Homemade Chiles en Vinagre (Escabeche)

Inside: Keep reading to learn how to make this delicious and authentic Mexican recipe known as chiles en vinagre, or escabeche.

Escabeche, or chiles en vinagre, is so simple to make and doesn’t take long at all. They are also inexpensive, go a long way, and are much more tasty than the ones that you can get in a can at the store. In the US, you may see these labeled as “pickled jalapenos” as well. 

This recipe goes great as a side dish for many different main courses and the flavor it adds is amazing.

What are chiles en vinagre, or escabeche?

Chiles en vinagre is a cooking method for preparing jalapenos or serrano peppers and vegetables in apple cider vinegar, which helps preserve them so you can make them well in advance. The main ingredient is the jalapeno or other chile pepper, but the other ingredients create a perfect balance of flavor to go with your main dishes.

This recipe is very typical of Mexican cuisine and you will see it on the table to accompany many different recipes. You will probably see it available at your favorite Mexican restaurant as well, since it is such a popular dish.

This is a great way to add a tasty kick and lots of flavor to everything. We add it to pretty much any dish, incuding tortas, tacos, rice, etc. and they can be served any time of year. They are delicious and easy to make. Today, I am going to share the authentic recipe for escabeche that my abuelita taught me and that has been passed down through the generations.

Another reason that this is so popular is because of the aroma that it will bring to your kitchen. I promise that when you learn how to make this recipe, you will never go back to the canned version tha tyuo can find at the store.

It is a well known fact that Mexicans like spicy food, and if a Mexican tells you that something “isn’t spicy,” it probably is very spciy. This is normal, because in Mexican they have us eating spicy food from a very young age and we are taught that if it isn’t spicy, it isn’t flavorful. If you like spicy food too, then this recipe is for you.

How do you make chiles en vinagre?

Like I said earlier, escabeche, or chiles en vinagre is so easy to make.

To make them, you will need the following ingredients:

• Jalapenos, Serranos peppers, habanero peppers, or any other chile pepper that you prefer.
• Onion
• Carrots
• Garlic
• Bay leaf
• Avocado leaves (optional)
• Thyme
• Peppercorn
• Cloves
• Oregano
• Apple cider vinegar (or white vinegar)
• Oil
• Salt
• One cup of water

To make the recipe, first you will want to make sure that you wash the peppers (jalapeno, serrano, habanero, or whatever you choose) and the carrots well and cut the carrots into thin circles, setting them aside for the next steps.

Next, dry the chiles and and poke holes in them with a fork and cut the onion into large pieces.

For the next step, you will add oil to a large pan and heat it over medium-high heat where you will saute the onions and garlic for approximately 1 minute, or until the onion is transparent. Be sure to move it around constantly so the garlic and onion does not burn.

At this point, add the carrots and chile peppers and continue sauteeing, stirrring often, for about 5 minutes and then add the allspice, peppercorn, bay leaves, avocado leaves, thyme, and salt and cook for 5 additional minutes.

The last step is to add the vinegar and water and let it finish cooking for about 10 minutes over medium heat.

If you are a fan of spicy food and have tried the canned version of this recipe, then you will love this homemade version and I am sure you will be able to make it. Let me know in the comments below how it turns out for you!

Recipes that go great with chiles en vinagre

• Authentic Tacos de Canasta Recipe (Mexican Basket Tacos)
• Tacos Al Pastor Recipe
• Authentic Barbacoa de Borrego Recipe (Lamb Barbacoa)
• Authentic Mexican Rice Recipe
• Barbacoa Tacos