Chiles en Vinagre (Escabeche)
At every mom-and-pop restaurant in Mexico, you will find a bowl of pickled peppers and vegetables on the table to accompany your meal.
The tang from the vinegar, the heat from the serrano peppers, and the crunch from the vegetables whet your appetite. These peppers are so easy to make and the taste is superior to the canned versions.
How to Make
If you have ever thought that pickling would be difficult, no worries. This is a no-cook pickle recipe. That means no boiling, no canning, and almost no prep time.
Prep and clean up will take you less than 15 minutes. There are no reasons not to give it a try.
Gather Your Ingredients
There is a good chance that you already have the ingredients on hand. You can substitute jalapeño peppers for the serranos if you’d like. The end result won’t be as hot.
Ingredient List
- 10 serrano chili peppers
- 2 carrots
- ½ white onion
- 12 ounces apple cider vinegar
- 8 cloves garlic
- 2 tablespoons oil
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 tablespoon cumin seed
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- 1 tablespoon whole black pepper
Prepping the Vegetables
Cut the stems off the peppers then slice the chiles in quarters lengthwise. Leave the seeds and veins. (You can remove them if you prefer less heat.)
Chop the onion into ½″ pieces.
Cut the carrot into ¼″ rounds.
Coarsely chop the garlic.
Pickling
Layer the vegetables and the spices.
Cover completely with apple cider vinegar. Put the lid on the jar.
Cure for 3 Weeks
Place the jar in the refrigerator. Every three days give the jar a gentle shake to ensure that the vegetables cure evenly.
After 3 weeks, it is ready to serve. You can use the pickled peppers before but for best results wait for the full 3 weeks. You will love the results.
Pro tip: Label the top of the jar with the date that you placed the jar in the fridge.
The Finished Product
Use the hot pickled peppers and vegetables a tangy side-dish or hors d’oeuvre. They are great as a bar snack (botana) with an ice-cold Mexican beer. Pop a pepper in your mouth. Take a few swigs of beer and repeat.
How will you serve them?
Mexican Pickled Peppers
Equipment
- Cutting board
- Kitchen knife
- Canning jar with lid
Ingredients
- 10 serrano peppers
- 2 carrots
- ½ white onion
- 12 ounces apple cider vinegar
- 8 cloves garlic
- 2 tablespoon oil
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 tablespoon cumin seed (comino)
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- 1 tablespoon whole black peppercorns
Instructions
- Cut the stems off the chiles then slice the chiles in quarters lengthwise. Leave the seeds and veins.
- Chop the onion into ½" pieces.
- Cut the carrot into ¼" rounds.
- Coarsely chop the garlic.
- Layer the vegetables and the spices in the canning jar.
- Cover the vegetables completely with apple cider vinegar. Put the lid on the jar.
- Place the jar in the refrigerator. Every three days give the jar a gentle shake to ensure that the vegetables cure evenly.
Notes
- Label the top of the jar with the date that you placed the jar in the fridge.
- Remove the seeds and veins from the peppers if you prefer a pickle with less heat.
- You can substitute jalapeño peppers for the serrano peppers. The taste will be similar but not as hot.
SuperSniperSal, Sgt. USMC, RET. says
Thank You for this recipe, and this site. Just discovered it today, Sunday the 16th, FATHERS DAY. a very tasty pickling idea. I wonder what it would taste like if you used Chipotle peppers??!!
Thanx Again, HAPPY FATHERS DAY!!!!!!
SuperSniperSal
USMC
Disabled Vet
Jerry Schwanke says
Have lots of serranos so will pickle tomorrow. How long will these keep in fridge?
Dan Prather says
Are there additional main components that can be added? The photo shows sliced nopales included. Also, can this be canned?
carlospeligroso says
I don’t see nopales. the color change in the serranos (and the fact that they are large-quartered chiles) makes them look like nopales or nopalitos.
Kami Delgado says
How long will these keep in the fridge after the three weeks?
Michelle says
They should last several weeks or until consumed, whichever comes first. I also add a bay leaf to keep the veges crisp.
Doug says
What do you do with oil?
Michelle says
I just add the oil then the vinegar and give the jar a gentle shake to combine.
kopkomo says
Yes, as previously asked, what about the oil? It is listed as an ingredient but is not mentioned in the instructions. Please let us know. Thanks.
Michelle says
Just add the oil then the vinegar. Give it a gentle shake to combine.
Mike in MO says
Sooo… What do you do with – or when is – the oil used in the recipe?
Michelle says
Put the oil in the jar then add the vinegar. Give it a gentle shake to combine.
Cathie says
What do we do with the oil? Does it just go in with the vinegar or is the oil added in the recipe by mistake?
Michelle says
Add the oil then the vinegar. Give it a gentle shake to combine.
Chef Kris Kreiger says
I’ll try your recipe, but your photos show the use of jalapenos not serranos