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Home ► Recipes ► Mexican

Pickled Jalapenos (escabeche)

Updated: 10.18.23 | Marc Matsumoto | 54 Comments

5 from 2 votes
These Mexican pickled jalapeno peppers, carrots, onions and garlic go with tacos, burritos or just about any Mexican dish you can think of.
Recipe

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)

5 from 2 votes
Print Pin

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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. Wanda Leach says

    April 30, 2025 at 5:44 am

    5 stars
    fantastic

    Reply
  2. 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
  3. 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
  4. jatipete says

    July 18, 2013 at 7:01 am

    I think it is superb. will make a batch

    Reply
  5. 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
  6. 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
  7. 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
  8. 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
  9. 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
  10. 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
  11. 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
  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. 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
  14. 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
  15. 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
  16. 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
  17. 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
  18. 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
  19. 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
  20. 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
  21. 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
  22. 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
  23. 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
  24. Clr457 says

    July 29, 2011 at 10:47 pm

    I just like this recipe!!! Yummy and so very easy. I'm going to make some and give it away as little treats. I double the onions and use sweet ones. I also use more carrots. I have'nt put the honey in. Guess I'm just a sour puss. 🙂

    Reply
  25. We Are Never Full says

    July 28, 2011 at 12:36 pm

    We're reaching the point where we have too many peppers from our garden to keep up, pickling is our only hope of not wasting the entire crop. I'm getting on this as soon as I have time. Thanks Marc!

    Reply
  26. Marilia says

    July 03, 2011 at 3:06 pm

    I'm planning on trying this today.

    Reply
  27. Littlesound says

    July 03, 2011 at 10:33 am

    I had same problem with the first batch I made. The second jar, I used approximately one and a half teaspoons of salt. It was perfect. 

    Reply
  28. Erin C. says

    June 30, 2011 at 2:46 am

    Caitlyn,
         The pickling process you are referring to uses only sea salt and water (and sometimes whey from yogurt) to brine the veggies. Then you set them out on your counter for 3 or 4 days, before you transfer them to the fridge.  You do not want to use vinegar to make that type of pickle.  Vinegar will halt the bacterial fermentation, which is what you want when making that type of pickle.  This type of fermented pickle veggies are much healthier as they contain lots of healthy bacteria that your gut needs.

    Reply
  29. Infinitejest says

    June 29, 2011 at 4:45 pm

    I have since thrown the box away, but I'm pretty sure it was Morton's Kosher Salt. Thanks for the advice re: soaking in vinegar and water, as well as the link re: salinity.

    I picked about a dozen more peppers over the past couple of days, so I'll be attempting this again soon!

    Reply
  30. Cledda7818 says

    June 29, 2011 at 2:16 am

    i made this pickled jalapenos, but i added some string beans and cabbage. DELICIOUS!!! it's similar to the haitian style peeklees.

    Reply
  31. Stacie Capone says

    June 28, 2011 at 3:42 am

    I always get excited when I can use the entire container of jalapenos from Trader Joes!  Now my extra jalapenos will never go to waste -  Can't wait to try this out!

    Reply
  32. Marc Matsumoto says

    June 28, 2011 at 1:09 am

    What brand of kosher salt did you use? I know this sounds ridiculous, but
    the salinity varies widely by brand. I did a bit of research and came across
    this: https://smittenkitchen.com/tips/not-all-salts-are-created-equally/

    Very annoying, and I'm really sorry your batch didn't turn out. If you
    haven't thrown them out, you may be able to rescue them by soaking them in a
    50/50 mix of vinegar and water (with no salt). That should draw some of the
    salt out after a few days.

    Reply
  33. Infinitejest says

    June 27, 2011 at 3:10 pm

    Yes, I used kosher- are you sure it's Tablespoons and not Teaspoons of salt?

    Reply
  34. Marc Matsumoto says

    June 27, 2011 at 7:49 am

    Sorry to hear it didn't work out for you. Did you use kosher salt? If you
    used regular salt you need to halve the quantity of salt.

    Reply
  35. Infinitejest says

    June 27, 2011 at 2:17 am

    I followed your recipe to a tee, and the resulting "pickles" were WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAYYYYY too salty. Two tablespoons is entirely too much, and my finished product was inedible because of it.

    Reply
  36. Marc Matsumoto says

    June 26, 2011 at 9:30 am

    Thanks! I'm not entirely sure what you mean by "edit" but I do process the
    RAW files through Adobe Lightroom if that's what you mean.

    Reply
  37. Harold says

    June 26, 2011 at 3:58 am

    Your food looks so attractive to eat! This is little off topic but do you edit your pictures as well?

    Reply
  38. Marc Matsumoto says

    June 23, 2011 at 4:02 am

    Thanks! I'm with you on east coast Mexican restaurants! One of the
    biggest things I miss about Cali.

