Pickled Peppers
Learn how to easily can pickled peppers. This method requires no processing, so it’s a perfect beginner’s recipe. Pro canners will want to make them because they are so good!
🍽️ Recipe Name: Pickled Peppers
⏰ Ready In: 10 minutes
⏳ Prep Time:10 minutes
🔥 Cook Time: No cooking required
👥 Serves: 20 peppers
🥕Main Ingredients: Hot peppers, vinegar, water, kosher salt, garlic cloves.
🍳 Special Equipment: Canning jars, measuring spoons, food-grade gloves.
⭐ Why You’ll Love It: Crisp, tangy, and easy to make with just a few ingredients.
👇 Full measurements and instructions are in the recipe card below.
These pickled hot peppers are an easy way to preserve a big crop of peppers. I use Hungarian wax peppers most often, but jalapeños and other hot peppers work well too.
My aunt made peppers like these for years. She packed them in vinegar and kept the jars in a cold root cellar. The cold storage helped the peppers keep their color and crisp texture much better than a warm pantry.
This recipe uses a vinegar brine, but I recommend storing the finished peppers in the refrigerator unless you are following a tested canning recipe with the proper processing time.
For shelf-stable pickled peppers, use a tested water-bath canning recipe. Plain peppers that are not properly acidified require pressure canning.
These are especially good on sandwiches, burgers, pizza, salads, and anything that could use a little heat.
What Types of Peppers to Use
- Jalapeños
- Hungarian wax
- Banana peppers
- Ghost peppers
- Scotch Bonnet
- Serrano
- Hatch peppers
- Bell peppers
- Most hot and mild peppers will work well
If you have a large pepper harvest, you can also turn them into hot pepper relish for another easy preservation option. For a milder version, sweet pepper relish is another great way to stretch pepper season and use up extra peppers.
The above photo is the first major picking from this year, which is why there are no red or orange peppers. Some peppers turn from green to yellow to orange to red with age. Generally, the hottest peppers are the oldest red peppers.
These are all Hungarian Wax Peppers, along with a couple of green bell peppers.
The Hungarian Wax peppers have a heat level similar to jalapeños but can be even hotter.
What You Need
- Apple cider vinegar or white vinegar 5% acidity (you can also substitute white wine vinegar)
- Kosher salt: Use plain kosher or pickling salt.
- Fresh or dried oregano
- Garlic
- Optional: peppercorns, bay leaves
These jars help keep homemade food sealed and organized. Use them for canning, meal prep, or storing dry ingredients.
Use this for chopping vegetables, shredding cheese, and mixing dough. The large bowl helps with bigger recipes and weekly meal prep.
Tools That Make This Recipe Work
If you don’t already have these, this is where most people struggle.
- Quart jars – quarts are perfect for whole peppers; long peppers like Hungarian wax and banana peppers are easy to load into wide-mouth jars, tipped on their sides.
- Pint jars – the right size for storing sliced peppers.
- Food processor – saves a huge amount of prep time and helps keep the peppers evenly chopped.
- Sharp knife – clean cuts make prepping peppers faster and safer. A dull knife slips more easily and turns chopping into a slow, uneven process.
- Food Grade Gloves – hot pepper oils stick to your hands and are hard to wash off completely. Gloves help prevent painful burns when touching your face or eyes.
How to Make Pickled Peppers
So, briefly, let’s go on to the technique. The first thing you want to do is wash the peppers. Also, wash the jars in hot, soapy water. Rinse well. Gather the rest of your ingredients and get everything ready before you start packing the jars.
Step One:
Remove one hot jar at a time and add whole or sliced peppers. Use a clean knife to arrange them so that you can squeeze as many in the jar as possible. (Save enough room to add the remaining ingredients while allowing for about ½-inch headspace.) Pro tip: Lay jars on their sides to make packing whole peppers a breeze.
Step Two:
Add dried or fresh oregano; we have used both. Add two tablespoons of fresh oregano or 1 tablespoon of dried oregano, and the Kosher or canning salt to the jar.
Step Three:
Then, fill the jar halfway with cider vinegar (about a cup for pint jars or 2 cups for quart jars) and add a few crushed garlic cloves.
Step Four:
Fill the remainder of the jar with boiling water, preserving the ½-inch headspace.
Step Five:
You can slice the peppers, too; instead of leaving them whole, slice them and then add them to the jars.
** Wear food-safe gloves when slicing hot peppers. The oils from the peppers can stay on your hands for hours and may cause a painful burning sensation if you touch your eyes or skin.
Wipe the rim of each jar with a damp paper towel to help ensure a proper seal. Carefully place the hot lid on the jar, add the band, and tighten it just until fingertip tight.
Sliced peppers take up less shelf and refrigerator space. IMPORTANT NOTE: Wear Gloves!
Use pint jars for sliced peppers or small peppers. Use quart jars for whole peppers and large peppers.
Want to Can Pickled Peppers?
Pickled peppers can also be water-bath canned, but the vinegar ratio needs to be much higher than the refrigerator version used here. A tested hot-pepper canning recipe from the National Center for Home Food Preservation uses 5 parts 5% acidity vinegar to 1 part water.
For shelf-stable peppers, always follow a tested canning recipe with the recommended vinegar ratio and processing time.
How to Serve Pickled Peppers
- Sandwiches and burgers – add a few slices for extra crunch, heat, and acidity that perk up a boring sandwich.
- Soups, stews, and chili – stir them into soups or chili for a spicy, tangy kick that brightens heavier dishes.
- Chili cheese dogs – these are especially good on chili cheese dogs because the tangy bite cuts through all the rich chili and melted cheese.
