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    Home » Recipes » Mexican

    Updated: Jun 7, 2022 by Marc · 53 Comments

    Pickled Jalapenos (escabeche)

    These Mexican pickled jalapeno peppers, carrots, onions and garlic go with tacos, burritos or just about any Mexican dish you can think of.
    Recipe Pin

    I love spicy food, but jalapenos just aren't something I use tons of at any one time. Since I feel a little odd just buying one pepper, the rest of the bag usually ends up going bad. After realizing how easy it is to make pickled jalapenos, I don't think I'll ever be running into a bag of half decomposed jalapenos at the bottom of my vegetable drawer again.

    Tart and piquant, these pickles make an awesome snack with a frosty beer and can be used as a condiment for your favorite Mexican dish. I even like adding these to sandwiches like banh mi and tortas.

    I made a smallish portion for those of us with tiny refrigerators, but if you have the room, this is a great way to preserve that giant pack of jalapenos you picked up at Costco last week.

    📖 Recipe

    Pickled Jalapenos (escabeche)

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    Ingredients 

    • ½ cup white vinegar
    • ½ cup water
    • 1 bay leaf
    • 2 tablespoons kosher salt
    • 2 teaspoons black peppercorns
    • 2 teaspoons honey (optional)
    • 6 jalapeno peppers (sliced into ¼" wheels)
    • 1 carrot (peeled and cut into ¼" wheels)
    • 1 medium onion (peeled and cut into 16 wedges)
    • 6 cloves garlic (peeled)

    Instructions

    • Remove the seeds and white pith of the jalapeno if you want them less spicy
    • Put all the ingredients in a non-reactive (stainless steel) saucepan and bring to a boil over medium high heat. Continue boiling until the jalapenos have gone from a vivid green to an earthy olive green. Turn the heat off and allow the jalapeno pickles to cool.
    • These jalapeno pickles can be stored for a very long time in a sealed container in the fridge. Serve with tacos, nachos, or just about any of your favorite Mexican foods.
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      Recipe Rating




    1. JohnK says

      August 16, 2011 at 6:36 am

      I made this as the recipe is written and had no problems. I am sensitive to salt and this was in no way too salty. If anything, the vinegar dominated. Very tasty!

      Reply
    2. Jacki C. says

      August 18, 2011 at 1:12 pm

      I made this recipe last weekend and I absolutely loved it--will be making it again soon. I noticed the comments about saltiness--My pickles were a little salty the first day, but after a day or two in the refrigerator, the salt mellowed and it was all spice after that. When I put them in the jar, the veggies weren't completely covered so I topped off with a little apple cider vinegar. For a simple and very tasty hors d'oeuvre, serve with little slices of good quality Pecorino Romano--the creamy tang of the cheese cuts the spice. It's a perfect international pairing. Thanks for the great recipe!

      Reply
    3. Brandon says

      August 26, 2011 at 3:48 am

      Would this work if I put other types of peppers in with the jalapenos? I have some Thai Red Dragons that are super hot and I want a hotter batch of pickled peppers.

      Reply
    4. Mccloughan4050 says

      September 09, 2011 at 4:32 pm

      Can I can this recipe in pint jars and water bath the same as I would with raw pac?

      Reply
    5. Marc Matsumoto says

      September 09, 2011 at 11:58 pm

      I've never done it before but there's no reason why you shouldn't be able to.

      Reply
    6. Mccloughan4050 says

      September 10, 2011 at 11:59 pm

      Thank you, I did can  them, now I will see how they turned out.  Winter stock!!  Yeah.  Will let you know so you may add it to your recipe if like.

      Reply
    7. Handsbestrong says

      January 12, 2012 at 11:17 pm

      Hey Marc!  Love the site!  So awesome!!!  Can't wait to try it all!  Came across your jalapenos tonight.  I LOVE pick. jalapenos!  Growing up in So. Cal we had a lot of Mexican food around.  They always had pick. jalap's that were crunchy and not mushy.  I tried and tried to find a rec. that made them like this but never could.  Well, I live in SW MO. now and I met this Amish girl here!  Ha!  The Amish know a lot about canning! 😉  Anyway, she told me just to cut up the jalap's with the carrots and onions, mix the K. salt with the vinegar and pour it on top, put it in the frig. IT WORKED!!  No mushy jalap's!!  Perfectly crunchy and super awesome!  No cooking nessesary!  Just thought I'd share it with you, but I know you are WAY PRO and know so much more than me!! 🙂  Love your stuff!!! 🙂

      Faith

      Reply
    8. Marc Matsumoto says

      January 13, 2012 at 3:23 am

      Thanks for your note and sharing your recipe! I love the crunchy kind too, but I'm too impatient to wait for them to pickle all the way:-) By cooking them a little they still retain a little crispness (certainly not as crunchy as totally raw), while pickling almost instantly (you can eat them right away).

