Banana Pepper Relish
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This easy banana pepper relish is a delicious condiment that complements a variety of dishes. I love making this tangy and sweet relish in the late summer when our plants are producing lots of banana peppers. It’s made with a vibrant and colorful pepper mixture that tastes as good as it looks.
If you’re looking to make a hot banana pepper relish, you’ll want to use spicier varieties. Banana peppers are easy to grow at home and make an excellent hot pepper relish. Peppers from the grocery store will be more mild, or may not have any heat at all.
Feel free to customize this recipe to your liking depending on your flavor and spice preferences.
Ingredients needed
- Banana pepper – It wouldn’t be a banana pepper relish without them. Fresh from the garden or farmer’s market always results in the best flavor.
- Fresno pepper – We use one Fresno pepper for just a hint of spice. You can also use a red jalapeƱo or even a red bell pepper if you don’t like it spicy.
- Yellow bell pepper – Yellow bell adds a distinctive crunch to this recipe and also contributes to the beautiful color.
- White onion – I like the way white onion contributes to the flavor without being overpowering. Yellow onion will also work in this recipe.
- Garlic – A small amount of garlic complements the onion and pepper in this pepper relish recipe.
- Apple cider vinegar – You can use white vinegar, but the flavor profile will be different.
- Sugar – Traditionally, relish is sweet and contains sugar. We find that 1/4 cup is the perfect amount of sweetness without being too much.
- Salt, mustard seed and celery seed – These spices are found in many of our recipes for pickles, relishes and sauce. Feel free to mix up the ingredients and add additional spices and flavors as you see fit.
Recipe highlights
- āThis recipe is versatile and uses up a good amount of fresh peppers from the garden. It’s a great way to preserve and use up your harvests in the late summer months.
- You can easily scale this recipe up to make more relish. It’s great for gifting to neighbors and family.
- If you don’t like spicy food, omit the Fresno pepper from this recipe and use red bell peppers instead. It’s just as tangy and delicious without the heat.
- This relish is tasty on many different foods. I use it on hot dogs, burgers and even tacos. Use this anywhere you would use pickled banana peppers. We have a full list of suggestions on how to use this recipe below.
- Fresh ingredients come together with vibrant flavors in this slightly spicy (but still sweet) pepper relish recipe. Try our hot pepper relish for a spicier option.
How to make banana pepper relish
In a medium saucepan add the vinegar, sugar, salt, mustard seed, and celery seed. Bring to a boil over medium heat and stir until the sugar is dissolved.
Add chopped banana peppers, red Fresno pepper, white onion and minced garlic to the pot. Lower the heat and simmer for about 5 minutes, until the vegetables begin to soften.
Continue to simmer the entire mixture for another 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the relish thickens and all the flavors meld together. Set mixture aside in a clean bowl.
Add the chopped yellow bell pepper to the empty pan and cook for 2-3 minutes. Add previous mixture back to the pan and stir to combine everything.
Remove from heat, let it cool slightly, and then transfer the relish to jars.
Recipe tips and testing notes
- I tried adding all the peppers to cook at once, but the results were not as good. This resulted in a dull relish that lacked texture. Adding the bell pepper last provides a nice crunch and a more vibrant color.
- Cooking the sweet peppers along with the hot pepper for at least 10 minutes helped to mellow out the level of spice.
- The relish can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. It is not intended for water bath canning or long term preservation.
How to use banana pepper relish
When it comes to relish, the possibilities are endless. Here are some of my favorite ways to use this recipe.
- Use the relish on cookout foods like burgers and hot dogs.
- Spread the relish on sandwiches. It tastes great on a tuna melt or grilled cheese.
- Use the relish as a pizza topping instead of (or in addition to) hot sauce for extra flavor.
- This relish tastes great on tacos and burritos.
- Serve this relish along with cream cheese to spread on crackers.
- Mix into pasta sauce for added flavor to your favorite Italian dishes.
- Use to add flavor to fried eggs in the morning.
More banana pepper recipes
Banana Pepper Relish
Ingredients
- 1 cup banana peppers finely chopped
- 1 small red Fresno pepper finely chopped
- 1/2 cup white onion finely chopped
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1 yellow bell pepper finely chopped
- 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
- 1/4 tsp mustard seed
- 1/4 tsp celery seed
Instructions
- In a medium pot, add the vinegar, sugar, salt, mustard seed, and celery seed. Bring to a boil over medium heat and stir until the sugar dissolves.
- Add the chopped banana peppers, red Fresno pepper, white onion, and minced garlic to the pot. Lower the heat and simmer for about 5 minutes, until the vegetables begin to soften.
- Continue to simmer the entire mixture for another 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the relish thickens and all the flavors meld together. Set mixture aside in a clean bowl.
- Add the chopped yellow bell pepper to the empty pan and cook for 2-3 minutes over medium heat, just until the yellow bell pepper starts to soften. Add previous mixture back to the pan and stir to combine.
- Remove from heat, let it cool slightly, and then transfer the relish to jars.
Notes
- Cooking the yellow bell pepper separately improves the texture of the relish significantly. It’s worth the extra few minutes of cook time!
- To reduce the heat, use sweet banana peppers and replace the Fresno with a milder red pepper.
Would this recipe be able to be canned for a longer shelf life?
Hi Rachel – This recipe wasn’t formulated with long-term preservation in mind, but it lasts a long time in the fridge. If you want to can it for long term preservation, you may need to adjust the vinegar/sugar ratios and follow the USDA guidelines for home canning to ensure it is safe! š
We love spicy peppers, so we don’t grow banana peppers. I substituted the UNM Lemon JalapeƱos for the bananas, and instead of a yellow bell, used a beautiful bright red Leysa. I also added a 1/2 of a fresh squeezed lime for tartness. It turned out amazing!! Thank you for the recipe.
I’m glad to hear that substitution worked out well! Those lemon jalapenos are delicious, so I’m not surprised.
Iām looking forward to making this recipe. I like that it will keep for a couple of weeks.
Is it possible to freeze it?
While it can be frozen, I wouldn’t suggest it as it will lose its crunch after thawing. Best to keep it in the fridge and use right away.