Pickled Peppers

These quick pickles will add heat and a refreshing tang to all kinds of dishes.

Preserved peppers
Photo:

Lennart Weibull

Prep Time:
15 mins
Total Time:
3 days 20 mins
Yield:
6 cups

Pickled peppers make a wonderful addition to a charcuterie board, are a tasty topper for tacos, and pair well with all kinds of sandwiches. Even better, they are simple to make. Our recipe guides you through the process of making quick pickles to store in the refrigerator, from prepping the peppers to packing them in jars and covering with brine. The pickles need about three days in the refrigerator before you use them; this time allows the toasted spices and vinegar to meld with the peppers and create the tangy, spicy pickle taste you'll enjoy.

What Are Quick Pickles?

These pickled peppers are a type of quick pickle, also known as refrigerator pickles, which means they need to be stored in the refrigerator and have a shorter shelf life than regular pickles. Regular pickles are vacuum sealed by having their jars processed in a hot water bath so they can be stored at room temperature until they are opened. 

Quick pickles are appealing because they are, well, quick to make, and quick pickling is a great technique for pickling vegetables or fruits you want to enjoy right away.

Make sure the peppers you select for pickling are tender, firm, crisp, and not showing any spots, wrinkled skin, or decay. Also, wash them well before pickling.

How to Use Quick Pickled Peppers

  • In or on the side of sandwiches (both meat, cheese, or both)
  • In salad; either chop them and add to your vinaigrette for a leafy green salad or add them to a crunchy mild salad like one made with cucumbers or sweeter ingredients like tomatoes
  • On quesadillas, nachos, or tacos
  • On pizza
  • Add them to your charcuterie board
  • Top scrambled eggs
  • Garnish a bloody Mary

Wear rubber gloves when handling hot peppers or wash hands thoroughly with soap and water before touching your face.

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon cumin seeds

  • 1 tablespoon coriander seeds

  • 1 ¼ pounds mixed hot peppers, cut into ¼-inch rings (seeds removed for less heat, if desired), or left whole (about 6 cups rings or 8 cups whole)

  • 6 cloves garlic, peeled and halved lengthwise

  • 2 teaspoons whole black peppercorns

  • 3 fresh bay leaves

  • 2 cups distilled white vinegar

  • 2 tablespoons sugar

  • Kosher salt

Directions

  1. Toast spices:

    In a small, dry skillet over medium heat, toast cumin and coriander seeds until fragrant and lightly darkened, 2 to 3 minutes.

  2. Place peppers, garlic, and spices in jar:

    Pack peppers, garlic, toasted seeds, peppercorns, and bay leaves into a large resealable jar with a lid, or a few smaller jars.

  3. Make pickling liquid:

    In a saucepan, bring vinegar, 1 cup water, sugar, and 1 tablespoon salt to a boil, stirring until salt and sugar have dissolved.

  4. Pour liquid over peppers:

    Pour over peppers, leaving 1/4 inch space at tops of jars but fully submerging peppers (if they're not, top off with a 2-to-1-ratio mixture of vinegar and water).

  5. Cool and refrigerate:

    Cover and refrigerate at least 3 days and up to 1 month.

    Preserved peppers

    Lennart Weibull

    If you process the filled jars in a hot water bath or pressure canner, you can store the pickled peppers at room temperature for up to one year.

Frequently Asked Questions

What vinegar is best for pickles?

Distilled white vinegar is generally used for pickling. It is a clear, colorless acidic liquid derived from grain alcohol that possesses a sharp, pungent flavor. Unlike other types of vinegar, such as apple cider vinegar, distilled white vinegar does not compete with the distinctive flavors of herbs and spices in a pickling brine. And since it is clear, it does not change the color of white or light-colored fruits and vegetables. 

When pickling peppers do you remove the seeds?

Whether or not you remove the seeds from peppers you are pickling is a matter of personal taste. If you slice the peppers and remove their seeds, they will be less spicy. Slicing them but leaving the seeds in produces a spicer pickle. Pickling whole peppers is the least spicy option as the skin is not punctured.

Other Quick Pickle Recipes to Try:

Originally appeared: Martha Stewart Living, October 2018
Updated by
Victoria Spencer
Victoria Spencer, senior food editor, MarthaStewart.com
Victoria Spencer is an experienced food editor, writer, and recipe developer. She manages the Martha Stewart recipe archive and is always curious about new ingredients and the best techniques. She has been working in food media for over 20 years.

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