Haitian Pikliz Recipe (2024)

Home » Recipes » Pikliz (Spicy Haitian Pickled Slaw)

by Mike Hultquist · · 17 Comments · Jump to Recipe

This pikliz recipe is made with shredded cabbage, carrots, bell pepper, and fiery Scotch Bonnets in a simple brine, the perfect crunchy-spicy condiment!

Haitian Pikliz Recipe (1)

Pikliz Recipe

If you are a lover of spicy food, Haitian Pikliz is a recipe you need in your recipe collection.

It's perfect for spicing up sandwiches and grilled meats, and can even be served as a simple side dish.

It's also very easy to make, and you can spice it up as much as you'd like.

What is Pikliz?

Pikliz is a Haitian condiment of pickled cabbage with carrot, bell peppers and fiery Scotch bonnet peppers. It is often served with traditional Haitian dishes to balance out fatty meats, or as a complimentary spicy crunch factor.

It's a must for Haitian cuisine, with a wonderful balance of crispy-crunchy vegetables, tartness from the vinegar, and a vigorous spicy kick from the hot peppers.

It's great with Haitian food, but you can enjoy this on many, many dishes. I think this is a recipe you're going to love.

Let's talk about how to make pikliz, shall we?

Haitian Pikliz Recipe (2)

Haitian Pikliz Ingredients

  • PIKLIZ VEGETABLES
  • Cabbage. Shredded or thinly sliced.
  • Bell Pepper. I'm using red bell pepper for color.
  • Carrot.
  • Scotch Bonnets. Scotch bonnet peppers are quite fiery, with a heat equal to the habanero pepper, about 300,000 Scoville Heat Units.
  • Onion. Shallot is good, too.
  • Garlic.
  • FOR THE PIKLIZ BRINE
  • White Vinegar. I use distilled white vinegar, or use apple cider vinegar for more sweet-tart.
  • Lime Juice.
  • Salt.

How to Make Pikliz - the Recipe Method

Shred or Chop the Vegetables. Mix the pikliz vegetables - cabbage, carrot, bell pepper, sliced Scotch bonnet peppers, onion, and garlic - in a large bowl.

Haitian Pikliz Recipe (3)

Jar Them Up. Transfer the vegetables to a large Ball jar.

Haitian Pikliz Recipe (4)

Make the Pikliz Brine. Whisk together the brine ingredients - vinegar, lime juice, salt, and optional black pepper - then pour it into the jar. Be sure to completely cover the vegetables with the brine.

Haitian Pikliz Recipe (5)

Let the Flavors Develop. Secure the lid and refrigerate for 3 days or longer to let the flavors mingle.

Haitian Pikliz Recipe (6)

Boom! Done! Your pikliz is ready to serve. Easy enough to make, isn't it? This is fantastic on grilled meats, or as a spicy slaw for your sandwiches, sausages, and burgers.

Recipe Tips & Notes

  • Scotch Bonnets. If you're unable to find these peppers, use habanero peppers, which are very similar in heat and flavor. Consider other hot peppers as well, or use milder peppers for a less fiery version.
  • Other Vegetables. Add other vegetables to your preference for flavor variations, like other hot peppers, cucumber, asparagus and others.
  • Seasonings and Herbs. Make this pikliz your own by adding your favorite herbs and seasonings, like fresh basil or thyme, cumin seeds, whole peppercorns, cloves, lemon, or others. Pikliz is very customizable.

Serving Pikliz

Serve Pikliz with fried foods to balance out the greasiness. It is great piled on to grilled meats and sandwiches for a nice spicy crunch factor. Try it on your next shrimp po' boy sandwich!

Try it with your favorite rice and beans recipe, like Jamaican rice and peas. I love it on smoked pulled pork, and on fish tacos.

Storage

Store your pikliz in the refrigerator, properly sealed. Because it is pickled, it will last a month or longer. Vinegar is a preservative as well as a flavoring agent.

That's it, my friends. I hope you enjoy the pikliz!. Let me know if you make it, and if you enjoyed it. Might be your new favorite condiment!

Tools Used For This Recipe

Amazon Affiliate links, my friends!

Ball Jars - Makes pickling easy, with large enough jars to accommodate a good sized batch of vegetables or peppers.