    Reply
  39. Marc Matsumoto says

    June 23, 2011 at 4:00 am

    With these pickles you can actually eat them the day you make them,
    although they're better after as few days. The veggies are sliced
    which speeds up the process, but they're also par boiled in the brine
    which further accelerates the process.

    Reply
  40. Caitlyn! says

    June 23, 2011 at 12:24 am

    These look seriously excellent.  But my pickling education tells me they usually need to sit and pickle for a while before you can eat them--like a couple months.  Is that right?

    Reply
  41. Juliane3 says

    June 22, 2011 at 11:52 pm

    Excellent idea! My garden is overflowing with jalapenos and other hot peppers I won't be able to use immediately. WIll definitely make pickled hot peppers! Love your site! xoxo
    ~ Juliane of http://www.StyleNectar.com

    Reply
  42. EronS says

    June 22, 2011 at 11:27 pm

    Yum -- this is a great idea that looks simple and delicious!  I hate finding wrinkled, bad jalapenos in the bottom of the vegetable crisper.

    Reply
  43. Cassandra says

    June 22, 2011 at 8:19 pm

    So excited to make these! Fresh Spicy Pickle Carrots are one of my absolutely favorite condiments I miss from California. I'm Mexican raised in California where there are so many authentic Mexican mercados that it's cheaper to buy then spend the time and money to make your own, also with the sudden unexpected death of my abuela, unfortunately that means most of my favorite Mexican foods I have no clue how to make because the recipe wasn't passed down to me. Which wasn't a problem until we had to move to the East Coast for my husband's Navy service, and not to be rude but the Mexican food here is a JOKE! All in all I just wanted to say thank you so much for site and your crazy delicious recipes!

    Reply
  44. Luther says

    June 21, 2011 at 6:11 am

    I have used variations on this recipe though it is not tested and approved by the Extension Service.  We like it...
    Pickled Jalapeños (Escabeche)This recipe is adapted from "The Essential Cuisines of Mexico," by Diana Kennedy. Escabechecan be served as a condiment with Mexican food or the vegetables can be chopped and used inother dishes.Ingredients1 pound jalapeños
    1/3 cup olive oil
    2-3 medium onions, thickly sliced
    2-3 medium carrots, peeled and thickly sliced
    Florets from half a small cauliflower (optional)
    1 head garlic with cloves separated
    4 cups apple cider vinegar
    2 tablespoons kosher salt or sea salt
    2 bay leaves
    1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
    4 sprigs fresh marjoram (or 1/4 teaspoon dried)
    4 sprigs fresh thyme (or 1/4 teaspoon dried)
    1 tablespoon sugarDirectionsWash the chiles and leave the stems intact. Cut a cross at the tip of each chile so the vinegar canpenetrate.Heat oil in a large, deep skillet. Add the chiles, onions, carrots, garlic and (optional) cauliflower.Fry over medium heat for 10 minutes, turning occasionally.Add the vinegar, salt, herbs and sugar and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for 10minutes. Make sure chiles are cooked through before canning.Pack four sterilized pint jars with the vegetables. Top with the vinegar and seal. Process in a hotwater bath for 10 minutes.Once opened, keep refrigerated; jar will keep for 1-2 months.

    Reply
  45. Swanjame says

    June 21, 2011 at 1:25 am

    Thanks for the recipe!  Looks super!

    Jim

    Reply
  46. Marilia says

    June 20, 2011 at 11:04 pm

    I love jalapeños! My brother though loves them even more than I do and I have a feeling he would adore getting a jar of pickled jalapeños. Thanks for sharing!

    Reply
  47. Marilia says

    June 20, 2011 at 10:47 pm

    Gorgeous! Would you be a dear and post it to Punk Domestics? I want everyone to see it.

    Reply
  48. Michael Richardson says

    June 20, 2011 at 9:11 pm

    I love this I too waste so much jalapenos when I buy them.. So simple

    Reply
  49. the indolent cook says

    June 19, 2011 at 3:02 pm

    That looks so packed with flavour! Great stuff.

    Reply
  50. Anonymous says

    June 19, 2011 at 2:30 pm

    Despite it being only 9:30 am, I'm strangely craving a beer now 🙂 
    Refrigerator pickles are the main reason I grow jalapenos in my garden. I swap out the bay for Mexican Oregano, and add a little fennel seed too. Love how those up-front flavors play with the black pepper and the heat in the middle of the chile.

    Reply
  51. Tikipundit says

    June 19, 2011 at 12:58 pm

    Thanks for this!  These pop up all the time where I live but I've never seen a recipe.  I wonder if sliced radish could go in as well as carrots.

    Reply
  52. Maris Callahan says

    June 19, 2011 at 12:41 pm

    This is interesting to me as i have never had jalapenos picked before. I bet they are very tasty

    Reply
  53. Eftychia says

    June 19, 2011 at 9:34 am

    Interesting post! In Cyprus we use the same technique to make pikles...

    Reply
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