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Home » Recipes » Sauces, Dressings and Condiments

Easy Fresh Jalapeño Relish

Square headshot image of Family Food on the Table's Kathryn Doherty.
By Kathryn Doherty · Modified: May 13, 2026 · Published: Sep 20, 2018 · This post may contain affiliate links
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Fresh jalapeño relish is an easy, 10-minute, no-cook recipe for a slightly sweet, slightly spicy topping that’s delicious on burgers and hot dogs, tacos and nachos, rice bowls and even eggs! #jalapenos #relish #easyrecipe

Fresh jalapeño relish is an easy, 10-minute, no-cook recipe for a slightly sweet, slightly spicy topping that's delicious on burgers and hot dogs, tacos and nachos, rice bowls and even eggs!

A small spoon resting in a white bowl of jalapeño relish with fresh jalapeños to the side.


 

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Walmart. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

You are going to fall in love with today's recipe for this easy fresh jalapeño relish!

And you're going to want to put it on ALL the foods!

It's slightly sweet, slightly spicy, slightly tangy and just ALL kinds of delicious!

(You might also like this homemade pepper jelly for a fun appetizer/spread.)

Also, you can adjust the level of heat in this recipe to make a sweet or spicy jalapeño relish. I've got all the tips below.

We love using it for: burgers, hot dogs, grilled chicken or fish, nachos, tacos, wraps, sandwiches, rice bowls and even eggs.

Can we say addictive? Can we say obsessed?!

A small spoon resting in a white bowl of jalapeño relish with fresh jalapeños to the side on teal napkins.

And I'm so happy to be supporting Walmart and their push to work with farmers and use locally grown produce in their stories.

My local store here has gorgeous jalapeño peppers from Bailey Farms of Oxford, N.C. I love being able to buy my peppers local and support nearby farmers.

(Especially when my backyard jalapeño plant hasn't been, um, very fruitful this summer. 😭)

There's no cooking involved, and no canning is needed. And it's just 5 ingredients and ready in 10 minutes!

It's going to be your new favorite flavor booster!

Recipe Notes:

Spicy level: To make a less spicy relish, remove all of the seeds and membranes from the jalapeños before adding them to the food processor. You can also taste the relish and add an extra squeeze of honey if desired for a sweet jalapeño relish.

For a spicier relish, leave some of the seeds and membranes in for this dish. The more you leave in, the hotter it will be, so be careful! You can also add a few dashes of hot sauce to the final relish to adjust the level of heat.

Garlic: If you have whole garlic cloves, you can also roughly chop those and then throw them in with the jalapeños and red onions to get minced in the food processor.

Vinegar: I use apple cider vinegar, which adds a bit of sweetness along with the acidity of the vinegar. You could also use white wine vinegar or regular vinegar and then add some extra honey to adjust the flavor at the end.

Want a fruity twist? You can add pineapple or mango to this salsa to make a sweeter, fruity version of jalapeño relish. I'd add that before adding the honey and then taste to adjust to your liking.

Close up of a burger atop lettuce and tomato on a bun on a small white plate with a pile of fresh jalapeño relish on top.

So, my friends, you need to snag some jalapeños and try out this relish. You'll be wanting to keep a jar of it on hand in the fridge at all times.

Enjoy!

XO,

Kathryn

A small spoon resting in a white bowl of jalapeño relish with fresh jalapeños to the side.
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4.58 from 14 votes

Easy Fresh Jalapeño Relish

Fresh jalapeño relish is an easy, 10-minute, no-cook recipe for a slightly sweet, slightly spicy topping for burgers, hot dogs, tacos, nachos and more!
Prep Time10 minutes mins
Total Time10 minutes mins
Yield: 1 ½ cups
Substitutions
More Recipes

Ingredients

  • 7-8 large jalapeño peppers, with stems, membranes and seeds removed; chopped (see notes)
  • ¼ cup chopped red onion
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2-3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • ¾ teaspoon kosher salt

Instructions

  • Add the chopped jalapeño peppers and red onion to a food processor and pulse several times, until broken down and minced. (Be careful not to let it go too long that it turns into mush or soup.)
  • Transfer the jalapeño mixture to a bowl and stir in garlic, 2 tablespoons of the apple cider vinegar, honey and salt. Taste and adjust seasonings, adding the additional tablespoon of vinegar if needed for consistency (depending on how much liquid your jalapeños gave off in the food processor).
  • Cover and store the relish in the refrigerator for up to 10 days.

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Notes

Heat level: To make a less spicy relish, remove all of the seeds and especially all of the membranes from the jalapeños before adding them to the food processor. You can also taste the relish and add an extra squeeze of honey if desired.
For a spicier relish, leave some of the membranes in for this dish. The more you leave in, the hotter it will be, so be careful! You can also add a few dashes of hot sauce to the final relish to adjust the level of heat.
Ways to use: Use this jalapeño relish as a topping for burgers, hot dogs, grilled chicken or fish, even shrimp or scallops. Use as a topping for nachos, tacos, wraps, sandwiches, rice bowls and even eggs.

Nutrition

Serving: 2tablespoons | Calories: 12kcal | Carbohydrates: 3g | Sodium: 133mg | Sugar: 2g
Tried this recipe?Leave a comment below or follow me on Instagram @familyfoodonthetable and tag me in your photo!

