Quick Pickled Zucchini

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Friends, summer is just around the corner, and with it comes an abundance of fresh garden zucchini. And making quick pickled zucchini is the perfect way to ensure none of it goes to waste. Crisp, tangy, and a little bit sweet, zucchini pickles are the perfect accompaniment to all your favorite summer dishes.

I loooooove to use zucchini pickles on top of burgers of course, and I also like to chop ’em up and add them to potato salad. So darn good. Trust me when I say they will pair perfectly with your BBQ faves.

And just like making my easy pickled radishes, pickling zucchini is incredibly simple. All you need is 15 minutes of prep time and a handful of your everyday pantry staples. #pickledeverything

Related Recipe : Pickled Onions.

Why You’ll Love It

• Add tons of flavor and texture to your favorite meals.
• Easy to double or triple for crowds, meal prep, or when stocking your pantry.
• Make it with basic everyday staple ingredients.
• The perfect way to use up all that extra garden zucchini.
• Makes a great edible gift for your foodie friends.

What Is Pickled Zucchini?

It’s a fun condiment and topping that you can easily make yourself, consisting of zucchini that has been pickled in a brine made of vinegar, sugar, salt, and various herbs and seasonings. Pickling zucchini gives it a perfect sweet and tangy flavor.

Tools You Need 

• Mason jars.
• A sharp knife.
• A cutting board.
• The best ever salt flakes.

Get the complete ingredients list and instructions from the recipe card below.

Soooo, are you ready to become a pickling wizard? Gather up your ingredients and I will show you…….

How To Make Pickled Zucchini

1. Thinly slice zucchini using a sharp knife or mandoline.
2. Place in a colander along with the sliced shallots and chili.
3. Put the colander on top of a bowl, sprinkle salt all over, and let it stand for 2-3 hours so the water drains out.
4. Pat the zucchini mixture dry and layer with mustard seeds and dill in a large mason jar.
5. Make the pickling brine by adding vinegar, sugar, and mustard powder to a saucepan and simmer until the sugar dissolves. Switch off the heat and let cool.
6. Pour brine into the jar, place the lid on, and store in the fridge. Zucchini pickles will be ready in 24 hours.

Recipe Tips

• It’s important to drain as much liquid from the zucchini as possible and to pat it dry so that the picking solution is not diluted.
• Quick pickled zucchini is ready in 24 hours, so you’ll need to make this at least a full day before you plan to use it.
• Make sure to use a mandoline or sharp knife to make slicing easier. 
• Store in glass mason jars because plastics can absorb the flavorings and metal containers can react with the vinegar from the pickling process. 

Recipe Variations

The great thing about this quick pickled zucchini recipe is that it is super adaptable. You can easily make different flavor variations by using different vinegar and changing the spices and seasonings. Here are just a few suggestions to get you started:

• Make zucchini spears instead: Cut the zucchini in half lengthwise to make pickle spears instead of rounds.
• Change up the vinegar: rice vinegar, white wine vinegar, red wine vinegar. note: aged or concentrated vinegar (like balsamic or malt vinegar) won’t work for pickling.
• Change up the sweeteners: honey, maple syrup, raw sugar, stevia, other sugar substitutes, such as Swerve or Erythritol. Note: you also can omit the sweetener altogether!
• Add extra spices and seasonings: oregano, basil, bay leaves, fresh sliced ginger, red pepper flakes, peppercorns, cilantro, jalapeño.

Meal Prep 

While this recipe makes a decent amount in your mason jar, you can easily double or triple this recipe if feeding a crowd or wanting to stock up your pantry. 

Since pickling zucchini requires 24 hours, I recommend that you make this a couple of days in advance so it’s ready when you are planning to use them.

FAQs

How Long Does Pickled Zucchini Last? 

Stored properly in an airtight container it can last up to two weeks in the refrigerator. It can actually last a little longer but will start to lose the flavoring.

How To Use It? 

If you’re me, then the answer is pretty much everything. But seriously folks, these pickled veggies are delicious on sooooo many things. Try adding them on burgers and sandwiches, chopped and mixed into salads, and alongside grilled dishes, smoked meats, bean side dishes, and more. 

Serving Suggestions

• Instant Pot Hamburgers.
• Jerk Pork Sliders.
• Smoked Chicken Wings.
• Grilled Lamb Kabobs.

More How To Recipes

• How To Pickle Onions.
• How To Bread Chicken Easily.
• Learn How To Cut A Watermelon.
• How To Make Failproof Gravy.
• How To Make Flatbreads.
• Easy Homemade Spice Blends.
• How To Make Buttermilk.

Weight Watchers Points 

There is 1 Blue Plan SmartPoint in a serving of this.

Thank you for reading my Pickled Zucchini Recipe post. And please come visit again as I continue to slice, dice and dream up affordable Air Fryer recipes, Instant Pot Recipes, Southern Recipes and more. Thanks for supporting Recipes from a Pantry, food blog.

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