Pickled Jalapeños made from scratch. Spicy, tangy, and slightly sweet.
Watch the VIDEO below or follow the step-by-step pictures to make this Mexican food classic.
Also called “Jalapeños en Escabeche” or “Chiles en Vinagre.”
I’m totally obsessed with Pickled Jalapeños.
They make a great addition to Milanesa de Pollo or next to Pollo Adobado.
Out of all my recipes, this recipe for is in my top 5.
Once you try it, you’ll understand my madness.
How to Make Pickled Jalapeños
You’re going to need a lot of fresh jalapeños. This is 1 lb.
FYI: If you see yellow lines along the side of the jalapeno, that means it is spicier.
If you cut them sideways, like in the picture above, you can’t take out as many seeds.
In Spanish, these slices are referred to as “nachos.”
A term that comes from the Tex Mex favorite dish of nachos. You know, tortilla chips and melted cheese, etc.
If you can’t handle the heat like I can, use rubber gloves.
You can slice them lengthwise which is referred to in Spanish as “rajas.”
This is my preferred way because you can remove the seeds.
Especially if you’re giving these pickled jalapeños away as a gift, you want to remove as much of the heat as possible.
Not everyone likes spicy food. Shocking, I know!
Set those aside and chop the next ingredients. I like carrots and onions.
Other vegetables you can add: cauliflower and broccoli.
My older brother and I used to fight each other for the carrot slices when we were kids.
I still love pickled carrots. That’s why I add so many. If carrots ain’t yo thang, don’t use them.
I like thick pieces, but some people prefer the thin slices. To please everyone, I do both.
Next time, I make an escabeche, I’ll do just carrots.
Escabeche, by the way, means “marinade.” Usually it references a pickled food.
Onion is also something you find with Chiles en Vinagre, or Pickled Jalapeños.
You can cut them however you like. Me, I can be lazy. These are simply quartered.
You can also slice them and use as a topping for your tacos.
If you are not an onion person, it’s ok to leave them out.
There are different ways to make chiles en vinagre, Jalapeños en escabeche, or whatever you want to call them. lol.
Please know that this is the way that I was taught, and it is one of my favorite recipes EVER!
My Pickled Jalapeños recipe starts by heating oil in a large stockpot.
Pull out the large stockpot you have. This makes two large containers or 4 small containers.
Then add the carrots.
Stir occasionally, making sure they don’t burn.
Cook for 3-4 minutes.
If they get burned you will need to start all over again.
You will also need to wash the pot to get out all of the burned smell.
Add all the jalapeños.
Stir occasionally. Cook for 3-4 minutes.
Watch those carrots. You don’t want them to over cook.
FYI: Chiles en Vinagre translated means “chiles in a vinegar marinade.”
We have so many names for things in Spanish. Jalapeños en Escabeche is a common term you will hear.
If you find a restaurant that makes its own Pickled Jalapeños, chances are they also sell them.
Add the onions. The onions don’t take long to cook.
Maybe 1-2 minutes.
Have all your ingredients ready. This next part will go fast.
Add garlic.
It will give the Chiles en Vinagre, or Pickled Jalapeños, a great flavor.
If you don’t like garlic, you can take it out later.
Even though.. I’ve seen people eat the pickled garlic whole.
Something about that just doesn’t sit with me, but Hey! To each their own.
Now time for the vinegar.
This is white distilled vinegar.
You can also use apple cider vinegar.
We use a lot of vinegar in Mexico. Not just for cooking but also for cleaning.
Add water. This recipe calls for a 1:1 ratio water to vinegar.
For these 2 cups of water, you need 2 cups of vinegar.
If you need more water, add more vinegar.
Oregano is a must in my book.
You can add it as is here, or crush it slightly in your hand before adding to the pot.
It’s up to you, though, and your taste. If you are not a fan of oregano, simply omit.
However, oregano adds a lot to this Pickled Jalapeños recipe.
