Banana Pickles vs. Banana Peppers: What's the Difference?

"Is it made with bananas?" is the question we hear most at our market table. The answer is no. "Is it spicy?" is the second. The answer is also no. The Banana Pickle is one of our best-loved jars, and its name confuses almost everyone the first time.

Here is the difference between a banana pickle and a jar of banana peppers, how banana peppers compare with pepperoncini, and how to use both.

What is a banana pickle?

The Banana Pickle is a cucumber pickle. It gets its name from banana peppers, a mild, yellow, banana-shaped pepper. There is no fruit in the jar.

Here is the part we say out loud to every customer: it is not spicy. Banana peppers bring flavor, not fire. What you actually taste is a well-balanced garlic dill, which is why it disappears so fast on sandwiches and burgers.

An award winner

The Banana Pickle won Flavor of Georgia Best Pickle in 2024. Its twin, The Green Tomatoes, is made the same way with green tomatoes instead of cucumbers, and it was a Flavor of Georgia 2026 Category Winner. If you like one, you will like the other. Read more in our pickled green tomatoes guide.

A little history

The very first Banana Pickles had two slices of red jalapeño in the bottom of the jar. If you remember finding them, you are one of our original customers. Today's jar keeps the focus on garlic and dill.

What are banana peppers?

Banana peppers are a mild chile pepper named for their long, curved shape and pale yellow color. They are usually picked while yellow; left on the plant they can ripen to orange or red. On the heat scale they sit near the very bottom, far milder than a jalapeño.

Pickled banana peppers are the rings you find on sub sandwiches, pizza and Greek salads. They are tangy, crisp and only faintly warm. Our jar, The Banana Pepper, is exactly that: mild, tangy, crisp banana peppers with a gentle heat.

Banana peppers vs. pepperoncini vs. Hungarian wax peppers

These three get mixed up all the time, because they look alike in a jar.

• Banana peppers are smooth, bright yellow and mild, with a slightly sweet, tangy taste.
• Pepperoncini are a similar mild pepper, usually a little wrinklier and thinner-skinned, with a faintly bitter edge. They are the classic Greek salad pepper.
• Hungarian wax peppers look almost identical to banana peppers but can be noticeably hotter. If a "banana pepper" surprises you with real heat, it may be a wax pepper.

In most recipes, banana peppers and pepperoncini can stand in for each other.

Banana pickle or banana peppers: which jar do you want?

• You want a pickle to snack on or put on a sandwich: The Banana Pickle. Garlic dill flavor, no heat.
• You want pepper rings for subs, pizza or salad: The Banana Pepper.
• You want something Southern for fried chicken: The Green Tomatoes.
• You want a sweet, mild pepper for pasta and boards: The Sweet Italian Pepper.

How to use banana pickles

1. On a burger or chicken sandwich

Garlic dill is the classic burger pickle flavor. The Banana Pickle is our go-to on a fried chicken sandwich.

2. On a deli sandwich or Cuban

Slice lengthwise and layer on turkey, ham or a pressed Cuban.

3. Chopped into potato, egg or tuna salad

A spoonful of chopped Banana Pickle and a splash of the brine wake up any creamy salad.

4. On a snack board

Next to sharp cheddar, salami and crackers. It is the jar that pleases everyone, including people who avoid spicy food.

How to use banana peppers

1. Subs and hoagies

The classic. Pile them on Italian subs, cheesesteaks and veggie sandwiches.

2. Pizza

Add before baking for softer peppers or after for crunch.

3. Greek salad and pasta salad

Toss rings in with olives, feta, cucumber and tomato.

4. Nachos and quesadillas

A mild, tangy pop for anyone who finds jalapeños too hot.

Banana pickles FAQ

Do banana pickles have bananas in them?

No. The name comes from banana peppers. There is no fruit in the jar.

Are banana pickles spicy?

No. The Banana Pickle has no heat at all and sits at 0 on our spicy pickles heat scale. It tastes like a balanced garlic dill.

Are banana peppers spicy?

Only very mildly. Banana peppers are one of the mildest chile peppers, and our pickled Banana Pepper jar has just a gentle heat.

Are banana peppers the same as pepperoncini?

No, but they are close cousins. Both are mild and tangy when pickled. Pepperoncini are usually wrinklier with a slightly bitter edge, and banana peppers are smoother and a little sweeter.

Is the Banana Pickle a sweet pickle?

Not really. It has a hint of sweetness, but the main flavor is a well-balanced garlic dill. If you want a properly sweet jar, try The Bread and Butter, and see our guide to sweet heat pickles if you want a little warmth with it.

Where to buy banana pickles and banana peppers

You can order The Banana Pickle and The Banana Pepper straight from our site. Every jar is 17 oz, made in small batches in Atlanta, and shipping is free in the US on 2 or more jars, so a Banana Pickle and a Green Tomatoes make an easy pair. Browse more jars in Pickled Peppers, and read about our other award winners in Georgia Pickles: Award-Winning Jars Made in Atlanta. Our customers rate us 4.9 out of 5 across 280+ reviews.

Get the jars

Small-batch, made in Atlanta, and free US shipping on 2+ jars.

The Banana PickleGarlic dill, no heat. Flavor of Georgia 2024.Shop · $16.95The Banana PepperMild, tangy, crisp banana pepper rings.Shop · $16.95The Green TomatoesThe Banana Pickle's twin. Flavor of Georgia 2026.Shop · $16.95The Sweet Italian PepperMild, sweet and aromatic peppers.Shop · $16.95