Need some more yummy jalapeño recipes in your life? Yes, I think you do.

Check out this jalapeño cream cheese dip and Mississippi caviar for appetizer options. Or try this summer corn salad for a side dish.

For a main dish meal, we love this creamy jalapeno chicken. Serve with rice to soak up some of the tasty sauce!

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Comments

  1. LeAndra says

    October 15, 2018 at 8:19 pm

    I really like this idea! I'm going to use up the rest of my summer jalapenos and try it on eggs.

    Reply
    • Kathryn says

      October 17, 2018 at 6:40 am

      It's really good on eggs! I hope you enjoy it LeAndra! 🙂

      Reply
  2. Dolores says

    June 12, 2019 at 1:52 am

    I have some super hot jalapenos. Have you got any ideas on how to tame them? My DH likes spicy but these are too spicy even for him. I would like to try the cheese jalapeno biscuits and the relish, but I'm afraid of not being able to eat them. I'm a new subscriber and I'm anxious to get cooking your recipes.

    Reply
    • Kathryn says

      June 12, 2019 at 6:42 am

      Hi Dolores! Removing all of the seeds AND all of the membranes will take out most of the heat from your jalapenos (those are the hottest parts). If you want to go a step further, I've heard soaking halved or sliced jalapenos in lemon-lime soda (or soda water with lime juice) can also remove some heat. Cooking them also takes out some of the heat, so that could help depending on how you use them. Finally, pairing them with dairy or sugar are other ways to balance that heat and take some of the sting out. I hope that helps!

      Reply
  3. Nancy says

    August 17, 2019 at 10:15 am

    Can you freeze it when done. I have a lot of peppers

    Reply
    • Kathryn Doherty says

      August 18, 2019 at 3:49 pm

      I haven't tried freezing the leftovers, so I'm not sure whether it would work and still be tasty after defrosting. Would love to hear if you try! I've also used extra jalapeños from my garden to make and freeze cheese stuffed jalapeños (like jalapeño poppers you'd make for an appetizer) or in soups or stews or chili that would freeze well. Hope that helps!

      Reply
    • Lisa Brownrigg says

      September 02, 2020 at 1:04 pm

      I made a huge batch of this recipe last year... and froze in one cup tupperwares. It was just as fresh and delicious when thawed months later!

      Reply
      • Kathryn Doherty says

        September 03, 2020 at 11:51 am

        I'm so happy to hear that Lisa! And thanks so much for sharing that freezing it works great, too! Now I need to go make a huge batch myself... 😊

        Reply
  4. Mickey says

    September 11, 2019 at 2:47 pm

    How long will this stay good in the fridge?

    Reply
    • Kathryn Doherty says

      September 12, 2019 at 2:31 pm

      Hi Mickey, this stays good in the fridge for up to 10 days. Hope you enjoy it!

      Reply
  5. Susan Conboy says

    November 08, 2020 at 3:29 pm

    My new FAVE way to use my garden jalapenos! The second time I made it, I realized I was out of ACV; used rice vinegar instead and it was amazing! Thanks so much for this recipe!

    Reply
    • Kathryn Doherty says

      November 09, 2020 at 5:18 pm

      I'm so happy you love this recipe Susan! And that's great to know about the rice vinegar substitution - thanks for sharing! 😊

      Reply
  6. Sue says

    April 30, 2021 at 1:22 pm

    Delicious! I bought some jalapenos and don't normally cook with them. I found your recipe on Pinterest. I added some red pepper and everything is perfect! I will be making this again and again! Thank you for the great recipe.

    Reply
    • Kathryn Doherty says

      May 03, 2021 at 8:14 am

      I'm so happy to hear you loved this Sue! Thanks for sharing! 😊

      Reply
  7. Leland says

    September 10, 2022 at 5:00 pm

    Hello,great recipe!! I put in 2 cloves garlic,1.5TBS Honey,1.5 a.c.vinegar just rite for me!! Thank you very much!!

    Reply
    • Kathryn Doherty says

      September 11, 2022 at 10:00 am

      I'm so glad you enjoyed it!

      Reply
  8. Rhonda says

    August 03, 2023 at 11:41 am

    What can you substitute for honey? Thanks!!

    Reply
    • Kathryn Doherty says

      August 03, 2023 at 12:04 pm

      Hi Rhonda! You could use agave syrup in place of the honey, I think it would be the best option. (I substitute maple syrup for honey in baking sometimes, but I don't think it would work as well with the flavors here.) You might also be able to substitute regular granulated sugar, but I haven't tried it and I'm not sure if that would affect the consistency. Hope that helps!

      Reply
  9. Linda says

    September 10, 2024 at 10:59 pm

    Can you jar and preserve this?

    Reply
    • Kathryn Doherty says

      September 11, 2024 at 1:13 pm

      I haven't tried that myself, but I think you could. Just follow your canning instructions. Would love to hear if you try it!

      Reply
4.58 from 14 votes (14 ratings without comment)

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Meet Kathryn

Hi there! I’m Kathryn Doherty, a cookbook author, mom of two, and devoted food and home cooking nut. I’ve got lots of easy recipes to help you get delicious food on the table for your family!

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