Zucchini Relish – Water Bath or Quick Canned
This Zucchini Relish is a favorite of everyone who tries it. I get requests for it often, and it’s a great way to use up all of the zucchini in your garden!
If you have ever planted zucchini, you know that even if you harvest them every day, there are inevitably a couple that you miss, and they end up being 2 feet long!
This Zucchini Relish is a perfect way to use these larger zucchini because the seeds are removed before you shred the zucchini.
If you are planting zucchini for the first time, be forewarned: a couple of zucchini plants will be more than a four-person family can consume in a season!
So, whatever you do, do not plant that entire little packet of seeds! See my How to Start a Vegetable Garden Series to learn more about growing zucchini.
Ingredients you Need
- zucchini
- onions – white or yellow onions work well
- red bell pepper – substitute yellow, orange or green bell pepper but red is traditional.
- salt
- apple cider vinegar or white vinegar
- sugar
- turmeric
- mustard – use either dry mustard or mustard seed
- celery seed
- black pepper
How to Make Zucchini Relish
Slice zucchini lengthwise. Remove seeds with the tip of a knife.
Cut it into smaller pieces that fit in the food processor. Add the zucchini to the food processor bowl.
Pulse until small chunks. Alternately, use the grater attachment and grate the zucchini pieces. Place zucchini in a large, non-reactive bowl.
Chop onion and red pepper in a food processor. Add it to the zucchini in a bowl.
Add salt to vegetables. Mix well.
Cover bowl and refrigerate overnight. Notice all of the water that’s separated from the vegetables.
In the morning, drain in a fine sieve or add a layer of cheesecloth to a colander. Rinse very well. Allow to drain. Add the spices, vinegar, and sugar for the relish. Cook the relish down until it is the correct consistency.
Using a canning funnel, ladle the hot relish into hot jars.
Sterilize jars. See this article for three ways to sterilize jars. UPDATE: according to the National Center for Food Preservation, jars that are processed longer than 10 minutes need not be sterilized. This can be water bath processed for more extended storage, or allow them to cool and then refrigerate the jars
To water bath can relish
Get the canner water hot. Wash the jars and lids. Add the clean jars to the canning pot to heat. Once the jars are filled, add them to the canning pot. Bring the water in the pot to a boil. Once the water is boiling, set the timer.
When the processing time is complete, remove the pot from the heat, carefully open the lid, and partially lift it off the top of the canning pot. Let it rest like that for 5 minutes.
Then, remove the lid and let the jars rest in the canning pot for an additional 5 to 10 minutes.
After resting, remove the jars onto a kitchen towel placed on your counter and let them thoroughly cool for 12-24 hours, undisturbed. You may hear the lids pinging sometime in the next hour. This is music to a canner’s ears. It is due to the reaction of the lids being sealed to the jar.
Check the seals. Press down in the middle of the lid. If it flexes up or down, the jar is not sealed and should be refrigerated and used first.
Then, remove the bands. Gently pick up the jar by the lid to check the seal further. Again, if it is not sealed, use it first.
Label jars with contents and the date. Store in a cool, dark place for at least a year. Avoid areas with large temperature fluctuations.
Do not stack jars on top of each other. This can compromise the seals. If you run out of room on your shelf, use a sheet of cardboard or a thin piece of wood and place that on top of a row of jars. Then you can put jars on top of that. This will distribute the weight evenly.
Before using any canned goods, always inspect the packaging and the food itself. Make sure that it looks and smells as it should. If it doesn’t, it’s best to err on the side of caution and discard it.
- Ladle hot relish into hot jars, leaving ½ inch headspace. Remove any air bubbles with a bubble-removing tool or wooden chopstick.
- Wipe the rims of jars clean with a damp paper towel.
- Apply lids. Screw on the bands fingertip tight.
- Process in a water bath canner for 20 minutes. Turn off the canning pot. Allow jars to cool in hot water for 5-10 minutes.
- Carefully remove jars with a jar lifter to the counter.
- Allow them to cool 12-24 hours. Test lid for seal. (if the lid flexes up or down, the jar hasn’t been sealed and should be stored in the refrigerator.
What can Zucchini Relish be Used for?
- Topping for burgers, hot dogs, sausage and sandwiches.
- Add to salads, such as potato, macaroni, egg salad, chicken salad, or tuna.
- Thousand Island Dressing
- Add to deviled eggs.
- Add to mayonnaise or ketchup for a different condiment.