Laurel leaves or Bay leaves.
The more, the better.
These are 6 bay leaves.
Add them to the storing container, but be sure to remove before eating the chiles.
Whole peppercorn is best. If you don’t have them, use ground pepper.
I sometimes will use a combination of the two.
Cloves. Pretty sure this is what makes this Pickled Jalapeños recipe amazing.
It gives the chiles an earthiness and depth.
I know it might sound a little weird, but I highly encourage you to try it once. Then decide for yourself.
Then when you add the sugar, you’ll get these spicy and sweet jalapeños… DROOL!
There are a lot of people who don’t like Pickled Jalapeños. The sugar really helps with the heat.
It really throws people off guard when they first taste the sweet and then the heat.
Can’t forget the salt. Give everything a good stir.
You want to use good salt. Pink salt or sea salt preferred.
Cover with a lid. Bring it all up to boil.
5-7 minutes, or until the carrots are fork tender.
How Long Do the Pickled Jalapeños Last?
Fill your container and store up to a week.
They last in the fridge for 1-2 months.
If you decide to can them, they last up to 3 years.
Hope you enjoy this recipe!
Don’t forget to watch the video on how to make Pickled Jalapeños
Pickled Jalapeños
Ingredients
- 1 lbs fresh Jalapeños sliced
- 5 carrots sliced
- 1 whole onion quarted
- 4 whole garlic cloves peeled
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 cups water
- 2 cups white distilled vinegar
- 6 Bay Leaves
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 8 whole peppercorn or 1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
- 4 whole cloves
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Cut the jalapeños, carrots, onions.
- In a large stockpot, heat the oil.
- Add the carrots first.
- Cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Make sure the carrots don’t burn.
- Add the jalapeños.
- Cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add the onion.
- Cook for 1 minute, until the onion is translucent.
- Add the water, white distilled vinegar, bay leaves, oregano, peppercorn, cloves, sugar, salt.
- Cover and bring to a boil.
- minutes, or until the carrots are soft.
- Place in container.
- Lasts 1-2 months in the fridge.
- An unopened canned jar will last 3-5 years.
Pickled Jalapeño Recipes:
Pickled Jalapeño Recipes:
Jalapeño and Cheese Tamales (Rajas con Queso)
Homemade Spicy Jalapeño Poppers
Pescado a la Veracruzana (Veracruz-Style Fish)
Torta de Jamón (Mexican Ham Sandwich)
Chicken Torta (Mexican Chicken Sandwich)
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links.
My husband loves anything pickled! I will have to make these pickled jalapenos for him for sure! I bet they would be super delicious and they seem pretty easy to do.
Very easy! Hope your hubby likes these Pickled Jalapeños.
To hot for me. I know many that would love this receipt. I’m for sure going to share.
I would never try jalapenos but these being also tangy and slightly sweet I’m very intrigued. Sounds interesting!!
This Pickled Jalapeños recipe is slightly sweet because I added sugar. If you don’t want them to be sweeter, take out the sugar. Me, I like the spicy and sweet kind.
I make pickled Jalapenos all the time but, please don’t tell anyone that I think yours looks way better than mine!! I need to make your pickled peppers, actually I’m pinning your recipe to make this weekend. Your peppers look amazing and so tasty!
That’s so cool! I love making Pickled Jalapeños. So easy and much tastier than the store-bought kind.
I pretty much love pickled anything. My grandmother used to make her own pickles and pickled veggies but I’ve never tried it myself. Excited to give this recipe a try.
How cool is that! We used to pickle stuff too on the ranch in Mexico. During harvest time, it was all about Pickled Jalapeños. This recipe, I have to say, is my favorite. Hope you try this out!
These look delicious! I’ve never tried to make them but I really want to!
This recipe for Pickled Jalapeños is the best. I don’t just say that because it’s my recipe, but these are seriously the best Pickled Jalapeños I’ve ever tasted. One year, I even gave them out as Christmas gifts.