Try Some of My Other Popular Recipes

  • Vinegar Coleslaw
  • Spicy Creamy Coleslaw
  • Curtido (Salvadoran Cabbage Slaw)
Haitian Pikliz Recipe (7)

Got any questions? Ask away! I’m happy to help. If you enjoy this recipe, I hope you’ll leave a comment with some STARS. Also, please share it on social media. Don’t forget to tag us at #ChiliPepperMadness. I’ll be sure to share! Thanks! — Mike H.

Haitian Pikliz Recipe (8)

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Pikliz Recipe (Spicy Haitian Pickled Slaw)

This pikliz recipe is made with shredded cabbage, carrots, bell pepper, and fiery Scotch Bonnets in a simple brine, the perfect crunchy-spicy condiment!

Save Recipe

Course: Condiment, Salad

Cuisine: Haitian

Keyword: bell peppers, cabbage, pickled, scotch bonnet

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 5 minutes minutes

Calories: 27kcal

Author: Mike Hultquist

Servings: 8

Tap or hover to scale

5 from 7 votes

Leave a Review

Ingredients

PIKLIZ VEGETABLES

  • 1.5 cups shredded or thinly sliced cabbage
  • 1 medium red bell pepper thinly sliced
  • 1 medium carrot grated (about 1/2 cup)
  • 1 medium onion thinly sliced (about 3/4 cup)
  • 2-4 Scotch Bonnet peppers sliced (use habanero as a sub)
  • 3-4 cloves garlic minced

FOR THE PICKLING BRINE

  • 1.5 cups white vinegar use apple cider vinegar for more sweet-tart
  • Juice from 1/2 large lime
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • Black pepper to taste optional

Instructions

  • Mix the pikliz vegetables - cabbage, carrot, bell pepper, Scotch bonnet peppers, onion, and garlic - in a large bowl.

  • Transfer the vegetables to a large Ball jar.

  • Whisk together the brine ingredients - vinegar, lime juice, salt, and optional black pepper - then pour it into the jar. Be sure to completely cover the vegetables with the brine.

  • Secure the lid and refrigerate for 3 days or longer to let the flavors mingle.

Nutrition Information

Calories: 27kcalCarbohydrates: 4gProtein: 1gFat: 1gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 301mgPotassium: 112mgFiber: 1gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 1777IUVitamin C: 29mgCalcium: 17mgIron: 1mg

Haitian Pikliz Recipe (9)

Did You Enjoy This Recipe?I love hearing how you like it and how you made it your own. Leave a comment below and tag @ChiliPepperMadness on social media.

Reader Interactions

Comments

    Leave a Reply

  1. eric p says

    Haitian Pikliz Recipe (10)
    yummy! I bought broccoli slaw, 2 habaneros, brine mostly as directed. great on tacos.

    Reply

    • Mike H. says

      Love it. Thank you for sharing!

      Reply

  2. Kurt M says

    Haitian Pikliz Recipe (11)
    Been making pikliz for over 15 years when I moved to south Florida. There were no recipes on the net at the time, so I reverse engineered it from a batch that I got at a Caribbean store in Deerfield Beach. Basically the same, except no red bell pepper (but I like the idea for color) and I use at least 12 Scotch Bonnet/Habaneros for a 2 quart batch. We use it in place of sauerkraut on hot dogs. Just did some dogs last week for International Hot Dog Day. Running low, so it is on my to-do list. Just pulled a dozen orange datils from our pepper plants, so I will give it a try with those.

    Reply

    • Mike Hultquist says

      Awesome, Kurt! I think this will be fantastic with datil peppers. Enjoy! Thanks for sharing.

      Reply

  3. Lorna Wiens says

    Can I process this in a hot water bath to keep it longer?

    Reply

    • Mike Hultquist says

      You should be able to, though I've never tried it. You'll need to make sure the acidity is high enough - shoot for pH of 3.5 or lower for home water bath preserving. You could make sure it's all covered in brine.

      Reply

      • Lorna says

        Haitian Pikliz Recipe (12)
        I did increased the lime and salt amount. It looks so pretty with all the different colours. Thank you. I will let you know how it turns out.

        Reply

  4. Margaret says

    Haitian Pikliz Recipe (13)
    Good stuffs

    Reply

    • Mike Hultquist says

      Thanks!

      Reply

  5. Connie Davis says

    Haitian Pikliz Recipe (14)
    OK this was a total win with my husband. Had all the factors he enjoys......pickled, crunch, & spicy heat

    Reply

    • Mike Hultquist says

      Awesome! Glad to hear it, Connie! I love it.

      Reply

  6. Dave says

    Haitian Pikliz Recipe (15)
    Best I’ve ever had used jalapeños

    Reply

    • Mike Hultquist says

      Awesome!

