Last Updated April 25th, 2024 at 11:21 am by Lisa
Make a jar of these old-fashioned deli-style Pickled Eggs recipe with hard boiled eggs, jalapeno peppers, garlic, and pickling spice. A healthy protein-packed snack ready in 7 days right in your kitchen. They are also great for picnics or as an easy appetizer.
These are the best-pickled eggs, with a touch of heat, and as a bonus, you get pickled garlic and jalapenos out of the jar...
How To Make Pickled Eggs
So how do you pickle eggs? Just like any other quick pickle. It's basically a brine and the eggs with garlic and jalapenos. Let's get pickling...
PRO TIP: This is recipe for pickled eggs is a refrigerator quick pickle recipe, and NOT for use in canning your eggs. There is no recipe for home canning pickled eggs.
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- 12-18 hard boiled eggs (cage-free/organic)
- 4 cups distilled white vinegar
- 4 cups water (cold)
- 1 tablespoon sea salt
- 1 tablespoon whole black peppercorns
- 2 tablespoons pickling spice
- 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
- 6 garlic cloves, slightly crushed add extra if you wish!
- 5 jalapeños ¼” slices
PRO TIP: Pickling Spice is made from simple pantry ingredients and is classically used in pickle recipes. You can buy it or make it at home. Be sure to try my Pickled Spice recipe!
Hard Boiled Eggs and Jalapenos
- The method I like the best is to "steam boil" eggs. 🥚🍳 Add water to a large pan with a lid, bring the water to a boil, and set a steamer basket in the water. Carefully add eggs to the steamer basket, cover, and let steam at high heat for 12 minutes. Fill a large bowl with ice and water.
- Remove eggs to an ice bath for 15 minutes, roll and crack them on the board and the peel will slip RIGHT OFF! I love making eggs this way.
- Push a clean stainless fork into each egg, this helps brine get into the eggs. (Don't use any wooden items like toothpicks -it can be non-food-safe when pickling). Place all 12-18 eggs in a large clear and clean clamp jar.
- Next, slice the fresh jalapenos into ¼" slices, and set them on top of the boiled eggs in your jar.
Be sure to get all my tips on how to hard boil eggs the easiest way ever! For years I could not get them to peel until I figured out the secret...
PRO TIP: Pickling Spice recipes do vary with their ingredients, and some will make the brine darker. You can add more pickling spice to this recipe for more flavor and color.
Make The Pickling Brine
- In a large saucepan, add the white vinegar, water, peppercorns, sea salt, pickling mixture of spices, crushed red pepper, and slightly smashed garlic cloves. Heat to just boiling, and then turn off the heat.
- Carefully pour the hot brine over the hard-boiled eggs and jalapeno slices. Put the spices in the jar, you might have extra liquid leftover.
- Wait for the liquid to cool, with the jar open for 1-2 hours, then place a glass weight on top, close the jar, and pop it in the refrigerator.
- Refrigerate and wait about 7 days, and your Pickled Eggs are ready to eat.
- Keep them cold in the refrigerator, and eat within a month.
When are pickled eggs ready to eat?
Wait about 7 days, and your Spicy Pickled Eggs are ready to eat!
Readers Love This Pickle Egg Recipe...
- "Absolutely love this recipe. I’m dropping a pickled egg into my bloody mary as I write this! Thanks for sharing!"
- "Loved these! I was looking for a simple and flavorful pickled egg recipe, and this one was perfect."
- "They are good chopped into egg salad, potato salad, and on avocado toast!"
- "I’ve made this recipe three times with homemade pickling spice and love it!"
- "Once your family and/or friends try these eggs they don’t have a chance of lasting two weeks!"
Why Use Fresh Jalapenos?
- They add the spicy kick you are looking for
- The color looks great in your pickled egg jar!
- Pickled jalapeno slices are tasty and can be used on tacos, or try on these awesome Tater Tot "Totchos" Nachos!
Pickled Eggs FAQ
Yes. Homemade pickled eggs must stay refrigerated to be safe because they are not canned and sealed from bacteria like commercial food products.
Delis used to serve them from jars on the counter, but would not advise that as being a food-safe practice. Enjoy your homemade pickled eggs, but please refrigerate and eat them up within a month.
A spice mix to create amazing pickles, corned beef, braised stews, rice, or use in marinades to flavor meat.
It has several spices, most commonly classic pickling spice has black peppercorns, mustard seeds, coriander seeds, dill seeds, allspice berries, bay leaves, and crushed red pepper flakes.
According to the National Center for Home Food Preservation, there are no home canning directions for pickled eggs. Although pickled eggs can be made at home, they must be refrigerated.