Other delicious zucchini recipes
- Zucchini & Cheese Bread
- Easy Spanish Rice with Zucchini
- Lemon Zucchini Bread
- Zucchini Pickles
- Banana Zucchini Bread
- Minestrone
- Zucchini Fritters
Helpful Tools
Zucchini Relish
Ingredients
For Brining
- 10 cups zucchini grated
- 3 cups onions grated
- 4 red bell peppers
- 5 tablespoons canning or pickling salt
For Relish
- 3 cups Sugar
- 3 cups apple cider vinegar or white vinegar
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- 1 teaspoon dry mustard
- 1 teaspoon Black Pepper
- 1 teaspoon celery seed
Instructions
For Brining
- Remove the blossom and stem end from the zucchini. If the zucchini is large, cut it in half and scrape out the seeds with a spoon. Then cut the halves into smaller pieces that fit into your food processor. Pulse the food processor until you have medium-fine chunks. We like a bit of texture, so not very fine, but no larger chunks either. (Think of the size of commercial relish pieces.) Do this in batches and place the chopped zucchini into a large non-reactive bowl.10 cups zucchini
- Peel and quarter the onions. Pulse them in the food processor. Add them to the bowl with the zucchini. Cut the stem end off of the peppers. Deseed them and pulse them in the food processor, too. Add them to the bowl.3 cups onions, 4 red bell peppers
- Mix grated vegetables in a large bowl. Add salt. Let sit on counter or in refrigerator overnight. See important notes below!5 tablespoons canning or pickling salt
For Relish
- Next morning, rinse the zucchini mixture well, with cold water, in a colander to remove some of the salt.
- Add to a large pot. Add remaining ingredients.3 cups Sugar, 3 cups apple cider vinegar or white vinegar, 1 teaspoon turmeric, 1 teaspoon dry mustard, 1 teaspoon Black Pepper, 1 teaspoon celery seed
- Bring the mixture to a boil. Low boil it for about 30 minutes, until it is relish consistency.
- Pack and seal in hot jars. Refrigerate for at least 6 months.
- For longer storage, and to make shelf stable, process pint jars in water bath canning pot for 20 minutes, adjusting for elevation.
Canning Instructions
- Once the relish is at a good consistency, heat jars and start your boiling-water canner.
- Pack hot finished relish into hot jars.
- Remove air bubbles.
- Wipe rims of jars with damp paper towel to remove debris.
- Center warmed lid on jar. Screw on band fingertip tight.
- Process jars for 15 minutes, adjusting for altitude. (See notes below for altitude adjustment.
See all of my favorite tools and gift ideas on my New Amazon Store!Check out Binky’s Amazon Store!Notes
Nutrition
Originally published September 3, 2019. Last update March 15, 2025.
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Second is Preparing the Garden Site.
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After having my grandkids here today, trying to rush to get this in fridge, I put in the sugar, etc. do I need to rince and reput in all of my spices again? big booboo. 🙁
Oh, I’m sorry this happened! If you added the full amount of salt to sweat the vegetables, if you don’t rinse it, it will be too salty to eat. It’s probably better to lose the sugar and spices than go through all of the work and having it too salty. Again, I’m sorry. Let me know how it comes out Lindy!
Hello!
Can you let the veggies sit in the salt mix for 24 hours?
I can’t always get back to it after 8-12 hours.
Thanks!
Yes, you can. Just make sure that you rinse them very well or the relish will be salty. Thanks for checking out the recipe.
I lost my recipe for my relish, and this was the closest recipe I could find.
The relish is so delicious.
We’re so glad that you liked in Evalina!
I got 14 half pint jars. Is this correct? I had 10 cups finely chopped zucchini, 3 cups finely chopped onion, and finely chopped 4 red bell peppers. I measured after I chopped.
14 half pints is fine. I only got 11 but it is a factor of how large the pieces are chopped, if the cups were packed more, etc. This is the reason weights are a more accurate measurement. Luckily, in something like zucchini relish, it doesn’t matter! Enjoy.
I just prepped all the veggies for your recipe and added the salt as stated in the recipe only to learn later from friends that you must use pickling salt, not regular table salt have I just ruined the entire recipe?
Since you are rinsing the salt off of the veggies, table salt is ok. No worries at all. I will edit the recipe card, though. Thanks!
Great recipe and I love your website its pretty cool. I am now subscribed!
We’re so glad you like the relish and the blog! Welcome to the community!
Made this last year. Gave 2 jars to the lady who gave me the zucchini… Mistake lol she came back for more. This year I will make a whole batch for her. Then make 2 batch’s for me.
We’re so glad that you like it Chris!! Thanks so much for letting us know!
Made last year and again we have garden full of zucchini so I’m making this again today. Family loves it. We put this on fresh peas, beans and call it “chow chow” It’s delicious y’all!
Thank you Sandy! We are so glad that you like it!
My aunt has made this recipes for years. Now that I have my own garden I made it for the first time by myself! I have a baby so it’s hard to find time to all in a day or even the same weekend. After grating all the veggies will they keep in the fridge for a few days or even possibly freeze it and then do the rest another day?
They will definitely keep in the fridge for a day. I freeze zucchini often for bread, but I fear that the crunch of the relish may suffer after freezing. You could try it, but it won’t be crispy, although perfectly edible.
I have one question. I love this recipe and have made it several times but have just noticed an inconsistency with your canning times. In the recipe you state two different processing times and to adjust for altitude. In one place you list 15 minutes and the other you list 20 minutes. Could you confirm the proper processing time please?
Thanks!!
15 minutes will suffice for pints. We’ll fix it.