 2: Slice the jalapenos to the desired thickness. Add to the jar.
Step 3: Carefully add the warm brining liquid to the jalapenos
Step 4: Carefully compress the jalapenos into the jar. Wait until cool enough to handle.
Step 5: Allow to cool to room temperature before refrigerating.
Step 6: After a couple hours or a day, enjoy your pickled jalapeno peppers!
💡 My Pro Tip
The brine is the most crucial component of this spicy pickled jalapeño recipe. The first thing to consider is that when the hot brine reaches a boil, it begins to saturate all the dried herbs and spices. Without this step, they all float to the top of the brining liquid and fail to impart their flavor evenly to all of the jalapeño.
Second, this is a quick pickle recipe for jalapeño peppers and not one for canned jalapenos. Therefore, we will not be heating them in a water bath. For this reason, we must ensure that all the ingredients in the brine dissolve into a solution that will keep our jalapeños fresh and safe to consume for a long time.
My second tip is from my experience over the years. Use gloves when working with jalapeño or other hot peppers. The capsaicin (the hot component of the pepper) penetrates the skin of the fingers gently, so even with hand washing there will be traces of heat left on your fingers. With gloves on, you do not risk inflaming areas of your body later by accidentally rubbing them with capsaicin-covered fingers!
⏲️ Time-Saving Tips
- Use gloves! This one tip will save a lot of time and potential discomfort!
- Use clean utensils when removing the pickled jalapeños from the jar. Why? Well, if you use fingers or a fork that is being used to serve dinner, it introduces bacteria into the jalapeño. This will reduce the shelf life exponentially, meaning you have to toss out the contaminated jalapeños and make a whole new batch!
- Make the easy pickled jalapeño recipe a week in advance if you are concerned about the spiciness. The jalapeño pickles mellow out with time. After a week in the fridge, they will be less hot than the first few days.
What To Eat With Pickled Jalapeños?
Low-carb pickled jalapeños (no sugar) add a fantastic tangy, spicy twist to various recipes. Try them on these low-carb dishes:
- Fresh Keto Taco Salad: A refreshing mix of crunchy greens and savory meat, this salad is a delight with the spicy burst of pickled jalapeño peppers.
- Oven Baked Chicken Fajitas: Enjoy the vibrant fusion of baked chicken and bell peppers, perfectly enhanced by the tangy heat of pickled jalapeños.
- Slow Cooker Pork Carnitas: Fall-apart pork carnitas get an exciting twist with the tangy flavor of pickled jalapeño peppers.
- Southwestern Salad Bowl: A lively blend of beans, corn, and greens, this bowl is a perfect match for the sharpness of pickled jalapeños.
- Pulled Pork Tacos: The rich, tender pulled pork in these tacos pairs wonderfully with the vibrant kick of pickled jalapeño peppers.
- Breakfast Fajita Frittata: Start your day with this hearty frittata, where eggs meet fajita flavors, complemented by pickled jalapeños.
Storage Tips
- Jarring: Proper storage is key to maintaining the quality and extending the shelf life of your homemade pickled jalapeño peppers. Pickle the peppers and allow them to cool before storing them in an airtight container. Glass jars with tight-sealing lids are ideal for this purpose. Ensure the peppers are fully submerged in the brine, as this helps prevent any spoilage and keeps the peppers crisp.
- Refrigeration: Ensure you consistently refrigerate the pickled jalapeños. The cold temperature of the refrigerator slows down the fermentation process and preserves the peppers' flavor and texture. Homemade pickled jalapeños can last for up to a month in the fridge, sometimes even longer if they are submerged in the brine and the jar is not frequently opened.
- Prevent contamination: It's critical to use clean utensils each time you remove peppers from the jar to avoid introducing bacteria into the brine, which can affect their longevity. Always keep an eye out for any changes in smell, taste, or appearance. If you notice anything off, it is best to discard the remaining peppers to avoid the risk of foodborne illness.
Recipe Conclusion
This Pickled Jalapeños Recipe is like an answered prayer for someone who barely sees jalapeños where they live. I am that person, and sometimes I find it hard to believe I can enjoy a delightfully spicy, tangy flavor in my meals all year round with just a handful of simple ingredients.
Now that you know how to pickle jalapeños make a large batch and refrigerate for future enjoyment. You will never add the store-bought versions to your shopping cart. It is that good! Plus, the low-carb pickles taste fantastic on almost everything savory.
