What to do with all of the zucchini taking over your backyard farmthis time of year?
Here’s an easy and delicious way to put them to good use: Just slice ’em up and…
Make Sweet Zucchini Pickles! You can make zucchini pickles of any flavor (our Easy Peasy Spicy Pickles recipe works well), but I have been experimenting with a sweeter taste. I hope you like it! Get my Sweet Zucchini Pickles Recipe after the jump…
Sweet Zucchini Pickles Recipe
Wash yourzucchini well, then slice ’em up, about 1/4″ thick.
Thinly slice a small onion (I use a mandolin for paper thin slices).
Place zucchini and onion in a bowl and add 1 tablespoon of salt.
Mix well, then cover with ice cubes.
Let sit for 1-2 hours, until the zucchini is slighty softened and tastes a little salty. The ice bath helps keep a nice pickle-crunch to the zucchini.
In the meantime, we will make our brine. In a sauce pot, combine the following:
2 cups Apple Cider Vinegar (white vinegar will also work, it’s just a different flavor. I’ve tried both and I can’t decide which I prefer)
1 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon celery seed
1/2 teaspoon dill seed
1 tablespoon mustard seed
1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
Bring to a boil. 
Let cool until slightly warm or room temperature (if it’s too hot, it will cook the zucchini and make it soft, instead of crunchy).
Drain your zucchini and onions, then pat dry. 
Place the zucchini and onions in a sealable container.
Pour the brine on top. 
Seal and place in the refrigerator. 
They’ll start pickling immediately, but they’re best at least 24 hours later. These will last quite a while in the fridge, almost a month. That is, if you can stop yourself from eating them all right away.Enjoy! What creative things are you doing with your zucchini this summer?
by Jaime
18 Comments
TracyRosen The pictures are mouthwatering 🙂 I plan on making these for my dad, his lunch consists of as much pickly type stuff as he can fit into his ginormous salad bowl and a piece of protein (and then he has popcorn for dessert. Really.) I'm also going to check out the spicy pickle recipe so I can give him some sweet spiciness for his lunch.
Romona Thank you! I need something different to do with all the zucchini we have been getting from the our garden.
Bree We skipped zucchini in the garden this year in favor of cucumbers. Do think this would work with cucumbers?
sixtyfourcolorbox Our pickling cucumbers are starting to ripen. I'm excited to start pickling them. I may have to give this a try with some of our faster maturing cucumbers.
Jen@thecraftingfiend I've never heard of pickling zucchini – but I lover pickled things and I love zucchini! Thanks for the recipe 🙂
Jaime this would TOTALLY work with cucumbers. and if you have them, i would throw in some juniper berries with the cukes, yum.
Sherri Jaime just made my third batch of these yummy pickles. Love the heat and the curry – exotic. Dan and Kendall always beg for more.
threespirit Yom! This receipe sounds perfect for my son who hates courgettes but will eat ANYTHING pickled!
Maureen Yum!! I just happened to post my first pickling project on my blog the other day, and then stumbled across this! This is next on my list 🙂
Jewelry Rage Great recipe, I have never pickled zucchini before but I have a ton of zucchini in my garden and I can’t wait to try this.
Sue How much zucchini for this recipe?
April Decheine I am online looking for zucchini pickling recipes and stumbled across yours, easy enough, love making easy refrigerator pickles!
jessica I don’t use sugar. What can be a substitute, anyone know? Thank you.
Kimberly :) Jessica, try xylitol or sucanat. Agave works, too, but it has a distinctive flavor and the others do not.
Kimberly :) …you can get them at Whole Foods or a “real” health food store. Xylitol is made from nut hulls or bark (my favorite sugar alternative) and sucanat is evaporated cane juice (which works well to replace brown sugar and is OK even for diabetics).
Kimberly :) …or brown rice syrup. Can you tell I haven’t had my coffee yet today? Sorry for the never-ending reply.
tina Can these be processed in hot water bath for bigger batches?
Tara Martin How many small zucchini does one batch use up? or how many cups of cut up zukes do you use
