Spicy 'n Sweet Pepper Relish is a tasty condiment that is amazing on pork, chicken, fish, and even burgers! No canning is required! This onion and pepper relish recipe is the perfect way to use up some of those vegetables in the garden!
It is made with jalapenos, onion, red bell pepper, brown sugar, and red wine vinegar. You can easily use a brown sugar substitute instead of regular sugar too! 🙂
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🎥 Recipe Video
❤️ Sweet Pepper Relish
"If you've never tried a sweet pepper relish, you are in for a treat! The blend of red onion, jalapeno, and sweet pepper with brown sugar is ahh-mazing. I've tried this relish recipe on burgers, pork, and fish - all delicious. Enjoy!" 🙂 -Kori
Simple to Make
I think you'll find this pepper relish recipe pretty simple to make. The hardest part is letting it reduce and thicken on low for 20 to 25 minutes while stirring occasionally.
Do what I did, grab a stool and a book, and sit by the stove. I did that while working on this recipe. I wanted to keep a close eye on the relish as the first time I made it, I cooked it too long and turned it into hard candy. Oops. 🙂
Delicious
What do a chef in Wisconsin and a jar of Parisienne onion jelly have in common? Well, let me tell you! 😉
I love this stuff! It's delicious and works on so many things. The inspiration for this recipe came from two places. First my nephew Jake, who is a wonderful chef up in Wisconsin. He serves this sauce on his peanut butter burgers - it's an AMAZING combination!
The second place was from a jar of onion preserves I picked up in Paris while on a trip a few years ago. I served my onion jelly at a party over cream cheese with crackers, and everyone went nuts!
While the French version was heavy on the onion, my nephew's recipe is more of a sweet jalapeno, pepper, and onion relish with a bit of kick (but not too spicy). Both recipes are similar, and I'm super excited to share this recipe with you!
No Sugar Added Pepper Relish Recipe
If a brown sugar substitute is used, this relish becomes gluten-free, low carb, and keto-friendly, with no added sugar. This relish recipe adds a lot of flavors, and no one will know that this is healthy. 🙂
While the full nutritional value is provided at the end of the recipe card, here are the most important if you're following a sugar-free low carb keto plan:
0.1 g fat | 1.4 g net carbs | 0.3 g protein | 1 g sugar
If you are interested in keto, be sure to get our FREE keto food list and shopping list!
🥗 How To Use
Need easy serving suggestions? Here's how to use this pepper and onion relish:
- Serve over or alongside pork, fish, beef, or chicken. It doesn't matter if it's grilled, broiled, seared, or other - it all tastes good. Keep it simple and seasoning your protein with salt and pepper, then cook. The relish can be served on top or the side.
- Use it as a condiment for burgers, hot dogs, and bratwurst. Hint: try my Peanut Butter Burger with Bacon
- Serve over cream cheese for the most delicious sweet pepper relish and cream cheese dip!
- Roast some vegetables and toss with a little of the relish. It will liquefy slightly when warm and will coat the veggies in the most delicious way.
- Spread on a biscuit, roll, or some crackers.
- Make a new kinda PB&J! Use this sweet pepper relish and peanut butter instead of regular jelly.
🥘 Ingredients
Here are the ingredients you'll need to make spicy 'n sweet pepper relish.
- Jalapenos
- Red Onion
- Red Bell Pepper - you can use any color pepper, but red pepper tends to be sweeter.
- Garlic
- Red Wine Vinegar
- Brown Sweetener - Use a brown sugar substitute if making this sugar-free or regular brown sugar. Lately I have been using an allulose brown sugar alternative as it doesn't have a cold feel and won't crystallize once refrigerated as erythritol will.
- Unflavored gelatin - to use as a thickener if using a brown sugar substitute.
- Kosher Salt or Sea Salt
- Black Pepper
🍽 Equipment
- Measuring spoons
- Medium-sized nonstick saucepan
- Whisk
- Chef knife
- Cutting Board
- 1 Airtight jar - 1 pint or 2 half-pint jars (that way you can keep one and share the other with a friend!).
📖 Variations
There are several ways you can vary or make substitutions to this sweet pepper relish recipe:
- Make it spicier with a little hot sauce or by adding more fresh jalapeno.
- Substitute shallots, green onion, yellow, or sweet onion, for the red onion. Keep in mind that red onions are sweet, so if you substitute a different onion this may affect the overall sweetness of the recipe.
- You can use red peppers or green peppers - any color you have on hand. Red is sweeter than green, though.
- You can use regular brown sugar if you aren't following a sugar free diet.
- Using different kinds of vinegar will give you a variety of flavors.
🔪 How To Make Sweet Pepper Relish
Here's how to make sweet pepper relish:
Saute The Vegetables
Add jalapenos, red bell pepper, onion, and garlic in a medium-sized nonstick saucepan. Saute over medium heat for about 5 minutes until they soften.