Share your thoughts on the recipe in the comments below. Is the heat too much? Do you love the sweet flavor? I want to know all the details!
Please write in the comments any questions or suggestions you may have. You can also find us on Facebook or Instagram.
More Pickle Recipes
Did you love this pickled jalapeño recipe? Here are other low-carb pickle recipes you may like:
FAQs
Pickled jalapeños are essentially jalapeño peppers that have undergone the process of pickling. This involves preserving the peppers in a pickling liquid typically made of vinegar, water, and various seasonings, which may include garlic, sugar (or sugar substitutes for low-carb versions), and herbs. This preservation method extends the shelf life of the jalapeños and imparts a tangy flavor that complements their natural heat.
While pickled jalapeños fall under the broader category of pickled hot peppers, they are not entirely similar. Pickled hot peppers can include many other chili peppers, each with its unique flavor profile and heat level. Jalapeños are known for their moderate spiciness and are famous for their balance of heat and flavor.
Homemade pickled jalapeños can last for up to a month in the fridge. The longevity depends on the acidity of the pickling juice, how well the peppers were sterilized before pickling, and how you handle the pickles in the fridge.
Pickled Jalapeno Peppers
Ingredients
- 15 fresh jalapeños thinly sliced
- 1 cup white vinegar or apple cider vinegar
- 1 cup water
- 2 garlic cloves smashed
- 2 tablespoons monk fruit sweetener adjust based on your taste preference
- 15 black peppercorns optional
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt or sea salt
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano optional
Instructions
- Gather the tools and ingredients.
- Measure the ingredients.
- Prepare the brine: First, make the brine, so it can cool while you're slicing the peppers. Combine the white vinegar, water, monk fruit sweetener, smashed garlic cloves, salt, and spices in a saucepan. Heat this mixture until it simmers for the flavors to meld together and the sweetener to dissolve completely.
- Slice the jalapeño peppers: Wash and slice the jalapeño peppers to the desired thickness. Keep in mind that thinner jalapeño slices pickle more quickly, and thicker ones remain more crisp in the fridge longer. A tip: wearing gloves can save you from a spicy surprise later on!
- Jar them up: Place your sliced jalapeños tightly into a jar. This could be a clean mason jar or any other glass jar.
- Pour over the brine: Carefully pour the brine over the jalapeños in the jar once it cools, ensuring they are fully submerged in the liquid.
- Cool and refrigerate: Let the jar cool to room temperature. This step is crucial before you pop them into the fridge. These pickled jalapeños are a quick pickle, meaning they are ready to eat after just 24 hours in the fridge, and don't require a water bath like traditional jarred or canned pickles
Notes
- Oregano Distribution in Brine: When your brine reaches a boil, it helps saturate the dried oregano, ensuring it doesn't all float on the top. This even distribution adds a consistent flavor to the whole batch.
- Safety with Gloves: While gloves are essential in handling jalapeños, remember not to touch your face, eyes, or any sensitive areas while wearing them. The gloves prevent the capsaicin (the spicy component in peppers) from lingering on your hands, reducing the risk of irritation later.
- Spiciness Over Time: These pickled jalapeño peppers mellow out in their spice level the longer they sit in the refrigerator. So, if you're a fan of a spicy kick, you might want to enjoy them sooner rather than later.
- Submerging the Peppers: Ensure all jalapeño slices are fully submerged in the brine for an even pickle. If some slices are stubbornly floating to the top, use a glass bowl or canning weight to keep them underwater.
- Vinegar Varieties: Feel free to experiment with different types of vinegar to suit your taste. Personally, I find apple cider vinegar to be the best choice, as it complements the monk fruit sweetener beautifully, balancing the tang and sweetness.
- Sweetener Substitutions: If monk fruit sweetener isn’t your preference, other keto-friendly sweeteners like stevia or erythritol can be used. However, keep in mind that the quantities might vary depending on the sweetener's sweetness level and your personal taste.
- Storage Tips: Please review the blog post for storage tips!
- PLEASE NOTE: This recipe is for quick pickled jalapeno peppers, not for canned jalapeno peppers. No water bath or sterilization is needed for quick pickling.
Nutrition
“This website provides approximate nutrition data and information for convenience and as a courtesy only.”
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This is my user experience on your site
Hi James-
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