This homemade cherry pepper relish recipe is inspired by the Jersey Mike's condiment. It adds a sweet, spicy kick of flavor to sandwiches, burgers, hot dogs, and more. Whip up this versatile condiment in just a few easy steps!
For the perfect pairing, top this Jersey Mike's Turkey Sub with cherry pepper relish or try my version of Jersey Mike's Sub in a Tub.
Have you ever had a sandwich and just felt like it was missing something? Cherry pepper relish is the perfect finishing touch! It adds a fiery kick to recipes, without being overwhelmingly spicy.
With vibrant flavor and color, this condiment complements and elevates whatever you add it to.
Jump to:
- Why You'll Love This Cherry Pepper Relish Recipe
- What is Cherry Pepper Relish?
- What does cherry pepper relish taste like?
- Is cherry pepper relish spicy?
- Ingredients
- How to Make Cherry Pepper Relish
- Tips and Tricks
- Recipe Substitutions
- How to Store Leftovers
- Can I make this recipe in advance?
- FAQ
- Cherry Pepper Relish
Why You'll Love This Cherry Pepper Relish Recipe
Easy! Simply combine the ingredients, cook them down in a skillet then store or serve. It is that simple!
Customizable! Make the relish spicier, sweeter, even use a different pepper. There are so many ways to customize this recipe.
Versatile! Serve this homemade relish as a spread for your favorite sandwiches, burgers, hot dogs, salads, nachos, deviled eggs, omelets, toast, wraps, bratwurst, and more!
What is Cherry Pepper Relish?
This relish is made with finely chopped hot cherry peppers, red bell peppers, onion, garlic, sugar, and oil. Relish is a delicious way to preserve peppers.
What does cherry pepper relish taste like?
This relish is spicy and tangy with a subtle sweetness.
Is cherry pepper relish spicy?
Cherry pepper relish has a mild to moderate heat level. You can remove the seeds to keep them more mild. Cherry peppers are not naturally sweet but this recipe includes sugar to balance the spicy and savory notes. This makes the relish more palatable for those sensitive to spicy food.
Ingredients
This pickled cherry pepper relish is packed with flavor.
- Hot Cherry Peppers. Cherry peppers come in red and green. Use red for a vibrant color.
- Hot Cherry Pepper Juice. The "juice" hot cherry peppers sit in is actually vinegar.
- Red Bell Peppers. I add these because they're red but they also have fruiter undertones that make this relish even more mouthwatering.
- Onion. Use this for natural sweetness with a pungent kick.
- Chili Garlic Sauce. Add more or less, depending on how hot you want the relish.
- Garlic Cloves. This adds a savory, garlic taste for depth of flavor.
- Cooking Oil. This enriches the relish.
- Sugar. This adds a subtle sweetness to the condiment and tames the heat.
- White Vinegar. Aids in the usual relish flavor and also great for preserving.
How to Make Cherry Pepper Relish
This easy cherry pepper relish comes together in less than 45 minutes with a few simple instructions.
Add hot cherry peppers, red bell peppers, onion, garlic, chili garlic sauce, and juice from the hot cherry pepper jar into a food processor.
Pulse the ingredients together until chunky and combined. Depending on the desired level of thickness, pulse more for a thinner consistency.
Then, add cooking oil to medium-sized skillet on high heat. Sauté the cherry pepper relish and allow the relish to bubble.
Reduce heat to a low simmer then add sugar and vinegar. Stir until combined.
Continue to cook relish down, until the liquid evaporates. This step will take 20-25 minutes.
Allow the relish to cool before storing it in a jar or container with a lid.
Tips and Tricks
- Use a combination of pepper varieties to add complexity to the relish.
- The relish cooks low and slow (after it's sauteed/cooked on high heat). Give ample time to let the relish cook down completely allowing the liquid to evaporate.
- Depending on the desired level of spice, remove seeds from hot cherry peppers and add more/less chili garlic sauce.
