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Taqueria Style Pickled Jalapenos and Carrots

March 21, 2020 By Patrick 132 Comments

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March 2020 — I just updated this recipe with a few minor tweaks.  It’s easily one of my favorite recipes on the site, so I also added a video in hopes of proving how easy it is to make these Pickled Jalapenos.  You’ll get a massive upgrade in flavor compared to store-bought versions, so if you’re new to this quick pickling technique please give it a whirl!   

Admit it.  For months (years!) you were guilty of bypassing the bowl of mundane looking pickled jalapenos and carrots served up at your local taqueria.  What could those possibly do for me?  Next.

And then you tried one.   Now when you’re scoping out a new taco joint you give a terminator-like scan for your beloved pickled goodies.

Luckily it’s easy to whip up a batch of these at home, ensuring that your perfectly balanced taco bite is always within arm’s reach.

 

Sometimes the zip from a pickled jalapeno will create the perfectly balanced taco bite. Making a batch of these Taqueria Style Pickled Jalapeno and Carrots is super easy and lets you control how much spice you want in your life. Buen Provecho. mexicanplease.com

How To Make Pickled Jalapenos and Carrots

This recipe will make enough to fill a quart-sized Mason jar to the brim with pure zip — you can also use two pint-sized jars if you want.   

Note:  these instructions are not designed for long term canning.

Please consider the following ingredient pic a reference point only.  The veggies and vinegar are doing most of the heavy lifting, so if you don’t have all the spices on hand go ahead and make them anyway; most likely you’ll be happy with the results.

Sometimes the zip from a pickled jalapeno will create the perfectly balanced taco bite. Making a batch of these Taqueria Style Pickled Jalapeno and Carrots is super easy and lets you control how much spice you want in your life. Buen Provecho. mexicanplease.com

 

Start by giving the jalapenos a good rinse and peeling the carrots, cutting both into 1/4 inch sized coins.

 

Sometimes the zip from a pickled jalapeno will create the perfectly balanced taco bite. Making a batch of these Taqueria Style Pickled Jalapeno and Carrots is super easy and lets you control how much spice you want in your life. Buen Provecho. mexicanplease.com

 

It’s always best to use caution when handling hot chili peppers, and that includes jalapenos!  A final hand washing is usually enough for me, but some peeps with sensitive skin may prefer gloves.  More info on working with hot chiles. 

Saute a sliced onion and 4-6 roughly chopped garlic cloves in a glug of oil over medium heat.

 

Sometimes the zip from a pickled jalapeno will create the perfectly balanced taco bite. Making a batch of these Taqueria Style Pickled Jalapeno and Carrots is super easy and lets you control how much spice you want in your life. Buen Provecho. mexicanplease.com

As this the onion softens you’ll have time to gather the dry ingredients.

Sometimes the zip from a pickled jalapeno will create the perfectly balanced taco bite. Making a batch of these Taqueria Style Pickled Jalapeno and Carrots is super easy and lets you control how much spice you want in your life. Buen Provecho. mexicanplease.com

So in the above pic you’ve got:

8-10 cracked black peppercorns
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 bay leaf (optional)
1/2 teaspoon Mexican oregano 

I usually give the spices a quick crush in the molcajete and then briefly saute them before adding the jalapenos, but this is optional.  And if like me you’re frequently out of bay leaves then just skip it, as I’ve made this recipe without a bay leaf dozens of times and it still turns out awesome. 

Add the jalapenos and carrots to the saucepan.

Sometimes the zip from a pickled jalapeno will create the perfectly balanced taco bite. Making a batch of these Taqueria Style Pickled Jalapeno and Carrots is super easy and lets you control how much spice you want in your life. Buen Provecho. mexicanplease.com

Along with the spices if you haven’t added them yet. 

Sometimes the zip from a pickled jalapeno will create the perfectly balanced taco bite. Making a batch of these Taqueria Style Pickled Jalapeno and Carrots is super easy and lets you control how much spice you want in your life. Buen Provecho. mexicanplease.com

Saute briefly and then add:

1.5 cups of white vinegar
1 cup water
1 tablespoon Kosher or sea salt  

Note that Kosher or pure sea salt are most commonly used for pickling.  The additives in iodized salt will sometimes affect the brine so it isn’t recommended.

Sometimes the zip from a pickled jalapeno will create the perfectly balanced taco bite. Making a batch of these Taqueria Style Pickled Jalapeno and Carrots is super easy and lets you control how much spice you want in your life. Buen Provecho. mexicanplease.com

Let this simmer for a few minutes or until the jalapenos turn army green.

Sometimes the zip from a pickled jalapeno will create the perfectly balanced taco bite. Making a batch of these Taqueria Style Pickled Jalapeno and Carrots is super easy and lets you control how much spice you want in your life. Buen Provecho. mexicanplease.com

Once the jalapenos are changing color you can load up the jars.  Glass jars work best for this vinegar-based brine so I always default to Mason jars. 

Each jar gets loaded with the jalapeno-carrot-onion mixture and filled to the brim with the brine.

