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    Home » Ingredients » Summer Vegetables

    Homemade Sweet And Spicy Red Pepper Jelly Recipe

    Published: Oct 10, 2022 · Modified: Mar 31, 2025. This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.

    Recipe Jump to Video
    Sweet red pepper jelly pin
    Sweet red pepper jelly pin
    Sweet red pepper jelly pin

    This sweet red pepper jelly recipe is a traditional preserve recipe from the South of Italy. It is made with red peppers, sugar, white vinegar, and chili if you like spicy food. It is a savory, velvety jam usually served with matured cheese like Pecorino, Provolone or goat cheese, but it is also excellent to serve with red meat, especially beef, pork, or wild, like duck or wild boar. This hot and sweet jelly can be canned and stored to use during the winter months. A great way to preserve the summer sweet red peppers, especially if you have an abundance.

    Velvety red pepper jelly on a piece of cheese
    Jump to:
    • Ingredients
    • Instructions
    • Pasteurizing the jars
    • How to serve it
    • Substitution and variations
    • Equipment
    • Storage
    • Top tip
    • More savory jelly recipes
    • 📋Homemade Sweet And Spicy Red Pepper Jelly Recipe

    The difference between this red pepper jelly and a red pepper jam is its smooth consistency and glossy bright color.

    While most pepper preserves use a blender to puree the peppers, I use a vegetable strainer that automatically separates the peels.

    With no extra effort, you get a bright velvety sweet pepper jelly to serve with your cheese or meat.

    While you can easily find red pepper jelly at your local grocery stores,  if you make it at home, you are sure it is made with all-natural ingredients and no red food coloring.

    This original recipe is from Sicily, where sweet sauces are often served with savory dishes.

    For more sweet-savory jams, you can also check out the Balsamic fig glaze recipe, which in France is served with foie gras. You can also make the caramelized red onion relish, which I serve with roast beef. 

    Ingredients

    These are the ingredients you need:

    • Red peppers: fresh red peppers. This is the perfect way to preserve red peppers if you have an abundance. You can also use yellow or green peppers.
    • Sugar: you can reduce the sugar quantity if you use it within a few days. Although, if you want to preserve it for the winter, you must keep the amount of sugar stated in the recipe.
    • White wine vinegar: here, I use white wine vinegar, but you can also use apple cider vinegar
    • Hot peppers: hot chili or jalapeno peppers are optional if you don't like a spicy jelly. 
    • Salt for seasoning

    See recipe card for quantities.

    Ingredients for red pepper jelly

    Instructions

    Here is how to make a bright velvety red pepper jelly

    Simmering the peppers

    peppers in chunks in the saucepan
    1. Remove the seeds from the peppers, cut them into chunks, and place them in a large saucepan
    add the sugar and the vinegar
    1. Add the sugar and the wine vinegar
    ingredients combined
    1. Stir to combine the ingredients
    pepper simmering
    1. Let it simmer for 20 minutes.

    How to found out if the jam is ready

    drops of jelly on a plate

    Pour some drops on a plate and tilt it. The jelly has reached perfect consistency if the juice doesn’t drip.

    caramelized peppers

    The peppers are caramelized, and the juice is thicker.

    Hint: Do not overcook it; otherwise, it will become too hard

    Using a blender

    Using a blender

    If you use a blender

    rough cloudy jam

    The result is a rough cloudy jam

    Using a vegetable strainer

    Instead, we use a vegetable strainer, the one used to make tomato sauce. The result is a smooth glossy red pepper jelly.

    puree the pepper mixture with the vegetable strainer
    1. With a vegetable strainer, puree the pepper mixture.
    The red pepper peels are removed
    1. It will automatically remove the peels.
    thickening the jelly
    1. If it is too runny, simmer it for another 10 minutes.
    filtering the jelly
    1. To make it even smoother, filter it through a fine mesh strainer.
    pouring the jelly into a jar
    1. Pour it into sterilized jars
    Pouring the jelly into a jar
    1. Pour it into sterilized jars

    Hint: You can sterilize the empty jars in the dishwasher

    seal the jar
    1. Close the jar and seal it
    jar cooing down upside down
    1. Leave the jars upside down until they cool down to room temperature and the jelly set.

    Hint: in Europe, we use the reverse canning technique, which is not recommended by the National Center of Home Food Preservation in USA.

    Pasteurizing the jars

    pasteurize the jars in a hot water bath.

    To pasteurize the jars, boil them in a hot water bath.

    Place the jars in a large pot and cover the jars with water. Ensure there are 1 to 2 inches of water above the tops of the filled jars. Turn the burner under the canner to its highest setting, cover the canner with its lid, and bring the water to full rolling boil. Process the jars for the recommended number of minutes after the water boils.

    How to serve it

    You can serve this hot jelly immediately or store the jars for the winter. So jolly to serve on charcuterie boards or with a cheese platter at Christmas.

    It is also perfect with barbecue meat, roast beef or roasted lamb.

    If you don't like spicy condiment, you can make a milder jelly using only red bell peppers.

    how to serve red pepper jelly

    Substitution and variations

    Here are variations of this hot pepper jelly recipe:

    • Spicy - you can adjust the level of spiciness by adding more or fewer chili peppers
    • Yellow or green peppers - you can change the color of the jelly by changing the type of peppers you use
    • Sugar-free - if you want to replace the sugar with a low-calorie or sugar-free option, ensure that the sweetness you are using is suitable for canning and has the same preservative properties as sugar. If not, I would suggest freezing it instead of canning it.
    pepper jelly served with pecorino cheese

    Equipment

    To recreate the silky texture of this recipe, you need to use a vegetable strainer and not a blender.

    I use the KitchenAid vegetable strainer attachment, which makes the recipe extremely easy as it automatically separates the flesh from the skin.

