Move Over Cucumber Pickles! There's a New Favorite Pickle in Town. (2024)

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Got loads of zucchini? Think beyond zucchini bread or muffins and make pickles! Can them—it’s so easy—or store them in the fridge for months.

By

Nick Evans

Move Over Cucumber Pickles! There's a New Favorite Pickle in Town. (1)

Nick Evans

Nick has been creating recipes for home cooks for almost 15 years. He is the author of Love Your Leftovers and has contributed to Simply Recipes since 2017.

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Published September 06, 2022

Move Over Cucumber Pickles! There's a New Favorite Pickle in Town. (2)

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In This Recipe

Zucchini bread or muffins are classic recipes for when you have an abundance of zucchini. I always need new ways to use the abundance of zucchini in the summer, so I started making pickles. It’s a great way to get rid of a lot zucchini and extend the season for many months into the future. Plus, zucchini pickles are delicious. If you’ve never tried them, you are in for a treat!

This is a great beginner canning recipe so dive in and give it a shot in the comments below!

New to Canning? Read This!READ MORE:

Pickled Zucchini vs. Pickled Cucumbers

When it comes to making pickles, cucumbers and zucchini are surprisingly similar. They soak up the flavors in the brine nicely and turn crispy when pickled. The big difference is that cucumbers are maybe a bit crunchier while zucchini are slightly more fibrous and a little more tender. Although, I’m not sure I could tell the difference between cucumbers and zucchini. They are pretty close! I taste-tested these pickled zucchini with some friends and most didn’t even realize they weren’t cucumbers.

Move Over Cucumber Pickles! There's a New Favorite Pickle in Town. (4)

The Best Zucchini for Pickling

As zucchini get bigger, they get tougher and more fibrous. For canning purposes, I would stick to medium or small zucchini. Smaller ones are better for pickling because they have smaller seeds and are crunchier. You will have to cut them to fit in the jars.

Be sure to weigh the zucchini for this recipe—it calls for about 3 1/2 pounds. Zucchini come in a wide variety of sizes. The recipe calls for 6 medium zucchini, but weighing them is the best way to get the zucchini-to-brine ratio right.

Spice It Your Way

Pickled zucchini soak up some of the pickling spice flavor better than cucumbers. This version is garlicky, spicy, and so good.There are many spices you can add to the pickles—I recommend big flavors. After all, we are trying to get flavors into what are, to be honest, pretty bland vegetables. I always add one clove of garlic per jar, plus fresh dill and a few whole black peppercorns. Crushed red pepper flakes or a whole dried chilis make the pickles spicy—that’s optional.

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How to Make the Pickling Liquid

This pickling liquid is a mix of distilled white vinegar and apple cider vinegar. I like the complexity of the apple cider vinegar, but you can use all white vinegar if you want. Add pickling salt and mustard seed to it and bring it to a boil. Keep the brine at a low simmer until you are ready to add it to the jars.

Tips for Canning and Storing Zucchini Pickles

I use a standard water bath canning process to make these pickles. Here are more things to consider:

  • It’s okay if the zucchini are not completely covered with the pickling liquid. The zucchini will shrink a little when processed. Do make sure to get the jars full of the zucchini and fill them with the brine up to 1/2 inch from the rim.
  • If you live at high altitude, adjust your processing time because water boils at a lower temperature. I live in Denver and process my jars for 20 minutes.
  • Cool the processed jars slowly at room temperature and store them in a cool, dry place. I would recommend enjoying them within 6 months, but they will be fine for up to 1 year. Once open, refrigerate and eat the pickles within a week or two.

Leave me a comment if you tries out this delicious twist on classic pickles!

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Pickled Zucchini

Prep Time14 mins

Cook Time20 mins

Total Time34 mins

Servings48 servings

Yield6 pints

Kosher salt can be used as a substitute for pickling salt. Regular table salt has additives in it that will turn the pickles dark and muddy the color of the pickle juice.

For those who live in high altitude, your processing time will be about 40 minutes.

