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Easy Pickled Banana Peppers

Easy Pickled Banana Peppers are super simple to make and so tasty! Vinegar, mustard seed, celery seed, sugar and peppers are all you need!

AN EASY AND DELICIOUS RECIPE!

My garden finally started producing veggies. I don’t know what was going on but all of my plants were so slow to produce. My only problem now is I feel like all the vegetables are coming in at one time. Like my banana peppers…

Garden Fresh Easy Pickled Banana Peppers in a ball mason pint jar.

WHAT TO DO WITH ALL THOSE BANANA PEPPERS?

One minute there weren’t any there and it seems like by the time I turned around, there were a ton of them. This was my first year growing banana peppers. I had no idea that they would produce so well. So I figured it would be a good idea if I pickled a bunch of them. I use banana peppers, not just in sandwiches, but in a whole bunch of other recipes (see recipes at the end of this post.)

Banana Peppers growing on the vine in a vegetable garden.

I wanted a simple recipe and came up with one using ingredients I already had in my pantry. I think this gave the peppers great flavor but it won’t overwhelm the taste in other dishes that I decide to use them in.

fresh vegetable garden haul of banana peppers, tomatoes and cucumbers.

ARE BANANA PEPPERS A HOT PEPPER?

Banana peppers aren’t hot at all but pickling them gives them a whole other level of flavor. You can even use these as a substitute for peperoncini in many recipes. I am really pleased with how these turned out. This recipe will make two pints. But obviously, you can double or triple the recipe for more.

Easy Pickled Banana Peppers recipe from The Country Cook.

INGREDIENTS NEEDED: (FULL RECIPE AT THE BOTTOM OF THE POST)

  • white vinegar – you want to look for distilled white vinegar
  • apple cider vinegar – you could use all white vinegar but I think the apple cider vinegar adds an elevated layer of flavor that you don’t get with most recipes
  • white sugar – this keeps the vinegar taste from being too overwhelming
  • mustard seeds – to me this is a must, ground mustard just isn’t the same and will make your brine very cloudy so go for this extra flavor and buy the mustard seeds
  • celery seeds – I think this is what really sets this recipe apart from others, you don’t taste a celery taste really but it adds that little something extra that creates beautiful flavor
  • banana peppers – perfect to use straight from your garden!

HOW TO MAKE EASY PICKLED BANANA PEPPERS:

  1. Bring the vinegar, sugar, mustard seed and celery seed to a rolling boil.
  2. Pour brine over peppers to within ½” of the top.
  3. Wipe off the rim and put lid and ring on.
  4. Store in the fridge. This makes 2 pints.
  5. Leave for 1 week or longer to let peppers marinate (if you can wait that long to dig in.)
EASY PICKLED BANANA PEPPERS IN A PINT-SIZED CANNING JAR.

TIPS FOR PICKLING BANANA PEPPERS:

  • You can also follow proper canning procedures and then process them in a water bath canner if you prefer. Follow the USDA guidelines for proper sterilization and timing. Be sure to verify that the lids have completely sealed down if storing on the shelf. Make sure your banana peppers are fresh and have been rinsed well.
  • Keeping the seeds of the banana pepper in or not is personal preference. I usually get most of the seeds out but there are always a few that stay in there and it doesn’t affect taste at all. I don’t fuss too much over that.
  • Updated to add: Since I keep getting questions about substituting mustard seed with ground mustard I thought I would answer it here. Ground mustard can be substituted for mustard seed. HOWEVER, it will make your pickling brine pretty cloudy and it will not be the same flavor profile as using mustard seed. Please keep that in mind. For best results, purchase a small bottle of mustard seed.

RECIPES YOU CAN USE YOUR BANANA PEPPERS:

Pickled Banana Peppers

Easy Pickled Banana Peppers

Easy Pickled Banana Peppers are super simple to make and so tasty! Vinegar, mustard seed, celery seed, sugar and peppers are all you need!
4.95 from 292 votes
Print Pin Rate
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes
Servings: 12

Ingredients

  • 2 cups white vinegar
  • 2 cups apple cider vinegar
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 teaspoon mustard seed
  • 1 teaspoon celery seed
  • 1 pound banana peppers, tops removed then sliced into rings (see my notes below about the seeds)

Instructions

  • Bring the vinegar, sugar, mustard seed and celery seed to a rolling boil.
  • Pour brine over peppers to within ½" of the top.
  • Wipe off the rim and put lid and ring on. Allow to cool then put in the refrigerator.
  • Leave for 1 week or longer to let peppers marinate (if you can wait that long!)
  • You can also follow proper canning procedures and then process them in a water bath canner if you prefer. Follow the USDA guidelines for proper sterilization and timing. Be sure to verify that the lids have completely sealed down if storing on the shelf.

