Zucchini Relish
When the garden starts producing more zucchini than you know what to do with, this is one of my favorite ways to use it. I like the zucchini diced into little pieces instead of shredded so the finished relish keeps that nice chunky texture.
Ingredients
- 4 pounds fresh, firm zucchini, finely diced
- 1 cup finely diced onion
- 1 cup finely diced red bell pepper
- 2 cups 5% acidity apple cider vinegar
- 2 1/4 cups granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons celery seed
- 2 teaspoons ground turmeric
- 4 teaspoons mustard seed
Instructions
- Wash the zucchini thoroughly and trim away the stem and blossom ends. Dice the zucchini into small, uniform pieces. Do not shred. Peel and finely dice the onion.
- In a large, nonreactive pot, combine the vinegar, sugar, celery seed, turmeric, and mustard seed. Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring until the sugar dissolves.
- Add the diced zucchini, onion, and red bell peppers. Stir well and return the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat slightly and boil gently for 5 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Remove from the heat and allow the relish to cool slightly.
- Transfer the relish to clean containers, cover, and refrigerate promptly.
- Keep refrigerated. This version is not intended for shelf-stable pantry storage.
Notes
As a young girl, I can remember my mom making this in our kitchen in Missouri after a big zucchini harvest. It’s one of those recipes that has just stayed with me over the years. We would use it anywhere you might normally use relish, but it’s good for so much more. I love it in deviled eggs, as a topping for pork chops, on hot dogs, and even mixed into tuna fish. It adds just the perfect amount of sweetness and brings back a lot of good memories every time I make it.
This family recipe has not been verified as safe for boiling water bath canning. For shelf-stable preservation, use a scientifically tested zucchini relish recipe and follow its exact ingredient proportions, preparation instructions, jar sizes, and altitude-adjusted processing times.