🌶️ Easy Pickled Banana Peppers
Sweet, tangy, and perfectly crunchy — the ultimate homemade condiment! 🥗🥪🌭
📝 Description:
These Easy Pickled Banana Peppers bring a zippy crunch to anything you add them to. Made with just a handful of pantry ingredients, they’re sweet, slightly tangy, and bursting with bright flavor. Perfect for sandwiches, tacos, salads, pizzas, burgers, and more. And the best part? No canning required — just pour, chill, and enjoy!
🍶 Ingredients:
- 4 cups white vinegar
- 1⅓ cups white sugar
- 1 tsp mustard seeds
- 1 tsp celery seed
- 1 pound banana peppers, seeded and sliced into rings (about enough for 4 pint jars)
- Salt to taste (optional, about 1 tsp is typical)
👩🍳 Instructions:
- Prepare Jars & Peppers:
Wash 4 clean pint-size jars with lids.
Rinse banana peppers, slice into rings, and remove seeds (if desired for milder flavor). Pack tightly into jars. - Make Pickling Brine:
In a saucepan, combine vinegar, sugar, mustard seeds, and celery seed.
Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Once boiling, remove from heat. - Pour & Seal:
Carefully pour hot brine over the pepper rings in each jar, filling to just below the rim.
Tap jars gently to remove air bubbles. Add lids and seal. - Cool & Store:
Let jars cool to room temperature, then refrigerate.
Peppers will be pickled and flavorful after 24 hours, but best after 2–3 days.
📝 Notes:
- Add sliced garlic or a bay leaf to each jar for more flavor.
- For spicier pickles, leave in some seeds or add red pepper flakes.
- Use apple cider vinegar for a different depth of flavor.
- These are refrigerator pickles, not shelf-stable canned — always store in the fridge.
💡 Tips:
- Use a funnel for easy, clean brine pouring.
- Always use non-reactive pots (stainless steel or glass) to avoid metallic taste from vinegar.
- Try with jalapeños or other mild peppers for variety!
- Slice peppers evenly for a consistent crunch and appearance.
🍽 Servings:
Fills 4 pint jars
Each jar makes approx. 8–10 servings depending on use.
🔍 Nutritional Info (Per 2 tbsp serving – approx.):
- Calories: 15
- Carbohydrates: 4g
- Sugars: 3g
- Fat: 0g
- Sodium: 50mg (varies with added salt)
- Fiber: 0.5g
Note: Nutrition depends on brine absorption and serving size.
🌿 Health Benefits:
- Banana peppers are low in calories but high in vitamin C, B6, and fiber.
- Vinegar may support digestion and blood sugar regulation.
- A healthier, homemade alternative to store-bought pickles, without preservatives.
- Adds flavor without the need for heavy sauces or condiments.
❓ Q&A:
Q: How long do pickled banana peppers last in the fridge?
A: Up to 2–3 months if sealed and kept cold. Always use clean utensils when removing them.
Q: Can I make this with less sugar?
A: Yes! Reduce sugar to ¾ cup for a more tangy, less sweet version. Adjust to taste.
Q: Do I need to sterilize the jars?
A: For refrigerator pickles, washing with hot, soapy water and drying thoroughly is enough.
Q: Can I water-bath can these for shelf storage?
A: Not with this recipe as-is. You would need a tested canning-safe recipe with adjusted acidity and processing instructions.
Q: What’s the difference between banana peppers and pepperoncini?
A: Both are mild, tangy peppers, but banana peppers are slightly sweeter and less wrinkled than pepperoncini.