Sometimes the zip from a pickled jalapeno will create the perfectly balanced taco bite. Making a batch of these Taqueria Style Pickled Jalapeno and Carrots is super easy and lets you control how much spice you want in your life. Buen Provecho. mexicanplease.com

You should have plenty of brine but if you spill some you can always top them off with a splash of water.

I usually let the jars cool on the counter a bit before capping and storing in the fridge.

You can take a taste now and you’ll get a good preview of their final flavor, but the jalapenos won’t be fully pickled until they rest in the brine overnight.  

Sometimes the zip from a pickled jalapeno will create the perfectly balanced taco bite. Making a batch of these Taqueria Style Pickled Jalapeno and Carrots is super easy and lets you control how much spice you want in your life. Buen Provecho. mexicanplease.com

And the next day you’ll have some zippppp!  

They’re so good and act as the perfect final garnish on your tacos, tostadas, sandwiches, etc. 

Sometimes the zip from a pickled jalapeno will create the perfectly balanced taco bite. Making a batch of these Taqueria Style Pickled Jalapeno and Carrots is super easy and lets you control how much spice you want in your life. Buen Provecho. mexicanplease.com

These pickled jalapenos will keep in the fridge for a month or so, after which you can take the afternoon off of work to make a new batch.  Priorities right?

And if you like these Pickled Jalapenos then you can use this quick pickling technique to make any of these:

Pickled Onions

Pickled Tomatillos

Pickled Cabbage

Pickled Serranos

Extra Hot Pickled Jalapenos with Habaneros

Buen Provecho!

P.S. If you have a sweet tooth we recently put up a recipe for Candied Jalapenos. 

To get up-to-date recipes follow me on Instagram, Facebook, or Pinterest.

Sometimes the zip from a pickled jalapeno will create the perfectly balanced taco bite. Making a batch of these Taqueria Style Pickled Jalapeno and Carrots is super easy and lets you control how much spice you want in your life. Buen Provecho. mexicanplease.com

Taqueria Style Pickled Jalapenos and Carrots

This recipe will result in two pint-sized jars of pure zip. They'll keep in the fridge for at least a month. (Note: these instructions are not designed for long-term canning.)
4.53 from 96 votes
Print Pin Rate
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Servings: 8 (2 pints)
Calories: 27kcal
Author: Patrick Calhoun | Mexican Please

Ingredients

  • 8-10 jalapenos
  • 2 carrots
  • 1 small onion
  • 4-6 cloves of garlic
  • olive oil
  • 1.5 cups white vinegar
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 tablespoon salt (Kosher or sea salt)
  • 1/2 teaspoon Mexican oregano
  • 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
  • 8-10 black peppercorns
  • 1 bay leaf (optional)

Instructions

  • Give the jalapenos a rinse and then cut into 1/4 inch slices.  Peel the carrots and cut into 1/4 inch slices.
  • Peel and quarter the onion, chopping into thin slices.  Peel and roughly chop the garlic.
  • Heat a glug of oil in a medium sized sauce pan over medium heat.  Saute the onion and garlic for a few minutes.
  • Add the spices:  1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds, 1/2 teaspoon Mexican oregano, 8-10 black peppercorns.  I usually give the spices a quick crush in the molcajete but this is optional.  And feel free to use powdered spices if you don't have seeds or peppercorns on hand. 
  • Add the jalapenos and carrots.  Briefly saute and then add 1.5 cups white vinegar, 1 cup water, 1 tablespoon kosher or sea salt, and 1 bay leaf (optional).  Simmer until the jalapenos are just turning army green in color.
  • Fill two pint-sized Mason jars with the veggies and fill to the brim with the vinegar mixture.  You can also use a single quart-sized Mason jar.  You can give them a taste test now for a preview, but they won't have full flavor until they rest overnight in the brine.
  • I usually let the jars cool on the counter for a bit, then cap and store in the fridge where they will keep for weeks at a time. 

Notes

Kosher, sea or pickling salts are the most common salts used for pickling vegetables. Iodized salt isn't recommended as sometimes additives will affect the brine.
Glass containers seem to be the best choice for storage of this vinegar based brine.  Metallic containers not recommended. 
It's also best practice to use a non-reactive pan when heating up the vinegar. 
Always use caution when handling hot chiles -- here are some tips on handling hot chili peppers. 
Feel free to use powdered spices if you don't have seeds or peppercorns on hand.
I recently experimented with adding Habaneros to this recipe for some additional heat.  See Extra Hot Pickled Jalapenos.
Like this recipe?Click the stars above to rate it or leave a comment down below! @mexplease

You can easily modify the above recipe to make a tiny jar of Pickled Serranos:

Want to quick pickle some serrano chile peppers? No problem! Here's an easy recipe that will fit in an 8 oz. Mason jar. mexicanplease.com

 

And here’s an easy way to make some Pickled Onions.

Here's an easy recipe for a quick batch of delightful pickled onions. You can use these on sandwiches, tacos, tostadas, or anything that needs a final dash of zip to liven it up. So good! mexicanplease.com

 

Or you can use a similar technique to make some Pickled Tomatillos.

