Looking for the best pickled jalapenos recipe? You have found it because not only are these delicious, but they are SO easy to make in just 10 minutes. These are stored in the refrigerator which keeps them perfectly crispy and crunchy, plus you are in complete control of the level of heat. So stop buying the nasty ones from the store and scroll on down to learn how to pickle jalapeno peppers!


I love pickles but not really spicy foods. I like just a bit of spice. Not a spice level that overwhelms my pallet so I can’t taste anything else. Because I’m finicky with spice, I assumed I didn’t like pickled jalapenos because they contain both the seeds and the white membrane, which is where most of the heat is contained. Anytime I use fresh jalapenos, I always remove those two parts for a more mild heat level.

A few months ago, my son-in-law made a batch of his best pickled jalapenos recipe and I decided to give one a try. I really, really loved them! Just that perfect level of sweetness to tamper down that heat. I knew right away how I was going to use all my extra jalapenos from my garden this summer.

How to pickle jalapeno peppers so they aren’t spicy
The secret to calming the spice lies in how much sugar you use. For me, the perfect amount for a 1 quart jar is 4 tablespoons of sugar. If you like more heat, then use less, anywhere down to 1 tablespoon. Also, the longer they sit in your fridge, the tamer they will become so keep that in mind as well. If you are using them that day or in a day or two, use more sugar to lessen the heat but if you won’t use them for a week or two, 4 tablespoons will make the heat barely noticeable so you may want less sugar.

Best Pickled Jalapenos Recipe VIDEO
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How to Pickle Jalapeno Peppers
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: 1 quart 1x
- Category: Side dish
- Method: canned
- Cuisine: Mexican
Description
Slightly sweet and perfectly crunchy jalapeños that are pickled and kept in the refrigerator instead of being canned, which means they stay perfectly crisp!
Ingredients
8 jalapeno peppers
1 cup white vinegar
1 cup water
2–4 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon kosher salt
Instructions
Notes
If you want a mild spice level, use 4 tablespoons of sugar. The less sugar, the more spicy they will be. They also become more mild and sweet the longer they sit in the fridge. You could also add a couple smashed cloves of garlic to the pickling liquid if you like garlic. These last for 3 months in the fridge.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/4 cup
- Calories: 14
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 210 mg
- Fat: 0 g
- Saturated Fat: 0 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 0 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 4 g
- Fiber: 0 g
- Protein: 0 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
Keywords: how to pickle,
Donald says
Love these on my eggs or inside a sandwich!
★★★★★
Carole says
Awesome! I love how crunchy they stay!
Jean says
Wow! These were so quick to make and I loved how you just pour the hot liquid over the fresh jalapeños instead of cooking them. I think that is why there were still so crunchy.
★★★★★
Carole says
I’m so happy to hear that Jean! Thanks for coming back and leaving your review of my recipe 🙂
Patti says
Don’t you remove the seeds? They are what makes them so hot, I thought.
Carole says
Hi Patti! It is completely up to you. If you don’t like the heat, remove both the seeds as well as the white membrane on the inside of the jalapeños.
Alicja Pelech says
How long do they need to sit in the fridge before they are ready to enjoy?
Carole says
I say a minimum of 24 hours but they do get better the longer they sit!
Carole Bouchard says
Do you know why mine float on top ? There is an inch of vinegar at the bottom without jalapenos.
Carole says
No worries….just pack in more jalapeños!