Ingredients

  • 6 medium zucchini (about 3 1/2 pounds)

  • 3 cups apple cider vinegar

  • 3 cups distilledwhite vinegar

  • 6 tablespoons pickling salt (see recipe note)

  • 3 teaspoons mustard seeds

  • 6 cloves garlic, halved

  • 6 sprigs fresh dill

  • 18 whole black peppercorns

  • 1 1/2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes, divided (optional)

Special Equipment

  • 6pint canning jars

Method

  1. Heat the jars:

    If you plan to store your pickles outside the fridge for any length of time, you will need to heat your jars in a hot water bath after canning.

    Quick Tip

    Because the jars will be processed in the water bath for more than 10 minutes, it is not necessary to first sterilize the jars for this recipe. Just make sure the jars are clean. Skip the water bath if you plan to refrigerate the pickles the whole time.

    Water Bath Canning for BeginnersFEATURED IN:

    To heat the jars for canning, place the jars in a large canning pot with a canning rack or steamer rack in the bottom. Fill the pot with warm water so that it comes up at least 1 inch above the jars. Bring to a full rolling boil and then keep at a gently simmer.

    Wash the lids and bands in hot, soapy water.

  2. Make the brine:

    Add the apple cider vinegar, white vinegar, salt, and mustard seeds into a small pot. Bring to a simmer over low heat with the lid on. Keep it at a simmer until ready to use.

  3. Prepare the zucchini:

    Trim the ends of the zucchini so that they fit into your pint jars up to 1/2 inch below the top of the jar. Cut the zucchini into spears and slice the trimmed pieces into rounds—you can pickle them too. You should get 4 pint jars of spears and 2 pint jars of coins.

    Move Over Cucumber Pickles! There's a New Favorite Pickle in Town. (7)

  4. Fill the jars:

    Remove the jars from the canner using jar lifters. Dump the hot water in the jars back into the canner, then set the hot jars on a clean dish towel on the counter.

    Divide the garlic, dill, peppercorns, and red pepper flakes among the jars. Pack jars with the zucchini spears or slices. Pour the brine into each jar up to 1/2 inch from the rim, covering the zucchini. It’s okay if they aren’t completely covered as they will shrink slightly when processed.

    Wipe the rims clean with a paper towel. Place a clean lid on each jar and secure fingertip-tight with a band.

    Move Over Cucumber Pickles! There's a New Favorite Pickle in Town. (8)

    Move Over Cucumber Pickles! There's a New Favorite Pickle in Town. (9)

  5. Process in the hot water bath:

    If you plan to store the pickles outside the fridge, you will want to process the filled jars in a hot water bath.

    Return the filled jars to the same canning pot with its already hot water. The water level should be at least 1 inch above the top of the jars. Bring the water to a rolling boil, then boil for 10 minutes.

    If you live at high altitude, add 5 to 10 minutes to the processing time. Over 5,000 feet elevation? Process the jars for 20 minutes. When in doubt, process for longer.

  6. Cool and store:

    You can enjoy the pickles after 5 days.If you don't process these jars in a water bath, they will keep in the fridge for 3 weeks.

    Remove the jars from the pot with jar lifter. Let cool slowly to room temperature. Once cooled, be sure to check seals on jars. I do this by removing the metal bands and gently turning the jar upside down. A well-sealed jar won’t leak.

    Store sealed jars in a cool, dry place for up to 1 year, but for the best flavor and texture, enjoy the pickles within 6 months. Once opened, refrigerate your pickles for up to 3 weeks.

    Did you love the recipe? Leave us stars below!

    Move Over Cucumber Pickles! There's a New Favorite Pickle in Town. (10)

    Move Over Cucumber Pickles! There's a New Favorite Pickle in Town. (11)

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Nutrition Facts (per serving)
8Calories
0g Fat
0g Carbs
0g Protein

×

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 48
Amount per serving
Calories8
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 0g0%
Saturated Fat 0g0%
Cholesterol 0mg0%
Sodium 873mg38%
Total Carbohydrate 0g0%
Dietary Fiber 0g0%
Total Sugars 0g
Protein 0g
Vitamin C 0mg2%
Calcium 4mg0%
Iron 0mg0%
Potassium 21mg0%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. In cases where multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.

Move Over Cucumber Pickles! There's a New Favorite Pickle in Town. (2024)

FAQs

What is the cucumber pickle analogy? ›

A lot of alcoholics use the cucumber-to-pickle analogy to describe that phenomenon: a true alcoholic is someone who's turned from a cucumber to a pickle; you can try to stop a cucumber from turning into a pickle, but there's no way you can turn a pickle back into a cucumber.”