- Taste test as you go and adjust to your personal preference. In order to achieve a balanced flavor, add sweetness and vinegar for acidity. Add more seasoning at the end if desired.
- When retrieving leftover relish from a container, always use a clean utensil and avoid double dipping to maintain the integrity of the relish. This avoids premature spoilage.
Recipe Substitutions
- Peppers. You can make pepper relish with any type of chili pepper (like serrano peppers, banana peppers, or jalapeno peppers). For spicy cherry pepper relish, use habanero peppers.
- Sweetener. Instead of sugar, try honey.
- Consistency. Pulse the ingredients less in the food processor for a thicker, chunkier mix. Alternatively, pulse for longer for a smoother texture.
- Fresh Peppers. I used canned cherry peppers for convenience but you can use fresh peppers instead. If you opt for this, you will need to use white distilled vinegar to replace the pepper juice.
How to Store Leftovers
Store cooled relish in an airtight container (like a jar) for up to 1 month in the refrigerator and 3 months in the freezer. Ensure the jar is tightly sealed and leave a bit of room at the top to account for expansion if you plan to freeze it.
Can I make this recipe in advance?
Absolutely! Preparing peppers for relish is a great way to extend their shelf life. It actually tastes better after a day or two when the flavors have a chance to meld and intensify. This recipe lasts up to 1 month when properly stored in the fridge.
FAQ
Is Jersey Mike's cherry pepper relish spicy?
Jersey Mike's relish is moderately spicy. To compare, cherry peppers are about as hot as jalapeños. They range from about 2,500 to 5,000 Scoville heat units (SHUs).
What is cherry pepper relish made of?
Make relish with vinegar, sugar, and cherry peppers. Add other ingredients to taste.
Are cherry peppers hotter than jalapenos?
Most cherry peppers are milder than jalapeno peppers. While cherry peppers range from 2,500 to 5,000 Scoville Heat Units, jalapeno peppers range from 2,500 to 8,000 peppers.
I HOPE YOU ENJOY THIS EASY CHERRY PEPPER RELISH RECIPE!
If you try this recipe, I'd love to see it! Share it with me on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest.
Cherry Pepper Relish
Ingredients
- 16 oz Hot Cherry Peppers
- 2-3 tablespoon Hot Cherry Pepper Juice
- 1 cup Red Bell Peppers
- ½ cup Onion
- 2-3 tablespoon Chili Garlic Sauce depending on spice level
- 4-5 Garlic Cloves
- 1 teaspoon Cooking Oil
- ¼ cup Sugar
- ¼ cup White Vinegar
Instructions
- In a food processor, add in the hot cherry peppers, red bell peppers, onion, garlic, chili garlic sauce and juice from the hot cherry pepper jar.
- Pulse ingredients in food processor until chunky and combined. Depending on desired level of thickness, pulse more for thinner consistency.
- In a medium sized skillet on high heat, add cooking oil and saute the cherry pepper relish and allow the relish to bubble.
- Reduce heat to a low simmer and add in sugar and vinegar and stir until combined.
- Continue to cook relish down, until the liquid evaporates. This step will take up to 20-25 minutes.
- Allow the cherry pepper relish to cool before storing in a jar or container with a lid.
Haven says
Carita I have a bone to pick with you. Both recipes of yours have components missing. Your tiktok video for this recipe doesn’t include the sugar or vinegar, nor the instructions for the skillet. This recipe doesn’t have the vinegar listed with measurements. This is extremely frustrating.
Carita says
Hi there! I understand your frustration, human error here. The ingredient list and recipe has been updated to reflect the vinegar and amount in the recipe. Hope you are able to now give it a try! FYI, I typically do not list ingredients on my Tik Tok posts but will work on finding a way to add that into the videos, thanks again!
Leilah says
I've made this several times and it is the BEST cherry pepper relish. We use it on all kinds of things. Thank you!