Pickled eggs should never be kept at room temperature, except for when you serve a few of them to eat. Pickled eggs should always be chilled cold below 40 degrees in the refrigerator. And limited to not more than 2 hours at room temperature danger zone of 40 to 140 degrees F.
What Is Pickling Spice?
- 1 tablespoon coriander seed
- 1 tablespoon dill seed
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 tablespoon whole allspice berries
- 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 5 dry bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon peppercorns black, pink, white, or mixed is fine
- 2 teaspoons yellow mustard seeds
- In a small bowl, combine all your spices.
- Keep your pickling Spice in a pint jar, or glass jar with a tight-fitting lid, and use it within 6 months.
More Egg Recipes
Take a look at my other pickled egg recipe using Hot Chili Pepper Pickled Eggs! It has yellow chili peppers and bright yellow color in the brine and is amazing. These are still on the Joe Josts menu, a famous bar in Long Beach, California.
More Pickle Recipes
Make Dill Pickle spears, chips, and halves. Wait just one day to let the flavors develop in these cucumber pickles. Once you can't wait any longer, crack open a jar. And make a few extra jars of pickles for friends and neighbors!
The pickling brine gives these Zucchini Pickles a zippy flavor and crisp texture, and what a great way to use up the summer squash that grows so fast in our gardens...
Quick Pickled Onions keep in the fridge for 3-4 weeks. Try these red onions on hamburgers, salads, tacos, and pulled pork or grilled cheese sandwiches.
Pickled Green Beans also called Dilly Beans, are a quick pickle recipe that requires no canning. Jazz up relish trays, pop them into Bloody Marys, or toss pickled beans into salads!
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Pickled Eggs Recipe with Jalapenos
Ingredients
- 18 boiled eggs (cage free/organic)
pickling liquid:
- 4 cups distilled white vinegar
- 3 cups cold water
- 1 tablespoon sea salt
- 1 tablespoon whole peppercorns
- 2 tablespoons pickling spice you can use more to make brine darker!
- 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
- 6 garlic cloves, slightly crushed add extra if you wish!
- 5 jalapeños ¼” slices, wear gloves!
Instructions
eggs and jalapenos
- The method I like the best is to "steam boil" eggs. Add water to a large pan with a lid, bring the water to a boil, and set a steamer basket in the water. Carefully add eggs to steamer basket, cover, and let steam at high heat for 12 minutes. Fill a large bowl with ice and water.
- Remove eggs to ice bath for 15 minutes, roll, and crack on a board, and the peel will slip right off!
- Push a clean stainless fork into each egg, this helps brine get into the eggs. (Don't use any wooden items like toothpicks-it can be non-food-safe when pickling). Place all 18 eggs in a large clear and clean clamp jar.
- Next, slice the fresh jalapenos into ¼" slices, set on top of boiled eggs in your jar.
pickling brine
- In a large saucepan, add the white vinegar, water, peppercorns, sea salt, pickling spice, crushed red pepper and slightly smashed garlic cloves. Heat to just boiling and then turn off heat.
- Carefully pour the hot pickling liquid mixture over the hard-boiled eggs and jalapeno slices. Put the spices in the jar, you might have extra liquid leftover.
- Wait for the liquid to cool, with the jar open for 1-2 hours, then place a glass weight on top, close the jar, and pop in the refrigerator.
- Refrigerate and wait about 7 days, and your Pickled Eggs are ready to eat.
- Keep these pickled eggs cold in the refrigerator, eat within a month.
So good! Just made a second batch yesterday and doubled it. Once they are ready to eat, they go fast. Thank you for sharing.
Becky, Yay! They are so easy right? Great snack and so yummy. Thanks for stopping by and leaving a review, helps us so much!
I’m getting ready to make my second batch of these pickled eggs. I love making my own pickling spice you posted and even my mom daidbit smelled much better then store bought. I like that fact that I can make the spice to my liking. I didn’t use all the jalapeños the first time as our garden peppers seem hotter then store bought. This was also my first time ever having a pickled egg. Was a quick favorite in my house!
Oh thank you Cheri for your comments, isn't it fun to make a spice mix? And they do hold so much more flavor! Awww those pickled eggs are loved by so many, honestly when I put that recipe up I was not expecting that people would love them so much. So glad your family approved, and sure you saw I have another pickled egg recipe from famous tavern here in Southern California? Here is the link to those, they are easy and a fun color! https://www.delicioustable.com/pickled-eggs/
love your recipes the only change I made was I added 4 ghost peppers cause I really like spicy. turned out fantastic.
