Quick Pickled Banana Peppers come together in under 20 minutes and are ready to eat the next day. No canning equipment, no special skills, just 5 ingredients.
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You’ll want to pile these sweet and mildly spicy quick Pickled Banana Peppers on everything, when you’re not snacking on them straight out of the jar! They have a mild heat but are boldly flavorful: tangy, salty, and lightly sweetened with honey. That combination makes them a bright counterpoint to rich, cheesy dishes and a zesty addition to sandwiches, burgers, and salads.
Quick pickling banana peppers is a great way to enhance their gentle sweetness and help them hold on to their crunch. It’s as simple as pouring hot brine over crisp banana pepper rings that you’ve piled into a clean jar. They’ll be ready to eat the very next day, and I find the flavor only gets better over time.
This is an excellent recipe! Simple and delicious. Everyone loved them! I added a little Turmeric to ingredients to enhance the color.
marge
Table of Contents
Recipe at a Glance
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 20 minutes plus overnight
- Yield: 16 servings
- Skill Level: Easy
Ingredients for Pickled Banana Peppers
- Banana Peppers: Look for long, firm peppers with shiny, taut skin. Also called banana chilies or yellow wax peppers, these should be bright and free from blemishes. Note that banana peppers are milder than pepperoncini, making them perfect for those who enjoy a gentle heat. Be sure you’re not accidentally buying Hungarian wax peppers, which have a similar appearance but are much spicier.
- White Vinegar: I prefer white vinegar for its clean, sharp flavor, but apple cider vinegar works well too. It will add a slightly fruity note to your pickles.
- Water: I use filtered water to avoid any chlorine or other potential tap water flavors, but plain tap water works too.
- Kosher Salt: The large flakes dissolve easily and enhance flavors without making the pickles too salty. If you’re using fine sea salt or pickling salt, use half the amount called for in the recipe.
- Honey: This adds a touch of sweetness to balance the vinegar’s acidity. If you prefer, you can substitute white sugar, but you’ll want to use about 50% more to achieve the same level of sweetness.
How to Make Pickled Banana Peppers
Trim off and discard the stems, membrane and seeds of your banana peppers, then slice them crosswise into thin rings. Pile the rings into a sterilized quart jar (or 2 pint jars).
Bring all of the brine ingredients to boil in a medium saucepan. Carefully pour hot brine over peppers, leaving about an 1/2-inch of space. Let cool, then refrigerate overnight.
Pro Tips
- Controlling the heat: Removing the seeds and membranes keeps the heat mild and makes the peppers prettier in the jar. That said, don’t worry about a few stray seeds.
- Salt Substitutions: If you’re using fine sea salt or pickling salt instead of kosher salt, use about half the amount I’ve called for here. A good rule of thumb is that the coarser the flake, the more volume you need.
- Skipping the Honey: If you don’t want your peppers to have any added sweetness, just skip the honey. The brine is well-balanced without it, just more toward tangy.
- Taste the Brine: I always taste the brine before pouring it over the peppers so I can make adjustments if needed. Keep in mind that a brine that tastes on the verge of too strong hot will mellow out by the next day as the peppers absorb it. Err toward a stronger flavor.
Recipe Options
I love experimenting with these pickles and here a few of my favorite ways to customize them:
- Spice them up: Add 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of coriander seed, mustard seed, or celery seed to the brine. Or for extra kick, add a healthy pinch or more of red pepper flakes or swap in some fresh hot peppers like jalapeño, serrano, or habanero for one of the banana peppers.
- Add some garlic: Add 1 or more garlic cloves for an extra flavor boost. Smash or slice the cloves to make the flavor even stronger
- Adjust the sweetness: Feel free to add more or less honey to taste. You can also use plain white sugar instead.
- Salt to taste: I like my pickles on the saltier side. Feel free to adjust the amount of salt to your own taste.
Serving Suggestions
- Layer these pickled peppers onto sandwiches, hot dogs, burgers, and pizzas.
- Stir them into soups, pasta dishes, and chili for a flavor boost.
- Include them on cheese and charcuterie boards alongside cured meats, semi-hard cheeses, and olives.
- Enjoy them straight from the jar as a tangy snack.
Storage Instructions
Once cooled to room temperature, store your pickled banana peppers in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Because these quick pickles are not canned traditionally, they are not shelf stable. They need to be stored in the refrigerator and enjoyed within 1 month.
More Quick Pickling Recipes to Try
Ingredients
- 1 pound banana peppers
- 2 1/2 cups white vinegar
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon honey
Instructions
- Wearing gloves to protect your skin from irritation, slice off the stems of banana peppers and remove any large membrane with a paring knife. Cut peppers into thin rounds and divide between 2 sterilized pint jars or 1 quart jar.
- In a medium saucepan, combine vinegar, water, salt and honey; cook and stir over medium heat just until boiling. Remove from heat and carefully pour hot liquid over peppers, leaving 1/2-inch of space at the top. With the back of a spoon, press peppers down so they are below the liquid. Let cool to room temperature and then screw on the lid and refrigerate overnight. Enjoy as early as the next day and for up to 1 month.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Can I leave the honey out of the recipe?
Hi Rachel! Yes, absolutely.
These are the best pickles I have ever tasted in my life!
My mom agrees, and we will use this recipe forever! We used 3 tablespoons of honey on the 1 pound batch of peppers.
Can’t wait to try it on other vegetables too!
I love this, Kristie! So glad to hear that you and your mom are enjoying these and adding your own spin.
We’re on our 2nd batch with your recipe. Found the peppers at the Soulard Farmer’s Mkt. Such a simple yes delicious recipe. Truly no need for store bought peppers anymore.
I love to hear this, Mel! Thank you for coming back to let me know.
I have an almost-empty jar of Vlasic Banana Peppers with all the brine left. Can I just slice and add my fresh peppers to this without cooking them?
Hi Julianne! I haven’t done this myself, but I’ve heard of others who have. If I were trying it, I’d bring the leftover brine to a boil and pour it over freshly sliced peppers and wouldn’t reuse the brine more than once. I hope that helps!
This is an excellent recipe! Simple and delicious. Everyone loved them! I added a little Turmeric to ingredients to enhance the color.
So glad you enjoyed these, Marge! Great idea to add a little turmeric.
I’ve never tried Banana Peppers as I always thought they were a super hot variety. I’m glad you shared this post and fixed my ignorance haha. I’ll give them a try now – thanks for the inspiration.
Can you do this with jalapeño peppers?
Absolutely!
Oooh, these look brilliant, Marissa! My daughter goes crazy for anything pickled and I think she would be super happy to try these. Thanks for the inspiration!
My pleasure, Katerina! I hop you and your daughter will love these.
Yum, Marissa! We put pickled banana peppers on all our sandwiches but I’ve never made my own! These peppers look awesome! I’m imagining them on a sub with some gooey mozza cheese and salami 🙂
That sandwich sounds perfect to me, Katherine! Thank you!
I love pickled banana peppers! They’re great on salads, but we really love ’em on sandwiches with Italian meats and cheeses. We pickled a batch ourselves years ago, but I haven’t grown banana peppers in the garden again since then…thanks for the inspiration for next year’s garden!!
My pleasure, David!
They look awesome and would be fantastic with some grilled burgers 🙂
Love the way you think, Angie!