What comes first the pickle or the cucumber? ›

Cucumbers are submerged in a saltwater brine or vinegar; with time (anywhere from several days to even months), those cucumbers will turn into pickles.

Why is a pickle called a pickle and not a pickled cucumber? ›

The term pickle is derived from the Dutch word pekel, meaning brine. In the United States and Canada, the word pickle alone used as a noun refers to a pickled cucumber (other types of pickled vegetables will be described using the adjective "pickled", such as "pickled onion", "pickled beets", etc.).

What is the figurative meaning of pickle? ›

"In a pickle" came to mean "in a tough spot" -- much like a cucumber, stuck sitting in vinegary brine for days on end. More from Idioms.

What is the symbolism of the pickle? ›

In this interpretation, the pickle is seen as a symbol of hope, reminding people that even in the darkest of times, there is always a glimmer of light. Regardless of its origins, the Christmas pickle has become a beloved holiday tradition for many families.

Why do you soak cucumbers in ice water before pickling? ›

For a quick and easy way to help ensure crisp pickles: soak cucumbers in ice water for 4 to 5 hours before pickling. This is a safer method for making crisp pickles. Using lime, or calcium hydroxide, in solution for soaking cucumbers changes the amount of acid in the cucumber tissue.

Which is healthier, pickles or cucumbers? ›

Even though pickles are made from cucumber, they differ slightly from raw cucumber with respect to their nutrient content. Pickles generally offer more vitamins and fiber than cucumber but also contain sugar or sodium that lowers their nutritional value.

Why do you soak cucumbers in salt water? ›

Cucumbers are often soaked in salt water to remove some of the naturally high water content. Cucumbers will otherwise give up water and dilute the salad dressing. Unpeeled cucumbers are higher in nutritional value as fiber and vitamin A are lost by peeling.

Is a cucumber a fruit or a vegetable? ›

Cucumber is usually considered a vegetable because of how it's used in the culinary world. However, as it grows from flowers and contains seeds, it's botanically a fruit. Regardless of its fruit or vegetable status, there are countless ways to enjoy cucumber in your cooking or beauty routine.

Is pickle a fruit or a vegetable? ›

Technically, pickles are fruit. They are made from cucumbers which are commonly seen as vegetables; however, they are a seed containing fruit of the cucumber plant.

Are Vlasic pickles actually pickles? ›

Vlasic is an American brand of pickles that is currently owned by Conagra Brands.

Are pickles healthy for you? ›

Health Benefits of Pickles

Fermented pickles are full of good bacteria called probiotics, which are important for gut health. Fight diseases. Cucumbers are high in an antioxidant called beta-carotene, which your body turns into vitamin A.

Are pickles mentioned in the Bible? ›

Pickles are mentioned at least twice in the Bible (Numbers 11:5 and Isaiah 1:8), were known to the ancient Egyptians (Cleopatra attributed some of her beauty to pickles), and Aristotle praised the healing effects of pickled cucumbers.

What is the pickle jar analogy? ›

The pickle jar theory in practice

The idea is that you should always start with your rocks (high-priority tasks), followed by your pebbles (medium-priority tasks), and then your sand (low-priority tasks). Finish off by filling the jar with water (“off” time).

What is the symbolism in a dill pickle? ›

The dill pickle symbolizes the loss of the dynamism of their once fiery love as much as the lost flavor of fresh vegetables, besides it further tells that as for the man, love between a man and a woman is like nothing but the ingredient of his colorful life - once tasted, and tasteless afterward.

What does pickled cucumber mean? ›

A pickled cucumber, most often simply called a pickle in the United States and Canada, is a cucumber that has been processed in a brine or vinegar solution and left to ferment for a period of time. Pickling is also used for many other things, such as onions, cabbage, and herring.

What does the metaphor cool as a cucumber mean? ›

Calm and composed, self-possessed, as in Despite the mishap Margaret was cool as a cucumber . This idiom may be based on the fact that in hot weather the inside of cucumbers remains cooler than the air. [c. 1600] For a synonym, see cool, calm, and collected .

References

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