Quick Pickled Jalapeños

Last updated on October 14th, 2025

With a salty, spicy-sweet flavour profile, pickled jalapeños are incredibly versatile. This quick pickled version is made with just 5 ingredients and comes together in 10 minutes. They’re deliciously crisp, so flavourful and they keep for months! 

If you’ve tried this Jalapeño Cheddar Artisan Bread or these Jalapeño Cheddar Drop Biscuits, you already know how much I love pickled jalapeños. I’m also always looking for ways to recreate my favourite foods at home, and jalapeños are one of the few pepper varieties that grow well in my zone 3 garden. A favourite for pizzas and snack boards, quick pickling them at home ensures freshness and retains more of their natural colour and flavour. All while using just a handful of pantry staple ingredients. 

Here’s everything you’ll need to make these Quick Pickled Jalapeños

• Jalapeño Peppers: Three or four are all you need to fill a 16 oz jar to the rim. This recipe can be scaled up easily to fill a larger jar or to make multiple jars for gifting. 
• White Vinegar: This is a classic quick pickle recipe made with regular distilled white vinegar. If you’re looking to change it up, apple cider vinegar, white wine vinegar or rice vinegar will also work. 
• Sugar: The sugar adds subtle depth of flavour without being overly sweet, helps to temper the heat of the peppers and, together with the salt and vinegar, acts as a natural preservative. 
• Kosher Salt: I use Diamond Crystal kosher salt, but really any salt will do. Start with an equal amount of sea salt if that is what you have on hand. If using Morton’s kosher salt or table salt, reduce the amount by half.  
• Garlic: The garlic adds a mellow, savoury dimension once pickled and enhances the peppers’ overall flavour.  
• Water: Water dilutes the acid in the vinegar and provides the base for your brine.

What is quick pickling?

Quick pickling is a simplified canning process in which fruits or vegetables are pickled in a quick brine mixture. Typically, the brine will consist of vinegar, water, sugar and salt, and you can add any other seasonings you like. With no complicated steps or special equipment required, quick pickled jalapeños can be prepared in minutes and safely stored in the refrigerator for an extended period. 

How to make Quick Pickled Jalapeños in 5 steps

1. Wash the peppers well, remove the stems and slice.
2. Add a smashed garlic clove to the bottom of a clean 16 oz mason jar and transfer the sliced peppers to the jar, packing them as tightly as you like, seeds and all.
3. In a small saucepan, simmer vinegar, water, sugar and salt over medium heat until the salt and sugar have dissolved. 
4. Remove brine from heat and pour over jalapeños, filling to the top so the peppers are completely submerged.  
5. Let cool completely, seal and refrigerate for at least 24 hours before consuming to allow the flavours to absorb.  

This method works well with any kind of peppers or other vegetables you might have on hand. Try adjusting the flavour profile with your favourite pickling seasonings by adding whole spices like coriander, dill or mustard seeds, peppercorns, chopped ginger or a bay leaf! 

Consumption and storage

This recipe has not been tested for water bath canning nor is it shelf stable. It is a quick pickle recipe that can be consumed right away or allowed to pickle further in the fridge. Pickled jalapeños stored in a sealed mason jar will keep well in the refrigerator for 10-12 weeks. Flavours will become sweeter and more mellow over time.

How to use quick pickled jalapeños 

On everything. You can bake with them or add them to sandwiches, burgers, snack boards, tacos and more. We love them on pizza or even just straight from the jar!   

If you make this recipe, please tag me on Pinterest or Instagram so I can see! 

And of course, feel free to leave any questions, comments or reviews. This is the best place to reach me, and I’d love to hear from you!

Quick Pickled Jalapeños

With a salty, spicy-sweet flavour profile, pickled jalapeños are incredibly versatile. This quick pickled version is made with just 5 ingredients and comes together in 10 minutes. They’re deliciously tender, so flavourful and they keep for months! 

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Total Time:10 minutes mins

Course: Condiment

Keyword: jalapeño, peppers, pickled

Servings: 1 16 oz jar or about 1 1/2 cups

Equipment

• Sharp knife
• Cutting board
• Small sauce pan
• 16-oz mason jar

Ingredients

• 3-4 jalapeño peppers
• ¾ cup water
• ¾ cup white vinegar
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 garlic clove smashed

US Customary – Metric

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Instructions

• Wash the peppers well, remove stems and slice.
• Add a smashed garlic clove to the bottom of a clean 16 oz mason jar and transfer the sliced peppers to the jar, packing them as tightly as you like, seeds and all.
• In a small saucepan, simmer vinegar, water, sugar and salt over medium heat until the salt and sugar have dissolved.
• Remove brine from heat and pour over jalapeños, filling to the top so the peppers are completely submerged.
• Let cool completely, seal and refrigerate for at least 24 hours before consuming to allow the flavours to set.

Notes

Consumption and storage: This recipe has not been tested for water bath canning nor is it shelf stable. It is a quick pickle recipe that can be consumed right away or allowed to pickle further in the fridge. Pickled jalapeños stored in a sealed mason jar will keep well in the refrigerator for 10-12 weeks. Flavours will become sweeter and more mellow over time.