Deseed Jalapeños In Seconds With This Simple Rolling Technique

Deseeding jalapeños can be one of the most frustrating tasks in the kitchen. Whether you use a tiny spoon to scrape out stubborn seeds or risk it all and burn your fingers wrestling with spicy membranes, it's messy, time-consuming, and often more trouble than it's worth. Learning one surprisingly simple trick will change the game, though, and it doesn't require any fancy tools or professional knife skills. In a viral TikTok that has racked up thousands of views, journalist Katie Couric shows how rolling a jalapeño on your cutting board before slicing it open can help most of the seeds fall right out, no scraping necessary. The hack is as straightforward as it is effective: Just roll the jalapeño on your cutting board before slicing it open. No special tools, no mess, and most importantly, no burning your hands from contact with the spicy oils.

Take the pepper and firmly roll it under your palm, on a cutting board, for a few seconds. This loosens up the seeds inside. Then, cut off the stem end and turn the pepper upside down. Tap or shake it, and most of the seeds will simply fall out on their own. This tiny kitchen hack will have you making mango jalapeño margaritas or adding a spicy twist to a grilled cheese sandwich with ease. No tiny spoon, no burning eyes, no knife olympics, and no wasted pepper flesh. Couric hails the method and has shared it with the world because it's much easier than scraping out the seeds and less time-consuming.

Why does rolling work? Jalapeños, like many peppers, have a central core called the placenta where the seeds are attached. Rolling the pepper helps loosen that inner membrane, which makes the seeds easier to shake free once the top is cut off. This trick is a game-changer for anyone looking to control the heat in their dishes. While the seeds themselves aren't the spiciest part of a jalapeño — it's actually the pith — removing the seeds can still significantly mellow the overall punch. This technique is especially useful in recipes where you want the fresh, earthy flavor of jalapeño without so much of its characteristic heat, like guacamole, corn chowder, or jalapeño poppers.

This clever rolling technique helps reduce handling time, which can prevent the dreaded jalapeño hands, that lingering burning sensation you get when pepper oils sink into your skin. For those who can't take the heat, it's a safer, cleaner option than digging around with your fingers or a paring knife. This customization hack is especially handy for meal prepping or large-batch cooking when deseeding multiple peppers can be a time drain. Next time you are prepping jalapeños, give them a roll instead and leave the scraping behind.