Last Updated on June 1, 2025 by Nico
With only two ingredients, these fermented jalapenos are succulent and spicy. They are simple way to add gut healthy probiotics to your meals and to preserve your summer harvest.
Lacto-fermented vegetables are so simple to make. We’ve tried fermenting onions, garlic, carrots, and tomatoes and all of them taste delicious. Fermented vegetables taste similar to how they taste raw, but with an added tanginess that adds a wonderful flavour to your meals.
Lacto-fermentation is simply the process of cultivating the bacteria on the vegetables. These bacteria are probiotic to your gut, which means that by eating fermented vegetables you are boosting your gut health.
There’s no need to buy expensive probiotic supplements when kefir, yogurt, and fermented vegetables are so simple to make.
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Tips
The key with fermenting vegetables is to use enough salt in the salt water brine that you pour over the vegetables and to ensure the vegetables are completely submerged under the brine.
FAQ
You need 2 tablespoons of an unadulterated salt (like pink Himalayan salt) to 1 quart of water.
Depending on the warmth of the room you are fermenting the jalapenos in, they should ferment within a week. They will become dull in colour and you can take one out and taste if it as become tangy.
They will last about 3 weeks in the fridge.
Tools
Glass Jars
Fermenting Weights – or a Ziploc bag with water or something heavy in it
Small Saucepan
Ingredients
Unadulterated Salt
Water
Jalapenos
For complete measurements, see the printable recipe card below.
Instructions
Chop the jalapenos into slices or rings and add them to a quart glass jar.
Dissolve 2 tablespoons of salt in water. I like to do this by boiling about ½ quart of water and dissolving the salt in the boiling water. Then I fill the rest of the jar with cold water to cool down the overall temperature of the water. You do not want to pour boiling water overtop of the jalapenos because that could kill off the good bacteria we’re trying to cultivate.
Pour the water overtop of the jalapenos.
Place a fermenting weight on top of the jalapenos. Make sure all of the peppers are below the brine.
Place a loose lid on the jar and leave it on the counter for 5-7 days. If the water levels go down, top it up by simply adding water. Make sure the peppers are always below the brine.
After 5-7 days, taste a jalapeno to see if you like the flavour. If you do, remove the weight and tighten the lid of the glass jar. Store the peppers in the fridge for up to 3 months.
If you prefer a more tangy flavour, simply put the weight back on to submerge the peppers in brine, and leave it to sit another few days.
How To Serve
On homemade pizza – You can add these peppers on top of a homemade pizza base, with cheese, tomatoes, and whatever else you like on pizza!
On sandwiches – Layer a few jalapenos onto a sandwich. I like using these bagels for homemade sandwiches
On salads – Chop a few lacto-fermented jalapenos up and sprinkle them on a salad for extra spice!
On a charcuterie board – Add these jalapenos to a charcuterie board alongside soft cheeses and homemade sourdough crackers.
Other Fermented Food Ideas
7 Bee Bread Benefits (With Recipe Ideas)
10 Simple Lacto-Fermentation Recipes
Simple Lacto-Fermented Carrots
Homemade Gelatinous Broth With Chicken Feet
3 Simple Milk Kefir Smoothie Recipes
Simple Strawberry Kefir Smoothie Recipe For Gut Health
If you make this recipe and enjoy it, please consider giving it 5 stars. Find me on Instagram @documentingsimpleliving and show me what you’ve made!
Simple Homemade Lacto-Fermented Jalapenos
Ingredients
Method
- Chop the jalapenos into slices or rings and add them to a quart glass jar.
- Dissolve 2 tablespoons of salt in water. I like to do this by boiling about ½ quart of water and dissolving the salt in the boiling water. Then I fill the rest of the jar with cold water to cool down the overall temperature of the water. You do not want to pour boiling water overtop of the jalapenos because that could kill off the good bacteria we’re trying to cultivate.
- Pour the water overtop of the jalapenos.
- Place a fermenting weight on top of the jalapenos. Make sure all of the peppers are below the brine.
- Place a loose lid on the jar and leave it on the counter for 5-7 days. If the water levels go down, top it up by simply adding water. Make sure the peppers are always below the brine.
- After 5-7 days, taste a jalapeno to see if you like the flavour. If you do, remove the weight and tighten the lid of the glass jar. Store the peppers in the fridge for up to 3 months.
- If you prefer a more tangy flavour, simply put the weight back on to submerge the peppers in brine, and leave it to sit another few days.
Hi,
I noticed in your instructions for the Lacto Fermentation of Jalapeños. The water you didn’t instruct to use filtered water, why? Everything I’ve read says to use filtered as minerals in the water is bad for it.
Hey Lorie! You can use filtered water if you prefer. I’ve never had an issue using tap water (we like in the UK) but in some places filtered water is definitely preferable over tap water due to harsher processing.