- Air fryer hot dogs – keep a jar in the fridge for easy hot dog toppings during quick lunches, cookouts, or game-day snacks.
- Ground beef tacos – chopped pickled peppers add crunch and brightness to tacos and help balance rich meat, sour cream, and cheese.
- Pizza – scatter them over homemade or frozen pizza before baking for a spicy, briny bite in every slice.
- Salads – slice them into green salads, pasta salads, or grain bowls for extra flavor and texture.
- Charcuterie boards – serve them in a small ramekin alongside meats, cheeses, crackers, and olives for a sharp, tangy contrast.
How to Store Jars
My aunt traditionally kept these in a cold root cellar, and I did the same for years. After comparing storage methods, though, I now keep them refrigerated. They stay crisper and retain their color much better.
Pro Tips to Ensure Your Success
-Important Note: Wear food-grade gloves when slicing hot peppers!!
-Depending on the heat of the peppers that you are canning, these peppers can be very hot! Remember that the peppers will be hotter in hot, dry years. Perhaps not for the faint of heart.
-I don’t recommend rinsing sliced hot peppers to reduce the heat. The water can spray capsaicin into the air and cause intense coughing and eye or throat irritation.
-A better way to reduce the heat level of your peppers is to pickle green jalapenos only. Orange and red jalapeños are older and will be hotter. Peppers that develop ribs (beige to brown stripes on the skin are said to be older and hotter.)
-Also, scoop out and remove the ribs and seeds; much of the heat resides there. You can do this with a small melon baller or paring knife.
-Do not reuse single-use lids. They may not be safe.
This recipe is for cold-packed refrigerator peppers. For shelf-stable water-bath canning, use a tested pickled-pepper recipe formulated specifically for canning.
-We have done lots of testing on the storage of these peppers and found they are best stored in the refrigerator.
-Peppers are crispiest when used within six months or so.
-Many varieties of peppers can be canned. Jalapenos, serranos, habaneros, banana, Hungarian wax, red hot cherry, and many others.
Frequently Asked Questions
The refrigerated peppers are best if eaten within 3 months, but are still tasty for at least 6 months.
Use 5% acidity apple cider vinegar.
The best method we’ve found is to quick-pickle them and store them in the refrigerator. They stay crisper.
Yes, whole peppers are great for sandwiches or chopped into salads, chili, stew and more.
At first the peppers get hotter, but if they’re stored more than 6 months, they can lose a bit of heat, color, and crispness.
Other Delicious Pickles
- Pickled onion
- Candied jalapeños
- Pickled garlic scapes
- Pickled radishes
- Kosher pickles
- Crispy Sweet Pickles
- Homemade pickling spice
- Pickled green tomatoes
Pickled Peppers
Ingredients
- 20 about hot peppers
- 2 cups cider vinegar
- water
- 2 teaspoon oregano, dried
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 2-3 small garlic cloves, crushed
Instructions
- Wash the peppers. Warm the lids in hot water.20 about hot peppers
- Place them in a clean 1 quart canning jar. IF you tip the jar on it's side, it's easier to load whole peppers.
- Fill the jar half-way with vinegar, about 2 cups.2 cups cider vinegar
- Add the spices and garlic.1 tablespoon kosher salt, 2-3 small garlic cloves, crushed, 2 teaspoon oregano, dried
- Fill the remainder of the jar with boiling water.water
- Wipe the edges of the jars clean with damp paper towels or a clean kitchen towel.
- Place a warm lid on the jar and screw on the band, fingertip tight.
- Store in the refrigerator. They have the best flavor and crunch for about 3 months.
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Nutrition
Originally published March 10, 2017. Updated August 12, 2026.
How long does it take for the pickling to occur? I know dill pickles have to sit awhile before they are ready to eat, curious to know if peppers are the same?
The peppers are better if they are given about o month to pickle, but they are edible right away. Thanks for checking out the recipe Mary!
I recently noticed your article and recipe for the peppers. I had only one question. Do you have to heat or boil the apple cider vinegar? I would like to use your recipe but I wasn’t clear about the vinegar. Thanks.
You don’t have to heat the vinegar, just the water. Thanks for checking out the recipe Ellie.
Excellent recipe. Wondering if I can add sugar to each jar and if so how much?
If you want to make candied peppers, we recommend this recipe. They are incredibly good! Candied Jalapeños. It’s one of our most popular recipes.
Do you have to use cider vinegar in this recipe or can you use white vinegar?
We think apple cider vinegar has a better flavor than white. You can certainly use white vinegar for safety reasons. Make sure that you are 5% acid vinegar. I’ve heard some companies are selling 4% and that is not a high enough acid content.
Thanks so much for the recipe and all the helpful information related to safe storage. After making these peppers and storing them in the fridge, once opening the jar to eat them and the seal is broken, how soon after should they be consumed before they could go bad or be “dangerous”?
They last a very long time. If they really begin to lose their color or smell off, then throw them out. They will last at least six months though.
Can’t wait to try your recipe! I’ve done similar refrigerator style pickled jalapenos without the water and just raw apple cider vinegar and seasonings, but I was told these are to be used within 2 months or so. I love that your recipe indicates a year! I’m wondering if I can use Himalayan (pink) salt instead?
I hope you like it Leanne!
Have you ever soaked the peppers in ice water before putting in jars? An old boyfriend’s grandma did then boiled the brine & added dill, garlic & salt. Very crispy & sealed perfectly!
I haven’t with the peppers. I just do them right after picking so they have a lot of natural moisture in them. It sounds like a viable idea though. Thanks for checking out the recipe Michelle.
Can I keep them whole for example a small sport pepper?
Yes, you can absolutely can them whole.