Best Pickled Jalapeños (Mild, Hot, Sliced, and Whole!)

While you might think of pickled jalapeños as just those things you occasionally throw onto nachos they’re also a staple ingredient of Mexican cooking. Pickled jalapeños are a vital part of escabeche, a common Mexican condiment made of pickled jalapeños, carrots, and onions, soaked in vinegar. If it sounds familiar, it might be because it’s because the name is derived from the Spanish dish of the same name, which features marinated meat or fish with vegetables. And as it spread around the world to Latin America and the Philippines, it developed into very different versions, which all kept the name “escabeche.” 

But if you look on the shelves of your local grocery store, you’ll find a wide range of different pickled jalapeños to choose from: hot pickled jalapeños, mild pickled jalapeños, whole pickled jalapeños, sliced pickled jalapeños, some pickled in vinegar, others pickled in just brine. 

So, how can you tell which peppers are the ones for you? We took it upon ourselves to sample a wide range of different pickled jalapeños, judging them on flavor, heat, and juice. Here are our picks for the best pickled jalapeños you can find on your local store’s shelves or Amazon.

The following article contains affiliate links that may generate a small commission to us when you make a purchase through the link. Learn more about how we work with affiliates here.

Best “Mild” Jalapeños

Mt. Olive Mild Jalapeno Slices

Instacart

If you like that classic jalapeño taste, but can’t stand any heat, Mt. Olive makes a good compromise, as it provides plenty of peppery flavor, but very little heat. That’s partly because they’re soaked in an unspiced mix of brine and vinegar, which gives the whole thing a tart flavor that reminds me of a dill pickle. The lack of heat means you can dump a ton on a plate without worrying about burning your mouth. 

Credit: Merc / Instacart

Rating:

6/10

Sporks

Best “Medium Heat” Jalapeños

Mezzetta Family Co. Sliced Tamed Jalapeño Peppers

Walmart

What is a “tamed” pepper? It’s a pepper that’s a hybrid of jalapeños and bell peppers that delivers a slightly spicier taste than a mild jalapeño, but is still mild enough that you don’t have to worry about totally scorching your mouth. It’s also crunchier than a regular jalapeño, making Mezzetta the best pickled jalapeños brand to add a nice texture to a sandwich or wrap. 

Credit: Merc / Walmart

Rating:

7/10

Sporks

Best “Hot & Sweet” Jalapeños

Private Selection Hot & Sweet Jalapeño Slices

Kroger

If you’re looking for more “pickled” than “pepper” from your pickled jalapeño peppers, these Kroger brand slices are soaked in a mix of sugar water and apple cider vinegar, which gives them an added sweetness that’s reminiscent of bread and butter pickles. That said, they are still  jalapeño peppers, and after that initial kick of sweetness, there’s a spicy aftertaste that builds with each bite. I can also say that the mix of spicy and sweet blends really well with polenta, creating a slightly spicy mix that reminded me of hot honey cornbread.

Credit: Liv Averett / Kroger

Rating:

8/10

Sporks

Best Jalapeños for Nachos

La Costeña Nachos Pickled Jalapeño Peppers

Walmart

If you’re looking for plain, straightforward sliced pickled jalapeños—the kind that would be perfect on a plate of nachos—then these are the ones for you. They’re horizontally sliced, resulting in little buttons of peppers that can easily be sprinkled onto a plate or mixed into a cheese sauce without a lot of cutting. And they’re pickled in a spiced vinegar that gives them some tang, but still blends well with that peppery goodness. They bring plenty of heat without being overpowering, so you don’t have to worry about accidentally destroying your mouth with one bite.

Credit: Merc / Walmart

Rating:

7.5/10

Sporks

Best of the Best

Goya Green Pickled Jalapeño Peppers

Walmart

As I mentioned before, Mexican escabeche is a mix of jalapeño, carrots, onions, vinegar, and spices, which makes an amazing condiment and topping for your meals. The vinegar gives you plenty of acid, while the peppers provide a fiery flavor. And while several of the peppers we tasted followed the escabeche formula, these were the best pickled jalapeño peppers for me. The brine gives it plenty of tang, mixed with spice and vegetables to round out the flavor. Although, I should mention that this mix keeps the pickled jalapeños whole, so unless you’re up for just biting into them (like me), then you’ll have to slice them yourself. But it’s a small price to pay for a really great (and really hot) topping for your tacos.

Credit: Merc / Walmart

Rating:

8/10

Sporks

Other pickled jalapeños we tried:  El Mexicano Rajas de Jalapeños, La Costeña Jalapeños,  La Costeña Sliced Jalapeños, La Morena Whole Pickled Jalapeño Peppers, La Preferida Organic Jalapeño Nacho Slices (Mild), Mezzetta Family Co. Sliced Hot Jalapeño Peppers (Hot), Simple Truth Organic Jalapeño Peppers (Sliced)