Name: Quick Refrigerator Pickled Jalapeños
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 5 min
Total time: 15 min
Ingredients: 6 - 8 medium jalapeño peppers, (sliced into rings about 1/4 inch thick); 2 cloves garlic, (peeled); 3 thin slices red bell pepper, (optional); 1 cup distilled white vinegar; 1 cup water; 1/4 cup sugar (or Monkfruit sweetener); 2 tbsp sea salt

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No canning necessary! If you're new to making pickles, this Quick Refrigerator Pickled Jalapeños recipe is a good one to start! Pickled jalapeño slices make a delicious addition to tacos, burritos, nachos, guacamole, salsa, and more!

overhead view of a jar of pickled jalapeños

In less than 15 minutes you could have these Refrigerator Pickled Jalapeño Peppers made and in the fridge. These are so easy to make, using either your microwave or stovetop. Piquant and spicy, just how they should be!

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❤️ Why you'll love this recipe
🛒 Ingredients
🔪Instructions
❓Do I need a special jar for pickles?
❓How long will these refrigerator pickled jalapeños last?
🗒 More serving suggestions
👍🏼 Elaine's Tips
📖 Recipe Card

This post was originally published in 2018. I've updated it with new photos and extra information to make it more helpful.

❤️ Why you'll love this recipe

So easy to make! Once you try pickling jalapeños yourself with this easy small-batch recipe, you'll never buy jarred jalapeños again! With no preservatives or artificial colours, homemade pickled jalapeños are simply the best!

No canning required! Refrigerator pickles, also known as quick pickles do not require canning. They are preserved in a brine made with vinegar and salt. They will last for a month or more in your fridge.

Crisp, crunchy and spicy! These easy pickled jalapeños are piquant and tasty within a few hours. They have a subtle sweetness that you don't get with raw jalapeños. They have ALL the heat that you'd expect from a jalapeño!

Lots of ways to use them! If you love recipes with Tex-Mex flavours, you'll want to add these quick pickles to these Halibut Tacos with Tequila Lime Marinade or this Fresh Burrito Bowl, these Shredded Chicken Tacos with Cilantro Lime Slaw, or even this easy Gluten-free Cheesy Herb Cornbread.

🛒 Ingredients

What ingredients do I need to make the best pickled jalapeños?

jalapeño peppers: choose those without blemishes. Avoid those with spots that may indicate they are starting to spoil. You'll need 6 jalapeños, 8 or 9 if they're small.

vinegar: any type of vinegar can be used in this recipe. Because it is a no-canning recipe, these pickles don't need a specific acidity level for food safety. I've used apple cider vinegar in the past, but I prefer distilled white vinegar simply for its clear colour.

salt: If you're wondering what type of salt to use for quick pickles, just remember NOT to use table salt. Pickling salt does not contain any iodine or anti-caking agents. It is pure sodium chloride. You can use pure sea salt or kosher salt, as well.

sweetener: While granulated sugar is most commonly used in pickling, you can also keep this recipe sugar-free by using monkfruit sweetener or honey. Sugar is not required as a preservative when making refrigerator pickles, so you're welcome to use your favourite sweetener. You don't need to add sweetener at all if you like, but it does help to temper the heat of the jalapeños, so I like to add a little to my pickling recipes.

garlic: optional, but it adds a mellow flavour

red bell pepper: also optional, but I love the colour and interest it adds to a jar!

Jalapeño pepper rings in two 8 ounce Mason jars

🔪Instructions

These pickles are as easy to make as my Easy Refrigerator Pickled Red Onions, Quick Refrigerator Pickled Beans or Quick Pickled Shallots! Here are step-by-step directions for how to make these easy refrigerator pickled jalapeño peppers:

Wash. Wash the peppers. Wash and sterilize jars and lids by filling them with boiling water or running them through a cycle of the dishwasher. You'll need two 8 oz jars or one 16 oz. jar.
Slice. Remove the stems and tips of the jalapeños and slice into rings. You can use either a sharp knife or a mandoline slicer to make slices about ¼ inch thick.
Fill. Fill the jars with the jalapeño slices.
Combine. Combine the ingredients for the pickling liquid and simmer until the sugar and salt have dissolved and the brine has begun to boil. You can heat the pickling brine in a saucepan on the stovetop or in a glass container in the microwave.
Pour. Cool the brine slightly, then pour it over the jalapeño slices to fill the jars, leaving about ½ inch of headroom.
Store. Add a lid and store in the refrigerator.

jalapeño peppers in a sieve — 1. Wash peppers and jars.

Jalapeño Pepper Rings ready to make Quick Refrigerator Jalapeños. — 1. Wash peppers and jars.

❓Do I need a special jar for pickles?

You can use any jar with a tight-fitting lid. I like Weck jars, but I also use Mason jars, especially a wide-mouth variety.

❓How long will these refrigerator pickled jalapeños last?

They will last for at least a month or more in a tightly sealed jar in your fridge.

🗒 More serving suggestions

More ideas? Add them to quesadillas, burgers, sandwiches, or even guacamole or Pico de Gallo. They add flavour and interest to this Mango Black Bean Salad.

Quick Refrigerator Pickled Jalapeños in a Weck jar.

👍🏼 Elaine's Tips

These pickled jalapeños are a beautiful vivid green until you add the pickling liquid. Then they become the familiar olive green colour you're used to seeing on your restaurant nachos.
Jalapeños vary in their heat level. Some are surprisingly hot. You can decrease the heat by removing the seeds from the pepper slices.
Remember to either wear gloves when handling hot peppers, or wash your hands very thoroughly in hot soapy water, dry them completely, and avoid touching your eyes, or nose!

New to making refrigerator pickles? Try these Quick Refrigerator Pickled Beans or Quick Pickled Shallots with Apple Cider Vinegar.

📖 Recipe Card