Notes

  • Please refer to my post and ingredient list above to answers for the most commonly asked questions. 
  • If you aren’t sterilizing the jars, keep them refrigerated. They will last up to 3 months in the fridge. 
  • Ground mustard can be substituted for mustard seed if you absolutely must but it is not recommended at all. It will make your pickling brine pretty cloudy and it will not be the same flavor profile as using mustard seed. Please keep that in mind. For best results, purchase a small bottle of mustard seed – it really makes a difference.
  • Keeping the banana pepper seeds in or not is personal preference. I usually get most of the seeds out but there are always a few that stay in there and it doesn’t affect taste at all. I don’t fuss too much over that. 
  • This recipe makes 2 pints.
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American

Nutrition

Calories: 92kcal | Carbohydrates: 19g | Sodium: 8mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 17g

Nutritional Disclaimer

“The Country Cook” is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories and other nutritional values can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.

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203 Comments

  1. I just used my Hungarian hot wax peppers in this recipe and I cannot wait to see how they came out! I left my mustard and celery seed in it… hope that wasn’t a mistake!

    1. Sara, no that wasn’t a mistake at all!! I always leave mine in and have never had an issues, I actually think the flavor gets better with it. I also add garlic to my brine and keep that in as well.

  2. 5 stars
    I love this recipe. I am coming back for it a second time. I would not tweak a thing. They are good for snacking the next day. But when you wait the flavors really develop… IlMy neighbor loved them too. I used pickle crisp amd did not can them.. I will be though! Thanks for this awesome recipe!

  3. 5 stars
    I just pickled my peppers. Such an easy easy recipe. It smells so good; I can’t wait to try them.

    1. Yes you can reuse the brine once or twice. It gets diluted so I wouldn’t do it more than twice and maybe add another T of vinegar to the jars you reuse

  4. 5 stars
    Once I put them in the jar and the lids “pop” and seal do I have to put them in the refrigerator? Once I open them and break the seal I understand I need to keep them refrigerated, but before that they will store at room temperature just fine right?

  5. 5 stars
    Love the banana peppers! I have to avoid sugar – is it okay to leave it out or substitute with Stevia? What purpose does the sugar serve in the recipe?

      1. I use Splenda in all of my pickling. Works just as well as the sugar, sometimes better!!

      1. 5 stars
        I added some jalapeño pepper rings and some minced garlic to mine. Great recipe!!

    1. Hi Trish! Yes, you slice into rings and leave the seeds in. That is how I do it. But a lot of people have different preferences. You can actually pickle the banana peppers whole. You don’t have to slice them. In addition, if you do not want the seeds in there, you can certainly remove them! It is a very flexible recipe 🙂

  6. I am new to canning (brand new!), but love the simplicity of this “Easy Pickled Banana Peppers” recipe. I am afraid I misunderstood and may have wasted several jars 🙁 I poured the hot brine directly into the jar, the lid popped and seemed to be a secure seal. Therefore, I put them downstairs. I did not water bath/cold pack etc. I just poured the hot brine, and put them downstairs to store. Are they still good? Was I supposed to keep them in the fridge? I did read all the comments and felt like I got mixed direction. Thank you!!!

    1. If the “button” in the middle of the lid stays down, they will be just fine. That is how you determine if they truly are sealed or not.

    2. I believe it’s called “open kettle” canning, if your jars are sterile and warm (I keep mine in a 200* oven til ready to use, and use the boiling brine, clean the rims, put on lid and ring and turn them upside down the lid should pop when sealed.

  7. 5 stars
    Thank you so much for this amazing recipe! We just pickled our banana peppers so now we’ll have to wait to eat them. We are wondering if you can use this recipe for pickling other peppers and/or jalapeños?

    Thanks again

  8. 5 stars
    The easiest relish I ever made thank you for the Simplicity of it and the end result was amazing!!!! ☆☆☆☆☆