Wonderful recipe! Thank you. Quick question, after I eat the eggs, can I reuse the refrigerated brine for another batch of eggs or would I have to start over again?
Hey Tony! So glad you loved them...I get asked this a lot, and it is always best to be safe and start a new pickle brine batch. Lot's of people try new chili peppers and spices in their new batch. And did you see the recipe for Chili Pepper Pickled Eggs? Its a famous recipe from a restaurant in Long Beach California called Joe Josts. Here is that recipe, so good too. https://www.delicioustable.com/pickled-eggs/ Thanks aain for your great commment, have an awesome weekend!
making them right now and the liquid smells amazing, didn't realize most of out garlic was done for so only had 3 full cloves had to sub some minced garlic (can't not have garlic) hoping it turns out alright with it, first time ever having pickled eggs,
thanks for the easy recipe
These are the best ever. Finally found something to do with our extra free range chicken eggs. Thank you so much
So glad Randall and thanks for your nice comment. I have a second pickled eggs recipe that uses yellow chili peppers and plan to do another one someday soon. Thanks again!
With jalapeños (not spicy) pretty bland. With serranos, better. With habanero the best.
OMG! These are so good. I had to make them again. They are seriously addictive! The flavor is so good. When I first made these I was thinking they might be weird, but not at all.
Getting ready to try this, but I have a question. Is there a way for me to can the eggs using this recipe? I mean by heating mason jars and add the eggs, hot vinegar mix and allowing them to cool and seal.
Hey Steve! I would strongly advise to not can pickled eggs at home. Here is some information on safety pickled eggs that you might want to read over! https://nchfp.uga.edu/how/can_06/pickled_eggs.html
Theses are fun ! and good to experiment with as fa as what to add 3rd batch on the way!
Kicked it up a notch added serrano peppers, some garlic olives roasted garlic, cocktail onions, and a bit of sage and rosemary. We shall see! Tip wash hands well after cutting the peppers the oils will burn!
Sounds great Chris! Excellent additions...
These look delicious! I love anything pickled. Especially with a little spicy kick.
Pickled things are the best...I think this recipe is now one the most popular ones on my site, I had no idea people would go crazy for pickled eggs. Thanks Laura.
My husband loves pickled eggs! He's going to go crazy for these ones!
Amy, thanks so much for your comment. Pickled eggs are so dang easy, I now have a couple of recipe that people really love and I am planning on some new flavors. Hope you whip up a batch, they are easy and a great snack!
Made a batch with a few modifications.
1. Used Habenero Peppers instead of Jalapeno
2. Replaced 2 of the cups of water with a 12oz dark beer.
Whoa what a great idea! Sounds very interesting modifications. They will be spicy and it will have a deep flavor. Funny one of my favorite recipes for Turkey Chili I use an English Pub Style dark beer and people always ask what my secret is, and dark beer is my secret! Thanks for your comment S Wolf!
I add hot kielbasa and make them in a gallon jar with pickles jalapeños and red onion
Wow, that is great! I have seen pickled sausage sold in the stores, ... sounds delish!!! Thanks for writing in Bob, and following along, I just might be trying this idea...mmmmmm!
I just made your recipe and it all smells great. I used the leftover brine to mix up a small jar of cauliflower. The only hard part is going to be having to wait a week before trying. Thanks
Fantastic to hear Steven! Great use of the brine...enjoy and thanks for the comment and star rating!
Lisa, you need to modify this recipe as far as the liquids are concerned. A one quart container is only 4 cups, empty. When you add the eggs it's probably half that. Your recipe calls for 8 cups of liquid which is probably four times as much than you need. I used two 1 pint mason jars and fit 6 eggs in each. I only used 2 cups of water and 2 cups of vinegar and after filling the containers I still had about half the liquid left over, and this was after I cut the liquid in half to begin with. I did half all the other ingredients also to make it proportional to the original recipe. Just saying you should modify recipe. I will be waiting a week to find out how nice these taste. Thanks for the recipe.
Hey John, Thanks so much for the comment and the rating! I hope you love these pickled eggs, I just put up a new recipe to make your own pickling spice and have ANOTHER new Pickled Egg recipe coming on this week! I took a look at my recipe, it calls for a 2 quart Mason jar (which is huge) and yes you will have some pickling liquid left over. That is intentional as you want you eggs and jalapenos completely covered for food safety. Let us know how your eggs turn out!
Hey Lisa I just started making these my eggs are still cooking as a matter fact can I put some fresh dill in there?
Sure! I do the with refrigerator pickles all the time. The dill will change colors, and darken. Be sure to cool your liquid before adding the fresh dill maybe? Enjoy your pickled eggs....