    You can also use an electrical or manual vegetable strainer used to make the tomato sauce, as they also separate the skin from the flesh.

    If you don't have one, but you would like to make more fruit and vegetable preserved, I would suggest investing in one.

    Additional equipment you will need are:

    • Glass jars for canning (quarter pint 150 ml)
    • Boiling-water canner
    • Fire Rubber Gloves BBQ to hold the hot jar or a jar lifter
    • Ladle with spout
    • Saucepan
    • Fine mesh strainer for extra smooth jelly
    KitchenAid vegetable strainer

    Storage

    You can store this red pepper jelly in the fridge for up to 3 days.

    If you want to keep it for longer, you can either freeze it or can it.

    If you want to preserve it in a jar, do not change the amount of sugar and vinegar; they make the perfect PH to store them for the long term.

    I recommend storing it in small jars of 1-quarter pint - 150 ml as it is generally used in small quantities.

    red pepper jam in a ramekin

    Top tip

    • Do not simmer the peppers for too long otherwise, the jelly will become hard.
    • You can use a blender, but you will get a smoother and brighter jelly with a vegetable strainer.
    • You can sterilize the jars in the dishwasher.
    • When you open the can, ensure that there is a vacuum. If not, the jar was not properly pasteurized and should not be consumed.

    Hint: in Europe, we use the reverse canning technique, which is not recommended by the National Center of Home Food Preservation in USA.

    The water level in the canner should be 1 to 2 inches above the tops of the filled jars. Turn the burner under the canner to its highest setting, cover the canner with its lid, and heat until the water boils vigorously. Process the jars for the recommended number of minutes after the water boils.

    red pepper jelly canned and served in a small jar

    More savory jelly recipes

    • Balsamic fig glaze
      Balsamic Fig Glaze Recipe
    • red onion relish on a ramekin
      Caramelized Sweet Red Onion Relish Recipe
    • Concord grape jelly running down a spoon
      Concord Grape Jelly (Gelatina d'uva)

    If you are making this Red pepper jelly, leave your comment below I would like to hear from you. You can find more delicious ideas if you FOLLOW ME on Facebook, YouTube, or sign up to my newsletter.

    Red pepper jelly served with pecorino cheese

    📋Homemade Sweet And Spicy Red Pepper Jelly Recipe

    5 from 1 vote
    Laura Tobin
    Servings 3 jars
    Prep Time 20 minutes mins
    Cook Time 30 minutes mins
    Total Time 50 minutes mins
    Print Recipe Save Saved! Pin Recipe
    This red pepper jelly is a traditional preserve recipe from the South of Italy. It is a savory, velvety jam usually served with matured cheese like Pecorino or Provolone, but it is also excellent to serve with red meat, especially beef, pork, or wild, like duck or wild boar.
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Equipment

    • Glass jars quarter pints - 150 ml
    • Fire Gloves BBQ
    • All-Clad Sauce Pan 3-Quart
    • Ladle with spout
    • Fine Mesh Strainer
    • KitchenAid Mixer
    • Vegetable Strainer
    • Food Mill Instead of the electrical vegetable strainer
    • Water bath canner
    • Jar lifter

    Ingredients
     

    • 2 lb red peppers
    • 1 lb caster sugar
    • 5 tablespoon white wine vinegar
    • 1 teaspoon salt
    • 5 dried hot chili

    Instructions
     

    Simmering the peppers

    • Remove the seeds from the peppers, cut them into chunks, and place them in a saucepan
      2 lb red peppers
    • Add the sugar, the wine vinegar and the chili
      1 lb caster sugar, 5 tablespoon white wine vinegar, 1 teaspoon salt, 5 dried hot chili
    • Stir to combine the ingredients
    • Let it simmer for 20 minutes.

    How to find out if the jam is ready

    • Pour some drops on a plate and tilt it. If the juice doesn’t drip, the jam is ready.
    • The peppers are caramelized, and the juice is thicker.

    Using a vegetable strainer

    • With a vegetable strainer, puree the peppers.
    • It will automatically remove the peels.
    • If it is too runny, simmer it for another 10 minutes.
    • To make it even smoother, filter it through a fine mesh strainer.

    Can it into jars

    • Pour it into sterilized jars
    • Close the jar and seal it
    • Leave the jars upside down until they cool down
    • You can serve it immediately or store the jars for the winter.

    Video

    Notes

    • Do not simmer the peppers for too long otherwise the jelly will become hard.
    • You can use a blender, but you will get a smoother and brighter jelly with a vegetable strainer.
    • You can sterilize the jars in the dishwasher.
    • When you open the can, ensure that there is a vacuum. If not, the jar was not properly pasteurized and should not be consumed.
    Hint: in Europe, we use the reverse canning technique, which is not recommended by the National Center of Home Food Preservation in USA.
    Place the jars in a large pan and cover the jars with water. The water level in the canner should be 1 to 2 inches above the tops of the filled jars. Turn the burner under the canner to its highest setting, cover the canner with its lid, and heat until the water boils vigorously. Process the jars for the recommended number of minutes after the water boils.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 695kcalCarbohydrates: 176gProtein: 4gFat: 2gSaturated Fat: 0.2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 0.04gSodium: 798mgPotassium: 892mgFiber: 7gSugar: 168gVitamin A: 10182IUVitamin C: 495mgCalcium: 35mgIron: 2mg
    Tried this recipe?Please consider Leaving a Review!
    important notes on ingredients

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    Laura Giunta Tobin

    Hi, I’m Laura. Welcome to my blog! While many talk about Italian food, I’ve lived it firsthand. Here, I share real Italian home cooking, just as it’s made in Italy. Won’t you join me?

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