Sweet and spicy jalapeños add a delicious twist to a classic side that your barbecue guests never saw coming! The flavor in candied jalapeños is the perfect balance of sugar, vinegar and jalapeños. This Sweet Heat Pasta Salad recipe uses a few of the jalapeños and a bit of the jalapeño brine combined with the classic creamy mayo and mustard flavors for maximum sweet heat flavor.
You can use store-bought candied jalapeños or you can make your own.
- Trader Joe’s Hot & Sweet Jalapeños These jalapeños are not overly sweet. They strike the perfect balance between sweet and salty spice. This is one of my favorite Summer TJ products. I combine them with cream cheese to create an amazing and unique topping for a burger. I use them in my deviled eggs and my pasta salad. I’ve created a homemade recipe for reduced sugar candied jalapeños just in case you don’t have a Trader Joe’s nearby!
- Mt. Olive Sweet Heat Jalapeños These sweet and spicy jalapeños are delicious and they can be found in Kroger, Food Lion, Harris Teeter and Target.
Recipe for Homemade Reduced Sugar Candied Jalapeños – Ingredients
- 1/2 lb jalapeños, sliced into 1/4 inch thick slices
- 1 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Directions
- Combine vinegar, sugar and salt in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Add jalapeño slices and turn heat down and simmer on low for 5 minutes.
- Transfer jalapeno mixture to a mason jar and seal. Cool before refrigerating. Allow jalapeños to refrigerate for at least 24 hours before using them in recipes.
What else can I use these candied jalapeños for?
The recipe that I’ve provided for candied jalapeños will make more than you’ll need for Sweet Heat Pasta Salad, so you can sample them in other dishes. Here are a few of my favorites:
- Combine the jalapeños and brine with cream cheese and serve with crackers – I use a hand mixer to combine 8 oz of cream cheese with the brine. Start with a tablespoon and go from there. Once combined, fold in about one tablespoon of chopped candied jalapeños, and serve with crackers.
- Semi homemade salsa – I prefer restaurant-style salsa. To make a semi homemade version, I blend a 15 oz jar of salsa in the blender or food processor with 1-2 tablespoons of candied jalapeños, for a delicious sweet and salty restaurant-style salsa.
- Top your pizza with candied jalapeños for a yummy sweet and salty topping – Jalapeños and pineapple is one of my favorite flavor combinations on pizza. I know, I know…either you LOVE it or you can’t stand the thought. If you’re on “team Jalapeño and pineapple,” try skipping the pineapple and use candied Jalapeños instead for sweet and salty pizza perfection!
- Add to a charcuterie board – Let your guests get creative…they can eat them plain or experiment by combining them with other items on the board.
- Burger Topping – Combine these jalapeños with cream cheese and add a few tablespoons to each burger for a tasty and unique BBQ topping.
Have fun experimenting and if you find a good use of these delicious jalapeños, please share in the comments section.
What’s in sweet heat pasta salad?
- Conchigliette pasta, small shell pasta or elbow macaroni pasta
- Mayo
- Yellow mustard
- Candied jalapeño brine
- Hard-boiled eggs
- Celery
- Red bell pepper – Red is my favorite but any bell peppers will work.
- Onion
- Candied jalapeños
- Salt and black pepper
Looking for more sweet heat recipes? Be sure to try our hot and sweet deviled eggs!
Sweet Heat Pasta Salad
Sweet Heat Pasta Salad uses candied jalapeños and brine combined with classic creamy mayo and mustard flavors for maximum sweet heat flavor.
Ingredients
- 16 ounces dried small shell pasta or elbow macaroni pasta To make this pasta salad gluten free use a gluten free pasta. Tinkyada is my favorite – it maintains its consistency in the creamy sauce.
- 1 ½ cups mayonnaise
- 3 tablespoons yellow mustard
- 4 ½ tablespoons candied jalapeño brine
- 3 hard-boiled eggs chopped
- 2 stalks of celery finely chopped
- ½ red bell pepper yellow bell pepper or green bell pepper, finely chopped
- ¼ cup onion minced
- ⅓ cup candied jalapeños chopped
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Prepare pasta according to the directions on the package. Rinse with cold water and drain. Set aside while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.
- Combine the mayonnaise, mustard and jalapeño brine and mix thoroughly with a whisk. Add the pasta to a large bowl and stir to combine with the dressing mixture.
- Fold in the chopped eggs, celery, peppers, onions and candied jalapeños. Add salt and pepper to taste. Chill at least one hour before serving.
Notes
Homemade Candied Jalapeños – Ingredients
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- 1/2 lb jalapeños, sliced into 1/4 inch thick slices
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- 1 cup apple cider vinegar
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- 1 cup sugar
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- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
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- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Directions
- Combine vinegar, sugar and salt in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Add jalapeño slices and turn heat down and simmer on low for 5 minutes.
- Transfer jalapeno mixture to mason jar and seal. Cool before refrigerating. Allow jalapeños to refrigerate for at least 24 hours before using them in recipes.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
The idea of adding candied jalapeños and even using the brine for extra flavor is so genius….such a creative twist on a classic side!!