These Pickled Tomatillos will give you a tart burst of acidity and they work wonders on tacos, quesadillas, and even sandwiches. So good! mexicanplease.com

 

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Filed Under: Appetizers/Sides, Most Popular, Most Recent, Tacos, Vegetarian

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Dan

    November 27, 2020 at 5:27 pm

    5 stars
    Patrick, these pickled jalapeños/carrots/onions have played a significant role in getting me through the pandemic. I found your recipe back in April during lockdown and made my first batch and I’m now on my fifth. Each batch I find myself a) eating more straight out of the jar, and b) putting them on 3–5 new things. I find they make or break a grilled cheese, breakfast tacos of course, and they’re at least worth a try in a peanut butter sandwich (after all, there’s a whole cult about PB and pickles!). Just yesterday these pickles put Thanksgiving over the top, since we had turkey but no gravy or cranberry sauce, so instead of dry boring turkey I had turkey loaded up with pickled jalapeños, carrots, onions, garlic, and brine. They’re amazing on everything! I might have to try them on ice cream…
    Anyway, thanks! Only now exploring the rest of the site, and can’t wait to try other recipes.

    Reply
    • Patrick

      November 30, 2020 at 2:28 pm

      Hey thanks much for your note Dan, so glad these are a hit for you! Okay I will try them with peanut butter based on your suggestion 🙂 Cheers.

      Reply
  2. Marjorie

    November 7, 2020 at 5:05 am

    Can you use apple cider vinegar? I have a gallon of the stuff and I’m trying to use it up! Thanks in advance.

    Reply
    • Patrick

      November 9, 2020 at 4:18 pm

      Hey Marjorie! Yeah you can and I have in the past, but I could taste the cider in the final product and didn’t like it as much as batches made with plain old white vinegar. Still works though, so if that’s all you have available though then I would go for it. Cheers.

      Reply
  3. Jeff Carpenter

    October 18, 2020 at 4:22 am

    Wow! Finally… I’m from Tucson AZ , but now living in Beaufort SC…and Mexican food, real Mexican food is my number one food group and your recipes are fantastic…spot on stuff…thanks.

    Reply
    • Patrick

      October 19, 2020 at 10:24 pm

      Hey thanks much for the feedback Jeff. Cheers.

      Reply
  4. Randy Von Hatten

    October 10, 2020 at 1:34 pm

    5 stars
    Excellent Recipe. Easy to do Great taste

    Reply
    • Patrick

      October 12, 2020 at 3:56 pm

      Thanks Randy!

      Reply
  5. Noah

    September 26, 2020 at 12:53 pm

    5 stars
    This recipe is spot on! I eat a ton of these when I go out to a taqueria. Reading the recipe I was worried they wouldn’t be crunchy because of the simmering step, but I went ahead with it and was pleasantly surprised. They turned out so well! Thank you.

    Reply
    • Patrick

      September 28, 2020 at 10:07 pm

      Thanks Noah, so glad these are a hit for you! Cheers.

      Reply
  6. Diana Snyder

    August 29, 2020 at 1:54 pm

    5 stars
    Patrick, Thank you so much for sharing this recipe. When I was 5-6 years old in San Francisco my sitters husband would make this. So at a young age I tasted the best, I’m now 64 . I’ve tried many recipes for the Jalapeno and Carrots and they where just ok. But I’m very pleased with this recipe it brought me home. I’ve made 2 batches now. I eat it right out of the jar. Thank you. Diana

    Reply
    • Patrick

      September 1, 2020 at 4:00 pm

      Ahh that’s great to know Diana, I’m so glad this recipe tasted familiar to you! I especially love how the hints of cumin and Mexican oregano make their way into the carrots 🙂 Cheers.

      Reply
  7. Kelsey

    August 26, 2020 at 3:00 pm

    Do you know if this recipe is safe to can?

    Reply
    • Patrick

      August 28, 2020 at 2:08 pm

      Hi Kelsey, I don’t do any long term preserving so I can’t say for sure — sorry I can’t give a better answer. Cheers.

      Reply
  8. Sherri

    August 23, 2020 at 8:56 am

    5 stars
    This is the second year I made these they come out so well my boyfriends family begs for them .

    Reply
    • Patrick

      August 25, 2020 at 4:15 pm

      Thanks Sherri!

      Reply
  9. Lyle

    August 9, 2020 at 10:24 am

    5 stars
    The best spicy carrots I’ve ever had – and I live in SoCal, home of a million quality taquerias/Mexican restaurants. Thank you, Patrick, for sharing your recipe. I can’t stop munching on these and then wiping the sweat off my brow and eating some more!

    Reply
    • Patrick

      August 11, 2020 at 2:07 pm

      Hah thanks much Lyle, I’m so glad you are enjoying the often overlooked but equally delicious sidekick in this recipe 🙂 Cheers.

      Reply
  10. Neil

    August 9, 2020 at 2:06 am

    5 stars
    Happy I used my homegrown jalapenos for this! Easy and super tasty! Thanks for sharing.

    Reply
    • Patrick

      August 11, 2020 at 2:10 pm

      Thanks Neil!

      Reply
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