Last Updated on October 4, 2022 by Sabrina Currie
Pickled eggs but even better! These easy, spicy jalapeno pickled eggs are quick and delicious. Slice them to top salads, chop them into egg salad sandwiches or just eat them plain. These are a healthy and high protein snack that you'll love!
Popular in bars, served with beer, jalapeno pickled eggs make great appetizers to have on hand. Dress them up in lettuce cups with more herbs or just put them on a platter for guests to enjoy. For more snacks, check out the 100 Best Snack Plate Ideas.
I love pickle recipes. This was inspired by my pickled Red Cabbage Sauerkraut and Fermented (Traditional Pickled) Garlic Scapes). It pairs well with Salmon Carpaccio, coarsely chopped and sprinkled on top. You could also use these spicy eggs in place of the prawns for Thai Prawn Salad With Mango. Yum!!!
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Ingredients
These spicy pickled eggs are quick, delicious and picante take on the original recipe. Fresh jalapeno peppers make these the most flavorful and best pickled egg recipe I've ever tried.
(See tips below on properly boiling and peeling your eggs for smooth and easy results.)
- Eggs - The number 1 ingredients, I like to use organic when possible. My second choices are free run and veggie fed eggs. Did you know? Unless otherwise specified, recipes calling for eggs are tested with large eggs. Large eggs are the standard in general recipe writing. (Got lots of eggs? A frittata is a great meal to make and here are the best side dishes to serve with frittata.)
- Vinegar - White vinegar is used for this recipe but you can use red or white wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar too. I don't recommend balsamic vinegar.
- Fresh Jalapenos - Use fresh jalapeno peppers for the freshest and most vibrant tasting results. While you could use canned, you will lose the bright green flavor that these fresh green peppers add.
- Whole Spices - This recipe uses an original pickling spice mixture but to save time, you can use premade/remixed pickling spices.
See recipe card for quantities.
Step By Step Instructions
Peeling the eggs is the hardest part. Once that is done, there are just a few simple steps to these awesome pickled jalapeno eggs!
Aren't these stunning eggs from my dear friend Kate's garden?!
The first step to making perfect, easy-to-peel hard-boiled eggs, is to start by putting a large pot of water on the stove to boil.
Pro Tip: When boiling eggs, boil some extra eggs for quick sandwiches and devilled eggs during the week.
Once the water is at a full boil, lower eggs into it carefully, so they don't break. Boil for 1 minute, then reduce heat to medium and let cook 12 minutes longer.
Prepare an ice bath (a large bowl of ice cold water) and as soon as the eggs are done, scoop them out with a slotted spoon and place eggs straight into the ice bath.
After 5 minutes, when the eggs are cool enough to handle, crack the shells by rolling them on the counter and peel. The shells should slip off easily. Give them a little rinse after peeling to prevent any bits of shell being left behind.
In a medium saucepan, mix together vinegar, water, sugar, spices, and salt. Bring the pickling mixture to a boil over high heat and remove from heat once the sugar has dissolved.
Fill clean and sanitized pint jars or quart (1 liter) glass jar with eggs. (See FAQ's below for how to sanitize jars)
Tuck jalapeno slices, red onion, fresh dill sprigs, and garlic cloves equally into 2 jars. (Feel free to add any extra favorite pickling spices at this point!)
Pour the cooled brine over the eggs. Make sure the brine covers all the ingredients.
Top with a lid and seal to prevent contaminants getting in. Refrigerate for at least one day and up to 14 days before enjoying.
Note: It is important to keep pickled eggs stored in the refrigerator in their brine until eating.
Hint: Feel free to use more or less jalapenos and chili flakes to adjust the spice level to your taste. This recipe is quite spicy but by omitting the chili flakes and using just one jalapeno, it becomes much more mellow and still flavorful.
Substitutions
- Spices - As mentioned already, you can substitute 3 tablespoons of store bought pickling spice in place of the all the dried herbs and spices. If you use a spice mix with cloves, your pickling liquid and eggs may get a bit brown. That is fine, but if you want the eggs to stay bright white, avoid the cloves. Keep the jalapeno and red chili flakes to the spice level you desire.
- Vinegar - Almost any vinegar can be used for these refrigerator pickles. Rice vinegar adds a subtle Japanese flavor, apple cider vinegar imparts a touch of fruity sweetness and wine vinegars are a lovely refined choice. Plain white vinegar is traditional and won't add any overt flavors.
- Onions and Garlic - I love onions and garlic and I spoon them out of the pickling liquid to add to salads and charcuterie platters. If you don't have them or don't like them, they can be omitted entirely or you can substitute thinly sliced shallots.
Variations
How will you enjoy your delicious jalapeno pickled eggs? The vinegar, aka pickling brine, is excellent too and should not be wasted.
- Jalapeno Salad Dressing - Use the spicy pickling liquid in your favorite salad dressings in place of regular vinegar.
- Spicy Dilly Beans - Make quick pickled green beans with this recipe! Simply pack a pint jar or two with trimmed fresh green beans. Once the pickling liquid comes to a boil, pour hot pickling brine over the green beans and add the lid. Let come to room temperature, then refrigerate for up to 2 weeks.
- Bright Red Spicy Pickled Beets - Love those Instagramable bright fuschia pickled eggs?! Swap the juice from a jar of canned beets for the plain water and take your plain white eggs to spectacular rouge!
20 + Ways To Eat Pickled Eggs
I love my spicy pickled eggs sliced on salads, over ramen and added to charcuterie boards. Check out all these delicious, savory ways to use your jalapeno pickled eggs!
