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Pepper onion relish is a bright and tangy condiment made with red and green bell peppers, onions, vinegar, and just enough sugar to balance the flavor. It’s easy to can and adds a colorful, zesty kick to sandwiches, hot dogs, burgers, and cheese boards.
Pepper onion relish is a simple, shelf-stable condiment that brings together sweet bell peppers and onions in a lightly tangy brine. It’s a classic recipe adapted from So Easy to Preserve and the National Center for Home Food Preservation—easy to make and endlessly useful in the kitchen. Whether you’re piling it onto grilled meats, tucking it into sandwiches, or serving it alongside cheese, this relish adds just the right pop of sweet and sour flavor.
Unlike spicy hot pepper relishes, this version leans into the sweetness of red and green bell peppers with just enough vinegar and salt to safely preserve the mix for pantry storage. The onions round it out with a bit of savory depth, and the sugar balances everything into a mellow, flavorful preserve. This is one of those recipes that’s ideal for big pepper harvests—especially when you’ve got more bells than you know what to do with.
The finished jars are colorful and bright, with a slightly crunchy texture and mild flavor that appeals to just about everyone. If you’re new to canning, this recipe is a great entry point: no tricky timing, no specialty spices—just everyday ingredients and an easy water bath process. It’s perfect for small-batch preserving too, since it scales down without any safety concerns.
Serve pepper onion relish on burgers and sausages, stir it into pasta or grain salads, or spoon it over grilled chicken or fish. It’s a humble condiment, but one that earns its place on the pantry shelf year after year.
Ingredients for Pepper Onion Relish
This relish relies on simple, garden-fresh ingredients and doesn’t include any overpowering spices—just the sweet-tangy flavor of peppers and onions in vinegar brine.
- Red Bell Peppers – Sweet and deeply flavored, they add a rich red color and a mild fruity taste.
- Green Bell Peppers – Bright and slightly bitter, they balance the sweetness of the red peppers.
- Onions – Diced fine, they give a savory base to round out the flavor.
- Vinegar – Use white or cider vinegar with 5% acidity. This is what ensures canning safety.
- Sugar – Lightens the acidity and helps the flavor mellow with storage.
- Canning Salt – Made specifically for canning and preserving, without additives like table salt.
How to Make Pepper Onion Relish
Start by washing and prepping your vegetables. Remove the stems and seeds from the peppers and chop them into ¼-inch dice. Peel and finely dice the onions to a similar size. Keep the pieces uniform so the relish cooks evenly and looks tidy in the jar.
Set up your water bath canner, sterilizing the jars, lids, and rings. In a large stockpot, combine the vinegar, sugar, and salt and bring to a boil over high heat. Add the chopped vegetables and return to a full boil, then reduce to a simmer. Let the mixture cook for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently to ensure the hot brine coats all the vegetables evenly.
Use a slotted spoon to ladle the vegetables into prepared canning jars, leaving ½ inch of headspace. Then ladle the hot brine over the top, ensuring all the vegetables are fully submerged while maintaining the ½ inch headspace.
Debubble each jar, adjust headspace as needed, wipe the rims, and cap with two-part canning lids. Process the jars in a boiling water bath canner for 10 minutes (both pints and half-pints), adjusting for altitude as needed. Let the jars sit in the canner for 5 minutes after processing before removing to cool.
Altitude Adjustments
For safe water bath canning, increase processing time depending on your elevation:
- 0 to 1,000 feet – 10 minutes
- 1,001 to 6,000 feet – 15 minutes
- Above 6,000 feet – 20 minutes
Serving Ideas
Pepper onion relish adds gentle sweetness and acidity to any savory dish. Spoon it onto sausages, burgers, grilled chicken, or use it to brighten a plate of roast vegetables. It’s also excellent in egg salad, tuna salad, or stirred into a warm grain bowl. The simple flavor pairs with just about anything.
Pepper Onion Relish
Equipment
Ingredients
- 5 cups red bell peppers, chopped into ¼-inch dice (from 3–4 lbs as purchased)
- 5 cups green bell peppers, chopped into ¼-inch dice (from 3–4 lbs as purchased)
- 1½ cups onion, chopped into ¼-inch dice (from about 1½ lbs)
- 6 cups white or cider vinegar, 5% acidity
- 1½ cups sugar
- 2 tablespoons canning salt
Instructions
- Wash peppers and onions. Remove stems and seeds from the peppers, then chop all vegetables into uniform ¼-inch dice.
- Prepare a water bath canner and sterilize jars, lids, and rings.
- In a large pot, combine vinegar, sugar, and salt. Bring to a boil over high heat. Add chopped vegetables and return to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Stir frequently to ensure all vegetables are coated in hot brine.
- Use a slotted spoon to pack hot vegetables into jars, leaving ½ inch headspace. Ladle hot brine over the vegetables, ensuring all contents are submerged and maintaining ½ inch headspace.
- Debubble, adjust headspace, wipe rims, and cap with two-part canning lids.
- Process in a boiling water bath canner for 10 minutes, adjusting for altitude.
- Let jars cool undisturbed for 12–24 hours. Check seals before storing.
Notes
- 0–1,000 ft: 10 minutes
- 1,001–6,000 ft: 15 minutes
- Above 6,000 ft: 20 minutes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