Simmer The Relish
Add red wine vinegar, brown sugar, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine. Bring to a gentle simmer and reduce heat.
Continue to gently simmer, stirring frequently, until the liquid has reduced and the relish thickens, approximately 20 to 25 minutes.
Note: If using a brown sugar substitute, the mixture will thicken, but not as much as if you use regular brown sugar. Remove the relish from the heat after 25 minutes. Add 1 packet of unflavored gelatin and whisk or stir until it's well incorporated.
Cool and Serve or Store For Later
Allow relish to cool, then transfer to an airtight jar or container. Refrigerate until you are ready to use, up to 2 weeks.
💭 Top Tips
- I prefer using an allulose brown sugar alternative instead of monk fruit erythritol because erythritol will crystallize once chilled and can also give you a slight cooking effect in your mouth. Allulose does neither.
- If you prefer a thicker relish use 1 whole packet of gelatin, if you want it less thick than use 1/2 packet. It does not change the flavor - only the thickness.
- While simmering, make sure to watch the pot carefully and stir frequently so the relish does not burn.
- Feel free to halve this recipe, or separate into smaller containers and give some to a friend!
- Adjust salt and pepper to your liking.
- Store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.
- This recipe serves 16. If you don't need that many servings, feel free to half the recipe.
❓ FAQs
How do you store homemade onion and pepper relish?
This red pepper relish recipe is not canned; therefore it needs to be stored in an airtight jar or container with a tight lid for up to 2 weeks. Enjoy!
Is this relish recipe keto friendly?
This spicy and sweet pepper relish recipe is keto-friendly if you use a brown sugar substitute. With a brown sugar substitute, this recipe has only 1.4 net carbs in total.
✔️Pepper Recipes
Whether it be bell peppers or spicy peppers - here are some more recipes with peppers you might like!
- EASY Jalapeño Popper Chicken Casserole (Keto Low Carb)
- Best Greek Salad Recipe (Keto Low Carb)
- Cheeseburger Stuffed Peppers with Ground Beef
- Lasagna Stuffed Peppers (Keto Stuffed Peppers)
- Taco Stuffed Bell Peppers (Keto Stuffed Peppers)
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📋 Recipe
Spicy 'n Sweet Pepper Relish
- A tasty relish that's amazing on pork, chicken, fish, and beef! No canning required, this relish is the perfect way to use up some of those vegetables in the garden. You can easily use a brown sugar substitute instead of regular sugar too!
Ingredients
- ¾ cup jalapenos, seeded and finely diced (approx. 2)
- 1 cup red onion, finely chopped (approx. 1 medium)
- 1 cup red bell pepper, finely chopped (approx. 1 large)
- 1 teaspoon garlic, minced
- ½ cup red wine vinegar
- 1½ cups brown sugar substitute or regular brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- 1 envelope unflavored gelatin (only needed if you're using a brown sugar substitute, see instructions below)
Instructions
- In a medium-sized nonstick saucepan add jalapenos, red bell pepper, onion, and garlic. Saute over medium heat for about 5 minutes.
- Add red wine vinegar, brown sugar, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine. Bring to a gentle simmer and reduce heat. Continue to gently simmer, stirring frequently, until the liquid has reduced and the relish thickens, approximately 20 to 25 minutes.
- Note: if using a brown sugar substitute, remove the relish from the heat after 25 minutes. Add 1 packet of unflavored gelatin and gently whisk or stir until it's well incorporated.
- If you like thick relish use 1 packet of unflavored gelatin, if you prefer it less thick use 1/2 packet.
- Allow relish to cool then transfer to an airtight jar or container. Refrigerate until you are ready to use, up to 2 weeks.
Notes
Nutrition Information:
Serving Size:
2 tablespoonsAmount Per Serving: Calories: 10Total Fat: 0.1gSodium: 74.2mgCarbohydrates: 19.9gNet Carbohydrates: 1.4gFiber: 18.5gSugar: .5gProtein: 0.3g
Try this Spicy 'n Sweet Pepper Relish recipe - you'll love it. It's sweet and tangy with some kick with jalapenos, onion, red bell pepper, brown sugar and red wine vinegar. So many uses! It's the perfect condiment or topping for pork, chicken, fish, beef - even hamburgers, hot dogs, and brats. Make a simple dip and spread this over cream cheese. This healthy relish is low sugar (1 gram), low carb, keto, and gluten-free.
cathy says
Can you increase the onion and jalapeño pepper and leave out the bell pepper as my husband is allergic to Bill peppers
Kori says
Hello, yes absolutely! I hope you enjoy this recipe 🙂
Helen says
Can this be canned? If so, do you water bath or pressure can?
Kori says
Hello! To be honest I've only ever canned pickles and sweet jelly, both being water bath. I have seen similar recipes in a few of my canning cookbooks (also using the water bath method) but I'd be afraid to make specific recommendations on how to can this recipe since I didn't actually do it myself. You have inspired me though! I am going to try and can this at my next opportunity! 🙂