- In a clubhouse sandwich or classic egg and mayo sandwich.
- With saucisson, prosciutto and crusty bread on a charcuterie platter.
- Sliced on top of avocado toast.
- Spicy sauce gribiche. Mix together chopped egg, cornichons, capers and herbs and stir in olive oil, vinegar, grainy mustard, S+P for gribiche, a classic sauce for hearty salads or steamed veggies. (Google recipe for amounts.)
- As an appetizer with an aperitif. Serve them whole or halved with a sprinkle of herbed salt and a dry sherry or martini.
- In a picante egg salad sandwich like Muffuletta-An Easy Picnic Sandwich Recipe.
- Make them into jalapeno devilled eggs.
- Chop eggs into a spicy potato salad.
- In the center of a crispy, sausage wrapped Scotch egg.
- Grated over steamed asparagus and sprinkled with salt and pepper.
- Sliced and arranged on a nicoise, cobb or chef salad.
- Sandwiched between halves of a toasted English muffin with a slice of melted cheese and ham for a breakfast sandwich.
- Served over hot rice with kimchi for a quick Korean dinner.
- Sliced into ramen with some steamed greens or peas.
- Use them over ham or bacon with hollandaise for an easy, make ahead spicy eggs benny.
- Top pizza bianco with chopped spicy eggs and a scattering of greens like basil or arugula.
- Enjoy simply, cut in half with salt and pepper and top with some caramelized shallots or chopped herbs.
- Grated and served with smoked salmon, crème fraiche and extra sprigs of dill.
- Serve sliced or halved over cheesy grits or polenta.
- Chopped in a regular or kale Caesar salad.
- Sliced and top crostini. Sprinkle with a little smoked paprika or black sea salt for a stunning contrast.
Equipment
A standard mason jar with screw top lid ($1-$3) or a jar with attached rubber seal lid ($5-$10). So easy, right?!
Storage
Keep pickled eggs in the fridge. These are best during the first 2 weeks but will keep safely for a month if covered and refrigerated. (After 2 weeks, the vinegar can start to cure the eggs to the point of being a bit rubbery.)
Do not freeze this recipe.
Top tip
Cooking your eggs just enough without overcooking is key. Overcooked eggs are safe and will taste ok, but they can get a grey ring around the yolk which is unappetizing.
Follow the instructions in the step-by-step section for perfectly cooked eggs and these will be cooked through but still delicate and scrumptious.
FAQ
There are a few easy ways.
Dishwasher: Wash jars on the sanitize cycle of your dishwasher and use right after.
Hot water bath: Place jars in a large pot of water that covers them. Turn to high heat and bring to a boil. Boil 10 minutes, then either let cool and remove or remove with tongs to a cooling rack and fill.
Oven: Preheat oven to 275'F. Place clean jars on a baking sheet and put in the preheated oven for 10 minutes.
In short, your jars need to be cleaned and then heated to a very hot temperature for at least 10 minutes to kill all harmful germs or bacteria.
If you have any questions or comments, you can find me on Instagram, Pinterest and Facebook. I try to answer any recipe related questions quickly as I know you might be in the middle of making it.
Also check out my FREE PRINTABLE meal planner to make menu planning and grocery shopping a breeze and my shopping guide. And if you like this recipe, I would love it if you give it a star rating in the recipe card.
Cheers and happy cooking, Friends! Sabrina
Related Recipes
Enjoy and let me know if you agree that these are the best pickled eggs ever! Give a star rating in the recipe card or send me a note here, or on social media.
Cheers, Friends!
Sabrina
📖 Recipe
Spicy Jalapeno Pickled Eggs
Ingredients
- 12 Hard Boiled Eggs cooked and peeled
- 3 cup Vinegar
- 1.5 cup Water
- 2 tablespoon Sugar
- 1 tablespoon Salt
- 2 Fresh Jalapenos thinly sliced
- 4 cloves Garlic peeled and crushed
- 1 cup Red Onion slivered
- 4 Fresh Dill Sprigs
- 2 teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes spicy red chili
- 1 tablespoon Mustard Seed
- 1 tablespoon Coriander Seed
- 1 tablespoon Dill Seed
- 1 tablespoon Black Peppercorns
- 2 Cinnamon Sticks about 2 -3 inches long
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan, mix together vinegar, water, sugar, spices, and salt. Bring to a boil and remove from heat once sugar has fully dissolved.
- Fill 2 clean and sanitized 1 quart (1 liter) glass jars with eggs (6 in each). Tuck in sliced jalapeno, red onion, fresh dill sprigs, and garlic equally in each jar. Pour the brine over the eggs and top each jar with a lid.
- Store jarred, jalapeno pickled eggs in the refrigerator. These are best enjoyed during the first 2 weeks but will keep safely for up to 1 month in the fridge.
BERNADETTE says
Your post brought back memories of my grandmother. We always had pickled beets and eggs in the refrigerator. Your photos are beautiful and the recipe great.
Sabrina Currie says
Thank you so much for your kind words. Pickled eggs are such a classic recipe, I’m happy it brought back memories.
Matt M says
So I just finished pouring the brine in and putting them in the fridge! I’ve actually never had pickled eggs before, so I’m excited for my first time and was wondering how long it takes until they’re fully pickled. I see a lot of different answers online. Thanks for sharing!
Sabrina Currie says
Hi Matt,
You can start enjoying these after 1 day (24 hours) or wait up to 14 days. The longer they sit, the more strongly pickled (vinegary) they will taste. Around day 7 they will be as strong as they’ll get.
Enjoy and thanks for chiming in.
Cheers!