Zucchini Pickles - Perfect for Zucchini Overload

This recipe for Zucchini Pickles makes super simple, sweet and tangy pickles. This is the perfect recipe if your garden is in zucchini overload.  

Is your garden in zucchini overload? This is the time of year that you probably have more zucchini then you know what to do with. Well, today I want to share a recipe that will help you use up all that extra zucchini from your garden.

I don't know what happened with our garden this year, but it just didn't do as well as it has in the past. All I got was three little zucchinis and that was it. I sure miss the days of having more than I know what to do with. Usually we end up sharing with our neighbors because our garden produces so much.

Any zucchini that we used this year was either bought at the grocery store or the farmers market. A couple weeks back, I wanted to get a jump on some holiday gifts so I ended up purchasing some zucchini from our local farmers market. I wanted to make these Zucchini Pickles and share the recipe with you because they're the perfect gift especially around the holidays. These pickles are so delicious and super simple to make. Let's get started!

Start by cutting off the ends of the zucchini and slice. Thinly slice the onions and combine in a large glass bowl. Cover with ice water and stir in kosher or pickling salt. Let stand at room temperature for 2 hours. Prepare boiling water bath for canning. Sterilize jars and prepare lids and rings. After the 2 hours is up drain the zucchini - onion mixture and discard the liquid.

In a medium size saucepan combine vinegar, sugar, mustard seed and turmeric or pickling spice. I only used pickling spice because I was out of turmeric. I highly recommend the turmeric to make these pickles. Bring mixture to a boil.

Add zucchini and onions and simmer for 5 minutes. I did mine backwards and added the zucchini first and then all the ingredients. Don't ask me why but that is how it ended up.

Pack pickle mixture into hot jars leaving a 1/2 inch head space. Discard any excess liquid. Remove air bubbles from jars. Wipe the rims of the jars and then center the lids.

Screw on the rings until tight but not to tight. Process jars in boiling water bath for 10 minutes. Remove jars to a kitchen cloth and let cool. Check lids as the cool to make sure they have sealed. Keep in a cool place for up to one year. Pickles are ready to eat and share after one week.

Zucchini Pickles

Ingredients:
1 - pound zucchini, thinly sliced
1 - small onion, peeled and thinly sliced
2 - tablespoons kosher or pickling salt
1  1/2 - cups white vinegar
1 - cup sugar 
1 - teaspoon mustard seed
1/2 teaspoon turmeric

Combine zucchini and onion in a large glass bowl. Cover with ice water and stir in kosher  or pickling salt. Let stand at room temperature for 2 hours.

Prepare boiling water-canner. Sterilize jars and prepare lids and rings.

After 2 hours, drain the zucchini and onion mixture and toss the liquid. In a medium size pot combine vinegar, sugar, mustard seed and turmeric.

Bring to a boil. Add the zucchini mixture and simmer for 5 minutes. Pack the pickle mixture into hot jars leaving a 1/2 inch head space. Make sure the brine covers the zucchini. 

Remove air bubbles from jars. Wipe the rims of the jars and then center the lids. Screw on the rings until tight but not too tight.

Process jars in boiling water bath for 10 minutes. Remove jars to a kitchen cloth and let cool.

Check lids as the cool to make sure they have sealed. Pickles are ready to eat after one week.

Keep in a cool place for up to one year.

recipe yields: 5 half pint jars
source: woman's day magazine
 

For a step by step tutorial on how to can using the hot water bath method click here.