Spicy Pickled Jalapeños
by Sommer Collier — last updated on Sep 12, 2025 
These slightly sweet, Spicy Pickled Jalapeños are made as a quick and easy refrigerator pickle recipe. Learn our foolproof method for making perfect pickled peppers from scratch – without canning!
Sommer’s Recipe Notes
This simple Pickled Jalapeno recipe is a great way to use and preserve your jalapeños.
Once pickled, the spicy peppers are tangy-hot, but with a bit of sweetness, and wonderfully tender. They’re delicious to enjoy on all kinds of salads, sandwiches, pizza, charcuterie boards, burgers, and nachos. Or enjoy them in any dish that needs a flavorful kick of heat!
Why You’ll Love Spicy Pickled Jalapeños
- Balance of flavors – These tangy, spicy and slightly sweet peppers are the perfect balance of flavors.
- Simple – I love how easy it is to put this altogether, and best of all, you’ll have the most delicious condiment ready in just 2 hours!
You can use traditional canning steps for making any number of tasty pickles. However, our favorite way to pickle peppers – or just about anything – is with the quick and easy refrigerator method. You simply fill clean jars with all of your goodies, pour in a hot brine (ready in 5 minutes!), seal and shake the jars, and wait. In just a few hours you’ll have a delicious pickle that can be kept in the fridge for weeks.
Ingredients and Tips
- Fresh jalapeño peppers – Use sliced jalapeños with or without seeds.
- Garlic cloves – Make sure these are peeled and smashed.
- Italian seasoning – This is my favorite type of seasoning for this pickled recipe.
- Apple cider vinegar – You can use use plain white vinegar for a more pungent pickled flavor.
- Water – This is essential to make the brine.
- Granulated sugar – Adds a hint of sweetness to mellow the spiciness.
- Kosher salt – This is also essential for pickling as a preservative.
- Mason jars – Definitely don’t forget the mason jars!
Recipe Variations and Dietary Swaps
- Herbs – Swap the Italian seasoning with Mexican herbs like oregano, thyme or dill.
- Vinegar – Use rice vinegar or white vinegar for a slightly sharper taste.
- Extra spicy – Mix in some slices of serrano or habanero peppers.
- Carrots – Stir in some sliced fresh carrots for an extra crunch.
How to Make Spicy Pickled Jalapeños
Find the full Spicy Pickled Jalapeños recipe with detailed instructions and storage tips in the printable form at the bottom of the post!
Storage Notes
- Storing Leftovers – Store leftovers in a tightly closed jar in the refrigerator for up to 6 months.
Serving Suggestions
Use pickled peppers to add a bit of tangy heat to sandwiches and burgers – like these Drowned Carnitas Party Sandwiches and Spicy Cowboy Bacon Burgers.
Add them to fresh salads, charcuterie boards, or antipasto platters.
You can even chop up the Jalapeno Pickles and add them to southern salads like macaroni salad or broccoli salad.
Frequently Asked Questions
This pickled peppers recipe works great for pickling banana peppers, red Italian peppers, cayenne peppers, and more! Basically, if it’s a pepper you can pickle it.
Yes, but just once. Don’t keep reusing the same old brine!
Quick Spicy Pickled Jalapeños Recipe
Video
Ingredients
- 1 pound fresh jalapenos sliced into 1/8 inch rounds
- 8 cloves garlic peeled and smashed
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 ½ cups apple cider vinegar
- 1 ½ cups water
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons kosher salt
Instructions
- Set out 4 clean half-pint jars with lids.
- Slice the jalapenos. You can leave the seeds in for hot pickled jalapenos, or remove them for a milder batch. Fill the jars with jalapeno slices.
- Then in each jar, place 2 smashed garlic cloves and ¼ teaspoon Italian seasoning.
- Set a medium saucepot over high heat. Add the vinegar, water, sugar, and salt. Bring to a boil.
- Once boiling, remove from heat and immediately ladle the hot pickling brine into the jars. Make sure to cover the jalapenos completely.
- Carefully screw the lids on tight, and allow the jars to rest until they cool to room temperature. Then move the jars to the refrigerator. The jalapenos can be used after 2 hours, but improve over time.
These jalapeños were perfectly flavored and so easy to make. I’ll be using this recipe every year when my garden is overrun with peppers…thank you!
These were so good, I could not stop snacking on them, before I knew it I had eaten them all.
I love making this & having some in the fridge waiting to be used! They are so good on many things & add a ton of flavor!
this is the easiest way to pickle jalapeños just the way that my mother loves! This is always my way of giving her a gift! she loves them!