This Zucchini Relish recipe is a sweet relish made with fresh grated zucchini and onions. Use the canning process to preserve in jars, or halve the recipe for a refrigerator zucchini relish. Delicious served in so many ways–from spreading on burgers and sandwiches, to dipping with cream cheeese. It’s summer in a jar, a fabulous condiment.

a pint size jar of zucchini relish

We love a good sweet relish, especially when it’s homemade and spread on a tuna sandwich with lettuce and tomatoes. It’s even better when it’s home-canned! For this Zucchini Relish recipe today, if you don’t have a garden, then shop the farmer’s market or farm stand for local zucchini! This recipe (otherwise known as onion relish) is a keeper–delicious to can, or halve the recipe and keep in the fridge for a “refrigerator zucchini relish.”

Zucchini Relish Recipe

Paste the recipe on your fridge, gather the ingredients, and grab a friend or 2 to make this recipe by preserving the jars. Canning is a process, so this recipe can take some time. But it’s worth every bite. This recipe brings back years of memories of canning batch after batch, with our garden zucchini from Medford, Oregon.

delicious zucchin relish recipe

Why I love this recipe

  • Even though it takes time to make, the results are so rewarding (it’s amazing).
  • Each jar makes a very special gift to give (think of a hostess gift or Christmas gifts).
  • You can halve the recipe and skip the canning process, to store in the fridge. But you will need to consume within 2 weeks!
close up zucchini relish with pimento

Gather these ingredients:

  • Zucchini (about 10 medium)
  • Onions
  • Salt and pepper
  • Yellow or orange bell peppers
  • Pimientos
  • Apple cider vinegar
  • Sugar
  • Ground nutmeg, ground turmeric, dry mustard
  • Cornstarch

Equipment:

  • Canning jars: we use 4-5 pint-size (16 oz) canning jars or 8-10 ½ pint (8 oz) canning jars
Zucchini Relish Tuna Salad Dip | ReluctantEntertainer.com

How to make Zucchini Relish recipe:

  1. Combine the zucchini, onions and salt; let stand overnight (cover and let stand in a cool place (70 to 75°F) for at least 12 hours).
  2. The next day, using a colander placed over a sink, drain the zucchini mixture (squeezing out all water). Rinse and drain again.
  3. To make the brine, in a large pot over medium heat, dissolve the sugar into the vinegar and spices; stir until mixed together.
  4. Add in the zucchini, chopped peppers and pimientos, to the brine and stir. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat and boil gently, stirring frequently, until liquid is reduced and mixture is the consistency of a thick commercial relish, about 30 minutes.
  5. Prepare boiling water canner. Prepare jars and lids (I jar the relish in hot jars that have been run through the dishwasher).
  6. Ladle the hot relish into hot jars, leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Remove air bubbles and adjust headspace, if necessary, by adding hot relish. Wipe rim. Put the lid on jar. Apply band until fit and fingertip-tight.
  7. Process the jars in a boiling water canner for 15 minutes. Remove jars and cool. Check lids for seal after 24 hours, by pressing on the center (it should not flex when pushed down).
  8. Enjoy, or give away as a lovely gift!
tuna and relish

How to serve Zucchini Relish

Here are a few ways we love to enjoy zucchini relish:

  • Sandwiches (amazin on tuna!) or salads or a tuna dip
  • Burgers, quiches, chicken, meat or fish
  • Over goat cheese or cream cheese on an appetizer plate with crackers
  • For a low carb snack, serve topped on a seed cracker with a slice of cheese
  • Serve on a cheese board.

Tips and substitutions:

  • For years I’ve canned this in the summertime, sometimes in 1/2 pint jars, sometimes in pint jars, and it makes a delicious gift. Makes about 4-5 (16 oz) pints. I also like to use 1/2 pint jars to give as gifts.
  • Water bath canning required (unless you want to make refrigerator relish).
  • Halve or quarter the recipe if you want to make refrigerator zucchini relish.
  • I use my food processor to grate the onions and zucchini {easy}, and the rest is very simple.
  • It’s not spicy–it’s very sweet.
  • Want to make it sugar-free? Use monk fruit blend. But we have not tried a “sugar-free” version preserved. This is a “fresh relish” recipe that you’d want to keep it in the fridge, and it will easily last 2 weeks in the fridge.
  • Oh, and most people like homemade gifts, so this makes the perfect hostess gift.

Be prepared to savor each jar! :)

Sweet Zucchini Relish

More awesome relish and condiment recipes to try:

a pint size jar of zucchini relish
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Zucchini Relish Recipe

Zucchini Relish is a sweet recipe made with grated zucchini and onions. Preserve in jars, or halve recipe for refrigerator zucchini relish.
In the summer I double and triple this recipe. To grate the zucchini and onions, I use my KitchenAid food processor with the grater attachment. Makes about 4-5 (16 oz) pints. I also like to use 1/2 pint jars to give as gifts. Water bath canning required.
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
sit overnight: 12 hours
Total Time: 13 hours 15 minutes
Yield: 48
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Ingredients
 

  • 10 zucchini, grated (about 10 medium)
  • 4 cups onions, grated (about 3 medium)
  • 5 Tbsp salt
  • 2 large yellow or orange bell peppers, seeded and chopped
  • 2 small jars pimientos
  • 2 ½ cups apple cider vinegar
  • 4 cups sugar
  • 1 Tbsp ground nutmeg
  • 1 Tbsp ground turmeric
  • 1 Tbsp dry mustard
  • 1 Tbsp cornstarch
  • ½ tsp. black pepper

Equipment

  • 4-5 16 oz canning jars or 8-10 ½ pint canning jars

Instructions
 

  • Combine the zucchini, onions and salt; let stand overnight (cover and let stand in a cool place (70 to 75°F) for at least 12 hours).
  • The next day, using a colander placed over a sink, drain the zucchini mixture (squeezing out all water). Rinse and drain again.
  • To make the brine, in a large pot over medium heat, dissolve the sugar into the vinegar and spices; stir until mixed together.
  • Add in the zucchini, chopped peppers and pimientos, to the brine and stir. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat and boil gently, stirring frequently, until liquid is reduced and mixture is the consistency of a thick commercial relish, about 30 minutes.
  • Prepare boiling water canner. Prepare jars and lids (I jar the relish in hot jars that have been run through the dishwasher).
  • Ladle the hot relish into hot jars, leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Remove air bubbles and adjust headspace, if necessary, by adding hot relish. Wipe rim. Put the lid on jar. Apply band until fit and fingertip-tight.
  • Process the jars in a boiling water canner for 15 minutes. Remove jars and cool. Check lids for seal after 24 hours, by pressing on the center (it should not flex when pushed down).
  • Enjoy, or give away as a lovely gift!

Notes

Reposted from APRIL 2015
Cuisine: American
Course: condiment
Calories: 83kcal, Carbohydrates: 20g, Protein: 1g, Fat: 0.3g, Saturated Fat: 0.1g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 0.05g, Sodium: 732mg, Potassium: 152mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 19g, Vitamin A: 239IU, Vitamin C: 15mg, Calcium: 13mg, Iron: 0.3mg
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Zucchini Relish Recipe