Jalapeños In Olive Oil – Simple Recipe

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As the gardening season comes to an end, you will hopefully have a bounty of fruits and vegetables to use in the kitchen. Since jalapeño plants can be so productive, I have a variety of ways to use them up in the summer.

In this article, I’ll share how to make jalapeños in olive oil at home. This method is a quick and simple way to make flavorful, spicy jalapeños in oil.

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1. Roast The Peppers

Warning! Before I begin, an important disclaimer about using olive oil to “preserve” your fresh produce. Using oil alone does not preserve peppers for long-term storage. At best, jalapeños in olive oil will remain safe to eat for 1 week when stored in the refrigerator. After this period, the peppers should be discarded to avoid the potential for toxic pathogens.

First, roast the jalapeño peppers in order to soften them and make them more able to take in the olive oil. This process is simple. Here is a quick guide to roasting jalapeños:

• Set the oven to 450°F (232°C).
• Place whole jalapeños on an oiled baking sheet.
• Bake for 5-15 minutes, turning at least once and checking often to avoid overcooking. The skin should begin to darken, and the peppers will become soft.

Be sure not to cook your peppers for too long, as this can cause the peppers to become mushy. The best texture for your jalapeños is slightly firm, but bendable. The pepper skins should look blackened and charred when they are ready.

Tip: Oven temperatures can vary widely. Be sure to keep an eye on your jalapeños while they are cooking to avoid overcooking.

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2. Peel & Cut the Peppers

Now it’s time to prepare your peppers for the olive oil. First, remove the skin from the jalapeños. By broiling, the skin will become loose. To make removing the skin easier, place the hot peppers in a bowl and seal it with plastic wrap for 10 minutes. This will cause the peppers to steam themselves and loosen the skin further.

After removing the skin, remove the stems and slice your peppers into the desired shape. Lengthwise slices are the most common, but you could also try slicing into chips. Add a pinch of salt to each pepper for added flavor (optional).

Optional: Remove the seeds to reduce the heat of your olive oil jalapeños.

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3. Add Spices and Olive Oil

The peppers are now ready to be stored in olive oil. To add some additional flavor, you can season the peppers with oregano, pepper, garlic powder, or other dried spices. This is not required however, and you can simply use the peppers on their own.

Once you have seasoned the peppers your preferred way, place the slices into a clean, glass jar. Add olive oil until the peppers are fully submerged, stirring to allow any trapped air to release.

Note: Olive oil is not a true “preservation” method, as the peppers will only last for up to 1 week in the refrigerator. For longer-term storage, try one of our other preservation recipes.

How Long Do Jalapeños In Olive Oil Last?

Preserving jalapeños in olive oil does not provide safe long-term storage. Conservatively, your peppers will last about 1 week in the refrigerator. After this point, it may become unsafe to eat the peppers, since there is no acidifier in the oil (such as citric acid).

Always keep peppers in olive oil refrigerated to avoid bacterial or mold growth. If your peppers begin to smell rancid, or you see any sign of sliminess or mold growth, throw them away!

Hopefully you won’t have to worry about your peppers going bad, because you should eat them well before then!

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If you have more jalapeños than you know what to do with, try a longer-term preservation method. I love making hot sauce and pickled jalapeños. Or, browse 21 jalapeño recipes to use up your harvests. I love to preserve the peppers we grow in the garden, and keep the harvests lasting months instead of days. Enjoy!