Is it super spicy? I like spice but not to the point that I sweat while eating 🙂 Also, once they are gone can I just add more eggs to the leftover brine?
Hi Nicole, it is not that hot, and you can add fewer Jalapenos? One thing to consider is that heat can vary among jalapenos, and the seeds and white part contain most of the spicy flavor. The pickled flavor is more dominant (IMO). You can reuse the liquid if it has been chilled in the refrigerator the whole time.
Nice recipe and I have my first batch in the fridge.
I'm just wondering about reusing the pickling solution again for the next batch. Probably best to do it fresh every time... ?
Hey Daniel, Thanks so much! Well as long as the solution has been refrigerated the whole time you should be fine. The main food safety issue with this recipe is to cool the eggs and the liquid before combining. I have a new recipe coming on the site for Hot Chili Pepper Pickled Eggs, Homemade Pickling Spice, and some amazing tips on cooking eggs that will make life alot easier when it comes to peeling. Stay tuned, and thanks again for your wonderful comment!
I’ve made this recipe three times with a homemade pickling spice and love it! I normally don’t like jalapeños, but I do love these pickled ones. I have added about twenty to my jar instead of five. I wanted to say that the leftover pickling liquid can be used as a salad dressing with olive oil. I also use the liquid after it has been pickled as a vinaigrette o my salads and wraps with kalamata olives and mayonnaise. And of course, the pickled jalapeños.
Brianna! Well, thank you SO much for not only making the pickled eggs 3 times but leaving such a wonderful comment and idea! I so appreciate your tip about the dressing, what a great idea! I often make my salad dressings by shaking them in a small mason jar, my Mom always made it that way, so easy and stores so well in the fridge. I just finished a new pickled egg recipe with homemade pickling spice and some egg cooking/peeling tips that will be on the site soon..I made a Hot Yellow Chili Pepper pickled eggs this time, so glad you love the recipe and thanks for the FIVE STARS!
I am new to canning and preserving. Would you be willing to share your homemade picking spice recipe? Thank you
Yes, Debbie! My recipes are all for quick pickles and not actual canning. If you are interested in canning, may I suggest you get a copy of the Ball Canning Book, it is considered the best reference for safe canning. And here is my Pickling Spice Recipe: https://www.delicioustable.com/pickling-spice/ Happy Pickling!
First off, once your family and/or friends try these eggs they don't have a chance of lasting two weeks! Just for fun I added several asparagus (spare gas) shoots to see how they would take to the pickling process along with the eggs. It may sound as though you are building a human gas bomb LOL, but no worries, the recipe yields excellent tasting eggs, asparagus shoots, and jalapeno slices that went over BIG in my circle of peeps!
Second (double) batch currently in fridge "maturing". Hate to wish life away, but cant wait till next week when the second batch is done! Thinking eggs and green beans on the next batch!
Thanks for the fun and great recipe Lisa!
Steve
Steve! Thank you so much for this wonderful comment!!!! They don't last in ours either!!! LOL (Would you mind if I quote you in the recipe card by first name only?) As a matter of fact this recipe is such a hit I made a new one with Hot Pickled Yellow peppers, plus homemade pickling spice and a GREAT way to steam eggs and peel them! Those will be on the website very soon. Wow, what a great idea to put asparagus in there! I have a quick pickled green been recipe on the site that we like in bloody marys, so easy and FUN! Thanks again for reading along Steve and for being so creative with your pickled eggs!! Happy Cooking.
Couliflour and carrots
That would be a GREAT addition!!!
Can you edit the recipe, unless i misread, it says 6 cloves slightly crushed. I was going to slightly cursh 6 cloves 😂. Instructions say crushed garlic. Makes more sense to crush garlic cloves, not cloves. But i am going to make these as soon as I get garlic and jalapenos. Can't wait
Caroll! YES, and thank you so much. I just fixed that on the recipe card. I am working on a new pickled egg recipe that will be quick and easy like this one, but a new twist! So stay tuned, it will be out soon. Happy Cooking, and thank you for being an awesome reader!
If your pickling spice contains clove it will make the brine take on a brown color. The difference could be related to the variety of pickling spice used.
Lance, good point and mine does! I have a new recipe coming on the website to make your own pickling spice too so look for that!
I love pickled eggs and I love spicy food so i know I'll love this recipe, Thats not why I'm making this reply, actually I wanted to know, can you make them last longer then two weeks? You said eat within two weeks but is there something I can do to make a whole huge batch of like 48 eggs or more all at once and it last me as l need? I don't have the time to constantly Make 12 at a time and sometimes I don't eat them for a while but when I do 12 won't be enough for even a week lol. I LOVE pickled eggs. Also do you have a pickled sausage recipe I could look at as well or can I use this for sausage as well?
