Easy Fermented Jalapeno Peppers

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My jalapeño plants went a little wild one year, and I suddenly found myself with more peppers than I could possibly use fresh. That’s when I decided to learn how to ferment jalapeno peppers—and now it’s one of my favorite ways to preserve them! Let me show you how simple (and delicious) it can be.

The flavor is somewhat similar to pickled jalapeños. They’re tangy, but in a slightly different way. Fermented jalapeños are nice and salty, due to the salt content needed to preserve and activate the ferment.

These jalapeños are my second-favorite ferment to make in late summer/early fall when the garden is overflowing with fresh produce! They come second to my fermented pico de gallo (which also contains jalapeños, by the way).

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Why fermented foods are good for you

Fermented foods are one of the best ways to get gut-healthy probiotics into your system. How does it happen? Well, fermentation, by definition, is the process by which lactic acid breaks down the sugars in the food. Lactic acid acts as a natural preservative and gives fermented foods their signature tangy flavor.

The fermentation process not only keeps food from spoiling but also creates those probiotics we just talked about, which are great for your gut health.

It’s a fact that when your gut is in good health, the rest of your body typically follows suit. There is a definite correlation between gut health and overall well-being.

When you regularly eat fermented foods and/or probiotics, you can boost your immunity, reduce inflammation, and even decrease your risk of certain cancers. The health benefits are amazing!

FAQs about fermented jalapeno peppers

What does it look like when peppers are fermenting?

Watching the process is part of the fun. When jalapeños start fermenting, you’ll start to see little bubbles forming in the jar—that’s just the good bacteria at work, doing their thing. The water might get a bit cloudy, and sometimes a harmless, white film called kahm yeast will pop up on top. That’s all completely normal. What you don’t want to see is colorful or fuzzy mold—if you spot that, it’s best to toss the batch and start over.

How long do fermented jalapenos stay good for?

These little jars of goodness are incredibly resilient. Once they’re done fermenting, just pop them in the fridge. The cool temperature slows everything down, and they’ll stay deliciously crunchy and tangy for several months. Sometimes they even stay good for a year or more.

Do fermented jalapenos contain alcohol?

While some types of fermentation, like making beer or wine, do produce alcohol, the kind we’re doing here is called lactic acid fermentation. That means that the bacteria turn the sugars into lactic acid instead of alcohol, so these delicious peppers are completely non-alcoholic. You can enjoy all the benefits without any worries.

Things you may need to make fermented jalapenos

• Glass mason jars (pints or quarts)
• Fermentation weights
• Fermenting lids
• Saucepan
• Non-iodized salt
• Cutting board
• Knife
• Gloves

Tips for making fermented jalapeno peppers

Alright, let’s talk about some key things to keep in mind if you want to have a successful ferment:

• First, and this is so important, you absolutely have to keep everything submerged under the brine. This is your secret weapon against bad bacteria. When the peppers are fully covered, they’re in a happy, oxygen-free environment.
• To keep those little jalapeños from floating, use a fermentation weight or even a cabbage leaf to hold them down.
• When you mix up your brine, let it cool down a bit before you pour it over your sliced jalapeños. Pouring hot liquid on them could kill the good bacteria we’re trying so hard to cultivate. Room temperature or a little warmer is perfect.
• And here’s a pro-tip: if you have any leftover brine from a previous ferment, add a little bit to your new batch. It acts as a starter (kind of like with sourdough starter) and gives the ferment a head start.

How to make fermented jalapeno peppers

Start by gathering your jalapeños. Obviously, fresh is best! I like to process mine as soon as possible after harvesting to keep as much crunch as possible.

I highly recommend wearing gloves for this process. Jalapeño seeds and juice can really wreak havoc on your skin, and your hands could burn for hours. Ask me how I know…

Slice each pepper width-wise, somewhat thinly. The more seeds you leave, the spicier your jalapeños will be. If you want to tone down the heat, you can remove some or all of the seeds. I tend to just leave what I can.

Cut into even slices and pack into wide mouth pint jars. I use wide mouth jars because my fermentation weights fit perfectly inside.

Now, for the salt. Make sure your salt is not iodized, and does not have any added ingredients, otherwise your ferment may not turn out and be safe to eat. Plain sea salt with no additives is best.

For each pint of peppers you are fermenting, you will need 1 tbsp of salt. So if you are fermenting 2 pints (1 quart) of peppers, you will need to dissolve 2 tbsp of salt in 1 quart of filtered water. Let the brine cool slightly, then pour it over the jar of jalapeños.

Screw on a plastic lid or fermentation lid. If you use a regular lid, you need to “burp” the jar about once a day. This allows trapped gas and air to release and not will prevent your jar from overflowing or spewing due to too much pressure.

Let the ferment sit on the counter, away from direct sunlight, for 3-5 days. I like to taste the jalapeños after day 3 and evaluate if they’ve fermented long enough. After that point it’s really up to you and how sour or “pickled” you like them.

Once they’re done to your liking, move them to the fridge. They can be stored under refrigeration safely for at least 6-12 months. Mine never last that long, but I would keep them as long as they don’t show signs of mold.

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