Jalapeño Recipes: 6 Flavorful Jalapeño Dishes

Jalapeño peppers are one of the most well-known varieties of the capsicum annum species. They are spicy green or red chile peppers ranging from 3,500–8,000 Scoville Heat Units on the Scoville Scale (a scale that measures the heat of peppers). Jalapeños are spicier than bell peppers but milder than serrano peppers. They have a bright flavor that is more grassy than other spicy pepper varieties, making jalapeños versatile enough for many cuisines and perfect for an all-purpose hot sauce.

While jalapeños will stay fresh at room temperature for a few days, there are a few ways you can store jalapeños to make them last longer, including:

1. 1. Can the jalapeños. Through this process, home cooks can extend the shelf life of jalapeños for up to two years if stored in a cool, dark, dry place. To can jalapeños, cook the jalapeños in boiling water, pack them into a glass jar, and boil the jars—a procedure called processing—for about thirty minutes.
2. 2. Dehydrate the jalapeños. You can dehydrate fresh jalapeños in a food dehydrator or an oven set to a low heat. They will last for at least one year in airtight containers.
3. 3. Freeze the jalapeños. Flash-freeze chili peppers to extend their shelf life almost indefinitely, though the quality diminishes after about ten or eleven months. To thaw frozen jalapeños, remove the desired amount from the bag and leave the rest frozen.
4. 4. Pickle the jalapeños. Pickling fresh peppers is an age-old way of transforming and storing hot peppers using brine and a glass jar. Pickled jalapeños will last in the refrigerator for up to two years unopened.
5. 5. Refrigerate the jalapeños. Whole jalapeños will last in the refrigerator for about one week. Place whole jalapeños in a paper bag and store them in the crisper drawer of the fridge until you’re ready to use them. To store cut jalapeños in the refrigerator, keep them in an airtight container or sealable plastic bag with a paper towel to absorb excess moisture.

You can use jalapeños in various ways. Here are six recipes where the pepper is a main component:

1. 1. Bloody Mary: The Bloody Mary is a classic savory cocktail popular for brunch. Chef Wolfgang Puck’s Bloody Mary recipe highlights farmers’ market tomatoes and features jalapeño slices, freshly muddled tomato juice, and a garnish of whole cherry tomatoes and lemon slices on a skewer.
2. 2. Charro beans: Frijoles charros or charro beans are Mexican–style pinto beans cooked in broth with bacon or chorizo, fresh jalapeños, tomatoes, and onions. The Spanish word charro refers to horsemen, so the dish is loosely translated to “cowboy beans.” Serve charro beans sprinkled with fresh cilantro or pico de gallo and scoop them into tortillas as a side for Mexican and Tex-Mex dishes such as enchiladas, tacos, and carne asada.
3. 3. Jalapeño cheddar cornbread: Soft and tender, almost like a cake, cornbread can be sweet or savory, depending on how you prepare it. Add chopped jalapeño peppers and shredded sharp cheddar to your cornbread batter before baking for a spicy, cheesy kick.
4. 4. Jalapeño poppers: A classic game day appetizer, this finger food consists of halved jalapeño peppers stuffed with a mixture of cheeses (usually cream cheese, sharp cheddar cheese, or pepper jack cheese) and seasonings like green onions, lime zest, or garlic powder. Each stuffed jalapeño pepper goes on a sheet pan, and the whole baking sheet goes in the oven until the cheese mixture is bubbly and pepper skin is crispy. There are many variations on this side dish—breaded jalapeño poppers get an outer layer of bread crumbs or panko before going into a deep fryer or air fryer, while bacon jalapeño popper recipes add a slice of bacon around the outside of each pepper. Make your stuffed pepper recipe on its own or alongside a simple dipping sauce like zesty garlic aioli, sour cream, or cheese dip.
5. 5. Salsa verde: This ubiquitous sauce adds a bright flavor to tacos, nachos, guacamole, quesadillas, enchiladas, and countless other Mexican dishes. Homemade salsa verde (“green sauce” in Spanish) is a great recipe to make ahead of time since it stores well in the fridge and gains additional spice and flavor as it rests. While salsa verde differs from place to place, most green salsa recipes call for cilantro, jalapeños (or other peppers), and garlic.
6. 6. Spicy jalapeño tartar sauce: A tangy mayonnaise- or aioli-based condiment, tartar sauce frequently accompanies seafood dishes, sandwiches, and grilled foods. Add jalapeños or red peppers to your tartar sauce to kick the heat up a notch.

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