Hey Jose! Well that is a great question about making pickled eggs last than more than 2 weeks. I did some research for you and according to The National Center For Home Food Preservation: https://nchfp.uga.edu/how/can_06/pickled_eggs.html "Storing Eggs-After making the eggs, the eggs require some time to season (i.e., pick up the flavors from the pickling brine). Keep them refrigerated at all times. If small eggs are used, 1 to 2 weeks are usually allowed for seasoning to occur. Medium or large eggs may require 2 to 4 weeks to become well seasoned. Use the eggs within 3 to 4 months for best quality." So there you go! Actually, I am working on another pickled egg recipe for you all right now! I had never heard of pickled sausage, but looked it up and it is a thing! Very interesting. Basically, cooked sausage put into a cooled brine and rest for a couple of weeks. I don't have that on my site right now, but it looked very interesting! Thanks Jose for loving this recipe, it is SO popular....and I will have more to come. Happy Cooking!
So glad I found a recipe without sugar added! These are great, and the second time I made them I doubled the recipe since I had 6 dozen mini eggs and added onions and red bell peppers to the tops of the jars with the eggs.
Angela! That is so funny, I don't get why sugar would be in a pickled egg : ). So thrilled you love them, this recipe has been such a hit with readers that I have 2 more pickled egg recipes coming out soon. So glad you doubled the recipe, curious what "mini" egg you used? Really like that you added red bell pepper and onions, how pretty would that look. Thanks for making our recipe and for your comment and rating, it helps us so much!
I was excited to put my 2 quart clamp-lid jar to use but when I peeled my eggs and placed them in the jar they only filled the jar a quarter full. I placed my eggs in my 1 quart clamp-lid jar and they fit perfectly. I originally cut the recipe for the brine down to one third and this amount filled my jar.
I wish I could take credit for it, but I read somewhere else.
Just passing it on.
BTW, it works.
Feel free to update it.
instead of boiling, steam the eggs for exactly 12 min.
BE SURE TO USE A HOT PAD GLOVE
put 1 inch of water in a pot that a veggie steamer will fit in the same as you would to steam veggies.
place the eggs in the steamer & when the water starts to boil, place the steamer in the pot & cover.
set the timer for 12 mins.
while they are steaming, fill a bowl with COLD water & ICE, be sure it is big enough to hold the eggs, water & ice.
when the timer goes off in 12 mins, IMMEDIATELY immerse the steamer with the eggs in the ice water & let cool for about 15 mins.
add ice if needed.
the eggs shells will peel off the eggs without sticking & tearing them.
TED! You are a genius, never heard of this way to boil eggs before! I am so going to make eggs this way next time, would you mind if I update my tips section in the recipe and give you BIG thank you?
I cook my eggs in the Instant Pot. 8-9 minutes on steam, then drop them in cold water. I then put the eggs, one at a time in a pint sized jar with a lid and just enough water to cover the egg. I shake the jar vigorously about 10 times and the egg shells will either just fall off, or require minimal peeling.
Scott, I have an Instant Pot and have yet to make eggs in it...sounds like this method is full proof! I will try it and thank you for sharing with all the readers.
That's how my mother would prepare most everything needing to be peeled after boiling including potatoes!! It really works. (I'm 66 yrs old, so it goes back a long time)
That is great to hear Kathy, thanks so much!
Can I pickle in plastic container?
Hello Nova! Well I would not recommend it...vinegar is acidic and pickling is better in glass. Mason/Ball jars are quite reasonable and available at most grocery stores. They can be used for so many things, I even make salad dressings in them! Hope that helps...and happy cooking.
Is there any way they can keep more than 2 weeks?
ann
Hi Ann, As long as they are kept refrigerated and covered in pickling solution they will be food safe. I would eat them within in 3 weeks max. Enjoy your pickled eggs!!!
Absolutely love this recipe. I'm dropping a pickled egg into my bloody mary as I write this! Thanks for sharing!
That is awesome Sam! We love pickled eggs, but to put one in a bloody mary??? Wow what a great garnish idea! Did you see I have a recipe for Homemade Roasted Hatch Chile Bloody Mary Mix? Plus I show you how to make pickled green beans for the garnish! Keep on sipping and stay cool this summer, thanks for your comment!! Here is the link to the recipes...https://www.delicioustable.com/roasted-hatch-chile-spicy-bloody-mary-mix/
Loved these! I was looking for a simple and flavorful pickled eggs recipe, and this one was perfect.