      Reply

  7. Bill says

    I'm thinkin' this would go well on a banh mi sandwich!

    Reply

    • Mike Hultquist says

      Yes!! Perfection right there, Bill.

      Reply

  8. Jérémie says

    Haitian Pikliz Recipe (16)
    Hey Mike, nice recipe! very similar to mine. Love pikliz and haitian dishes!
    I recommand you to use it in Poul Ak Nwa (Haitian chicken with cashews) which is also made with Ti Malis sauce, a magnificent and very mustardy hot sauce ...that I also recommend, if you do not know it!

    Reply

    • Mike Hultquist says

      Thanks, Jérémie! Thanks for the suggestions! I love it! Very nice.

      Reply

Haitian Pikliz Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is Haitian pikliz made of? ›

It's a mix of pickled cabbage, carrots, and scotch bonnet peppers. Some families may also include bell peppers or replace the scotch bonnet peppers with habanero (I tend to do this of I can't find scotch bonnet). It's seasoned very simply with salt or adobo seasoning and sometimes garlic.

Is Haitian pikliz healthy? ›

Pikliz, like all fermented foods, is a celebration of life. It is not just a condiment, but a living food teeming with beneficial bacteria. While it is low in calories and a good source of vitamins C, K, and calcium, the true magic of pikliz lies in its probiotic content.

How long does Haitian pikliz last? ›

Stored covered in refrigerator, pikliz will last for at least 3 weeks, if not longer.

Why is pikliz so spicy? ›

The heart of the pikliz, says Chef Thia, is the pepper—scotch bonnet or habanero blended into an acidic liquid base, usually vinegar, lime or sour orange juice.

What is the most eaten food in Haiti? ›

In general, the average Haitian diet is largely based on starch staples such as rice, corn, millet, yams and beans. All types of meat and seafood are eaten as well, but often only the wealthier residents can afford them.

What is the national dish of Haiti? ›

Soupe joumou, the national dish of Haiti, is a unique blend of West African Scotch bonnet peppers, New World squash and classic French pot-au-feu.

What is considered disrespectful in Haitian culture? ›

Prolonged eye contact may be interpreted as rude. Pointing at another person is considered rude. Haitian people may express disapproval by rolling the eyes, looking to the ceiling, or crossing arms over the chest.

What do you eat with pikliz? ›

Eat it with any meat, poultry or fish; mix it with rice or beans; and drizzle the liquid into soups, stews and chili. Elevate your eggs with it, or add a little to your next sandwich or wrap for some extra-special zing.

What do Haiti people eat for breakfast? ›

Breakfast (dejne) is small; usually coffee, bread, fruit juice, and an egg.

Why is Haitian food so good? ›

Haitian cuisine, like the people, is a mash-up of influences. They include a blend of spices and roots that combine the distinct flavors of the tropics with the complexity of French cuisine.

What is the most consumed meat in Haiti? ›

CONSUMPTION: Poultry meat is one of the preferred meats of Haitian people, along with goat, pork and beef.

What is the Haitian food taboo? ›

Haitians generally do not eat yogurt, cottage cheese, or runny egg yolks. Drink lots of water and homemade fruit juices, coffee in the morning, and tea only when sick. Food prohibitions are related to particular diseases and life stages.

What does pikliz taste like? ›

Yeah, pikliz may look harmless, but it's plenty potent in the heat department. Pickled cabbage, carrots, and some combination of bell peppers, onions, scallions, and fiery scotch bonnet peppers come together to make this super-spicy and uniquely Haitian condiment.

Does Publix sell pikliz? ›

Pikliz (Haitian-Style Pickled Vegetables) | Publix Super Markets.

How do you pronounce pikliz? ›

Pikliz is pronounced “pee–kleez”. It's said the more Pikliz you eat, the easier it is to pronounce.

What is Haitian kremas made of? ›

Cremas, also spelled kremas, is the celebration drink of Haiti. Its foundation is a mix of condensed and evaporated milk, which is enhanced with cream of coconut, nutmeg, cinnamon, vanilla, and lime. Other variations include almond extract or raisins.

What is Haitian griot made of? ›

Griot is usually made from pork shoulder. The meat is first washed then put in a mixture of citrus juices to add flavor. After being soaked in the citrus juices, the meat is marinated in epis, which is a mixture of Haitian herbs, vegetables, and spices. Next, the meat is either braised or roasted until tender.

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