      Reply
    9. As says

      January 22, 2012 at 7:14 pm

      Hi im doing a Project and I just wanted to know how long do Jalapeno peppers stay fresh on the Counter

                                 Thanks
                                              S.A

      Reply
    10. Marc Matsumoto says

      January 23, 2012 at 12:45 am

      If you mean fresh jalapeños that haven't been pickled, they'll
      start shriveling up after about a day. Pickled, they should last for weeks. If use a sterile jaring/canning technique, they should last for months.

      Reply
    11. Earlgrey25 says

      January 30, 2012 at 5:20 am

      Hi, my mom actually makes this quite often, if you want you can add zucchini, cauliflower and nopales, in similar sizes.

      Reply
    12. Kaye Adams says

      June 09, 2012 at 9:39 pm

      Just made my second batch!  They both turned out beautifully and my husband loves them! I went ahead and sterilized my jars and lids and poured it in hot.  I think they'll keep in our extra fridge for quite some time now.  I'm so excited to finally have a recipe we like for all those extra jalapenos from our little square foot garden.  Thanks!

      Reply
    13. Kaye Adams says

      June 10, 2012 at 1:39 am

      Just made my second batch!  They both turned out beautifully and my husband loves them! I went ahead and sterilized my jars and lids and poured it in hot.  I think they'll keep in our extra fridge for quite some time now.  I'm so excited to finally have a recipe we like for all those extra jalapenos from our little square foot garden.  Thanks!

      Reply
    14. Chris says

      July 25, 2012 at 8:36 pm

      I tried this recipe and I have to say that it is very good. I added a small amount of cumin to mine and I used cider vinegar and the additional flavor is tremendous. These jalapeno pickles are both sweet, hot and savory all at the same time. I want to try this same recipe except to substitue green tomatoes for the jalapenos and axe the cumin.

      Reply
    15. Chris says

      July 26, 2012 at 12:36 am

      I tried this recipe and I have to say that it is very good. I added a small amount of cumin to mine and I used cider vinegar and the additional flavor is tremendous. These jalapeno pickles are both sweet, hot and savory all at the same time. I want to try this same recipe except to substitue green tomatoes for the jalapenos and axe the cumin.

      Reply
    16. Marc Matsumoto says

      July 26, 2012 at 2:00 am

      Great idea with the green tomatoes, though you might not want to add tomatoes to the hot water as even a little heat will make them lose their crunch. Maybe make the brine and pour it over the tomatoes? Let us know how it goes!

      Reply
    17. David says

      December 19, 2012 at 6:38 pm

      Thanks for the Pickled Jalapeno Recipe! Just awesome. I've tried making this before because after leaving San Diego I could not find good Mexican food where I lived.

      Reply
    18. Marilia says

      December 31, 2012 at 10:10 am

      they're perfect with tortas and tacos, but in my family, if we have a meat dish like pork or beef, they're automatically on the table 🙂

      Reply
    19. Linda m says

      May 13, 2013 at 8:19 pm

      I used red and yellow bell peppers instead of carrots and added about 1/4 cup of sugar because I like hot and sweet. The only thing I would add would be to use a small pan because there isn't much liquid in comparison to the veggies. Thanks so much for the recipe. I will try lots of variations 🙂

      Reply
    20. jatipete says

      July 18, 2013 at 7:01 am

      I think it is superb. will make a batch

      Reply
    21. Scott Oberg says

      August 02, 2013 at 1:49 pm

      Not that this sort of pickling is all that hard, but I usually just save the delicious pickle juice from store-bought dills or other treats and use that to make pickled jalepenos. They usually even go back into the same jar. Recycle!

      Reply
    22. YLK says

      May 15, 2023 at 2:38 pm

      This recipe reminds me of a spicy snake bean (or yard long bean) with ground pork that my ex's mom used to make. She used to brine her own yard long beans for a few days before making the dish, which was spicy, tangy and absolutely delicious. I think I'm going to try and replicate her recipe starting with this recipe.

      Reply
      • Marc says

        May 15, 2023 at 2:40 pm

        Wow that sounds great! Thanks for sharing.

        Reply
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