Refrigerator Pickled Peppers
Make these Easy Refrigerator Pickled Peppers as a sweet, tart, and spicy accompaniment for any meal! They’re especially delicious with fresh summer vegetables.
These lovely Refrigerator Pickled Peppers would be perfect to offer guests at Sunday dinner. They’re sweet, tart, and spicy all at once and take just minutes to make.
In the time and place in the south where I grew up, Sunday dinner (the noon meal) was typically a meat-and-three affair. That is, some type of meat (more than likely fried) with three vegetables on the side, and bread (rolls or cornbread).
One of my favorites of those Sunday dinners was fried chicken with fresh butter beans, fresh squash, fried okra, and cornbread. Of course, there would also be sliced fresh tomatoes on the table and the cook would always offer a variety of her homemade pickles and relishes as accompaniments.
These often included bread and butter pickles along with both pear relish and corn relish. Or sometimes chow-chow. An old-fashioned southern dinner like that wouldn’t be complete without a choice of condiments to complement the vegetables.
Something about that vinegary-spicy flavor of the pickles and relish combines so nicely with the veggies. Or maybe that’s just a southern palate thing…I don’t know. I just know that I still enjoy it to this day!
- Makes a small batch of pickled vegetables
- No canning required!
- Perfect balance of sweet, tart, and tangy
Ingredient Notes
- Mini sweet peppers (although it’s possible to make this recipe with large bell peppers cut into dice, I really recommend using the mini peppers available in most grocery stores)
- Shallots (I strongly encourage you to use shallots in this even though sweet onions might substitute fairly well; there’s nothing that quite takes the place of shallots)
- White wine vinegar (its lighter, more mellow taste is a must for this recipe; don’t use plain white vinegar or cider vinegar)
- Red pepper flakes (try the 1/2 teaspoon called for first and then adjust up or down according to your taste)
How to Make Refrigerator Pickled Peppers
STEP 1. Slice the mini sweet peppers and shallots into rings. Separate the shallot slices into rings.
STEP 2. Combine the pepper and shallot slices and divide them evenly between two clean pint jars.
COOK’S TIP
Don’t be afraid to really press the veggies down into the jars. They’ll shrink more than you might think when you pour the hot pickling solution over them.
STEP 3. Add the remaining ingredients to a medium saucepan and bring the mixture to a boil. Cook until all the sugar is dissolved.
STEP 4. Pour the hot mixture evenly over the peppers and shallots. This step is a lot more easily accomplished with a canning funnel.
STEP 5. Close the jars with seals and rings. Allow the filled jars to stand at room temperature for 24 hours. Then refrigerate for an additional 24 hours before use. Keeps up to one month in the refrigerator.
COOK’S TIP
Please note that this is not a “canning” recipe since the jars are not processed in a canner to create a seal. Even though you may hear a pop from the seals as the jars cool, it is not a complete seal and this recipe is not safe for shelf storage. Refrigerated storage is required.
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Recipe
Refrigerator Pickled Peppers
Ingredients
- 1 pound mini sweet peppers sliced thinly
- 2 large shallots sliced into rings
- 1 ½ cups white wine vinegar
- ½ cup water
- 5 tablespoons sugar or equivalent sugar substitute
- 3 teaspoons kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
Instructions
- Slice the mini sweet peppers and shallots into rings. Separate the shallot slices into rings.
- Combine the pepper and shallot slices and divide them evenly between two clean pint jars.
- Add the remaining ingredients to a medium saucepan and bring the mixture to a boil. Cook until all the sugar is dissolved.
- Pour the hot mixture evenly over the peppers and shallots.
- Close jars with seals and rings.
- Allow filled jars to stand at room temperature for 24 hours. Then refrigerate for an additional 24 hours before use.
- Keeps up to one month in refrigerator.
Notes
- Although it’s possible to make this recipe with large bell peppers cut into dice, I really recommend using the mini peppers available in most grocery stores.
- I strongly encourage you to use shallots in this even though sweet onions might substitute fairly well; there’s nothing that quite takes the place of shallots.
- White wine vinegar’s lighter, more mellow taste is a must for this recipe; don’t use plain white vinegar or cider vinegar.
- Try the ½ teaspoon of red pepper flakes called for first and then adjust up or down according to your taste)
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information is calculated by software based on the ingredients in each recipe. It is an estimate only and is provided for informational purposes. You should consult your health care provider or a registered dietitian if precise nutrition calculations are needed for health reasons.
Works great with burgers and in salads or anywhere that a zippy upgrade could be better.
You’re right, I eat these with almost anything!
Lana, these look so good! I LOVE pickled peppers in sub sandwiches and calzones. Do you think this would work with the mini sweet peppers that I froze whole this summer? I had quite a lot and didn’t know how to use them all at the time. Could I defrost the called-for amount of peppers for the recipe, slice them and use them or do you think the texture would be ‘off’? Is this just for ‘fresh’ peppers only? Thanks!
Hi Addie — frozen peppers are going to be very soft and mushy when thawed (almost the same texture as if they were cooked). You could give it a try I suppose, but I wouldn’t use them for pickling. Fresh would be best!
Thanks, Lana. I will take your word for it. It does make sense. I’ll wait until I get more fresh peppers. I’ll be making your Classic Salmon Croquettes tomorrow with some leftover cooked salmon…. and I’m really looking forward to that meal. We love the croquettes with a simple Lemon-Dill Aioli. I enjoy your site very much. So many of your recipes are calling to me! Thanks for all that you bring to your readers. It is much appreciated.
If you wanted to make a sweet pepper pickle could you add more sugar to make them sweeter & still be safe to can. I am not sure I can find white wine vinegar at my store, could I substitute another vinegar? Thanks for all you good recipes & the hard work you put into this blog. It is one of the best!
Hi Betty — This one isn’t a canning recipe, it’s only for refrigerator storage so you can alter it any way you like. It’s fairly sweet with the 5 tablespoons of sugar called for, but you could add more if you wanted to. Do try to find the white wine vinegar if you can because it really gives a great taste to the pickles. It should be right there on the shelf where all the other kinds of vinegar are located :-)
I’ve been looking for this recipe for some time! And I’ve been a follower of yours for some time. Thank you for having your site.
Does this recipe be good with hot peppers? If not, I will give a try with peppers. Thanks, they look awesome!
I’ve never tried this with hot peppers so I don’t know how they would work. Sorry.
I’ve always wanted to try making these. Thanks for sharing the recipe!
I still have yet to pickle anything in my entire life. I think this is a great start…I could eat the whole jar myself.
I love pickled veggies and I have not dared to pickle veggies myself but this look so awesome. I promised to grow peppers next summer so I think this will be the first recipe I will make with them
You know, I never really thought about it but when I went over my grandmother’s for Sunday dinner, she always had pickles and relishes on the table – makes perfect sense. Lana – this is a fantastic recipe!
Thanks Aly! Hope you give it a try.
These are so beautiful, I love the multi-colored peppers. My daughter and I could eat these with every meal!
They’re good with just about everything, Heather. I just had a few with some Buffalo chicken :-)
Now I want to have a perfect Southern meal with these pickled peppers! Love it!
Me too, Ashley. I think I’ll cook one tomorrow :-)
I think that Aunt Margie always made the prettiest pickles. These look just like something that would have been produced in her kitchen.
Miss P
I don’t remember Aunt Margie’s pickles! Knowing her talent in the kitchen, however, I’m sure they were gorgeous and delicious.