Zucchini Relish Canning Recipe
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Have more zucchini than you know what to do with? This recipe for Zucchini Relish is a favorite in our household!
Zucchini Relish Canning Recipe
This time of year seems to be notorious for “what do I do with all this zucchini”? Here is a great tired and true recipe to use some of those extra zucchinis up. Simple and delicious!!
Begin with cleaning up all your jars. Always sanitize jars before canning. This recipe will make roughly 20 pints of zucchini relish, so you may want to cut the recipe in half or in into 1/4 if you aren’t sure you will like it.
Zucchini Relish Canning Recipe
In large bowl place:
- 16 cups of shredded zucchini (I leave the peel on, but you can do either)
- 2 cups of small pieces of diced up onion
Mix together:
- 8 cups vinegar (apple cider or white)
- 9 cups sugar (this can be lowered)
- 6 teaspoons celery seed
- 12 teaspoons mustard seed
- 2 tablespoons turmeric
Place these ingredients in a large stockpot and bring to a boil. Add in the zucchini/onion mixture and boil for an additional 5 minutes.
Place the hot relish into your pint jars, leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Remove air bubbles. Wipe the rims of the jars clean and place the lids on and screw down (fingertight) before placing the jars in the water bath canner.
Process the relish in boiling water for 15 minutes or adjust for your altitude according to the chart from NCHFP below. When the jars are finished processing, leave them in the water bath for 5 minutes and then remove and do not touch until all have sealed. Place unsealed jars in the fridge and enjoy.
Tip: Want to try something new? How about this Corn Relish Recipe?
Please check with your local extension office for any changes on times/temps/high altitude. Please note, our picture shows the relish with peppers which is no longer an acceptable add-in. Stick with the tested recipe above.
Need to print this Zucchini Relish recipe for your Recipe Binder? Grab it below!
Zucchini Relish Canning Recipe
Ingredients
- 16 cups of shredded zucchini I leave the peel on, but you can do either
- 2 cups of small pieces of diced up onion
Mix Together
- 8 cups vinegar apple cider or white
- 9 cups sugar this can be lowered
- 6 teaspoons celery seed
- 12 teaspoons mustard seed
- 2 tablespoons turmeric
Instructions
-
Place all the ingredients except the zucchini and onion in a large stockpot and bring to a boil. Add in the zucchini/onion mixture and boil for an additional 5 minutes.
-
Place the hot relish into your pint jars, leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Remove air bubbles. Wipe the rims of the jars clean and place the lids on and screw down (fingertight) before placing the jars in the water bath canner.
-
Process the relish in boiling water for 15 minutes or adjust for your altitude according to the chart from NCHFP below. When the jars are finished processing, leave them in the water bath for 5 minutes and then remove and do not touch until all have sealed. Place unsealed jars in the fridge and enjoy.
Enjoy this Zucchini Relish Canning Recipe! You can use this recipe for relish anywhere that you’d use any regular relish recipe such as traditional Dill Relish.
Until next time, Julie
Make sure you check out all the free Canning and Preserving Recipes we have on Little House Living! You might also want to check out The Canning and Preserving Journal to store all recipes like this one and to keep track of all of your canning endeavors and progress for the year.
Looking for more things to make with Zucchini? Here are some of our favorite recipes to make:
- The Best Zucchini Muffin Recipe
- Healthy Zucchini Breakfast Cookies
- Chocolate Chip Zucchini Cookie Bars
- Recipe for Zucchini Brownies
- Easy Zucchini Cakes Recipe
- 100 Delicious Zucchini Recipes
We recommend a Presto Pressure Canner and the book Putting Food By for all your canning projects!
Get even more Quick Zucchini Recipes!
Have you ever made any kind of zucchini relish recipe? What do you like to add it to?
Julie is Merissa’s mom and she’s committed to living a frugal and simple lifestyle. Julie grows her own herbs in her garden and enjoys making things at home. You can now find her home remedies and ideas here at Little House Living.
This recipe was originally posted on Little House Living in August 2012. It has been updated as of July 2020. This recipe is a tested canning recipe from the National Center for Home Food Preservation.
I made this a month ago….I used my Grandma’s recipe…so good!
Sounds and looks delicious!
I make a similar one – only with 10 C shredded Zukes and Yellowneck squash mixed as available, 2 cups shredded carrots, and 1 C diced onions… and no bell peppers as allergic to them…. All peels on except onions..
With the peels on, I love how colorful it is – Green zukes, Yellow squash, and Orange carrots 🙂
We use it not only as a relish, on fish, in tunafish mix, but as a tarter sauce type mix for clam fritters.
Delicious!
Yah, no bell pepper. Also allergic.
When i was growing up, my mom used to make a zucchini relish with pineapple juice. I think I would like it a lot more now that I’m an adult, but at the time I just kept thinking if I wanted to eat pineapple, I’d just eat pineapple, not flavored zucchini. 🙂 Wonder if she still has that recipe…..
You can find the recipe at National Center for Home Food Preservation. Just type zucchini pineapple in search.
Yes yes yes!! Made this a couple years ago -best relish ever!
I have made Yellow zucchini honey, it is like making Lemon honey, so yummy….and keeps for up to a year bottled.
I’d love the recipe for that Karen Robinson!
I make a relish similar to this for hot dogs, but use cucumbers and add a habanero or other hot pepper to taste. Yummy!
I have some zucchini that I need to do something with. I am gonna try this : )
Have fun!
I have never had zucchini relish, is it similar to pickle relish in flavor? Also, how do you eat it? I am guessing on hot dogs & hamburgers, but do you have any other ideas?
Yes, this is similar to a pickle relish so you could use anywhere you would use a regular pickle relish on. 🙂
Can you do this without sugar? We don’t like sweet relish.
Yes you can.
Oh how I love canning recipes! Don’t forget to link it up to my Feature Friday Link Palooza!
Danielle @ Blissful & Domestic
Yum! This sounds great. Good way to use up some of that zucchini. Thank you for linking at the In and Out of the Kitchen Link Party. Hope to see you again next week.
I have made this for 3 straight years. If you like relish you will love it. Sometimes I grate the zukes and sometimes I chopped them. Always enter it in the fair and always win a ribbon
This is very similar to a recipe i have used. I have not been able to grow zucchini the last few years and wonder if cucumbers would work as substitute for zucchini.
Yes Pam you can use cucumbers, a little different taste , but still good.
I use my slicer and slice the veg instead of fine chopping them. I do all the rest the same. Then I put them in a dish when I serve meat and let folks have some with their dinner , more of a pickle than a relish. I also use it on sandwiches. If I have time I will make both, but now I am on my own I will see about making some for myself and others for gifts. Thanks for bringing this to my attention. Oh, and here a 750 ml. bottle in the store cost $7.95 I know because I didn’t have any after my big move last fall and I have bought 2 jars over the winter! That would have made a full 8 or 9 pints! ( if you have the jars on hand).
What do you serve it on?
Approximately how many zucchini’s make 16 cups? Thanks
It will totally depend on the size of your zucchini.
Just a side note. In your picture below. What are you growing in the two sided support structure. It looks like it would work for our garden.
Can’t wait to try this relish for the first time.
Is that enough liquid or do you add some water
Can I use pressure cooker when canning zucchini relish?
Low acid foods must be canned in a pressure canner only, not a pressure cooker. Zucchini Relish is water bath canned though since it has added acid.
Years ago I made a zucchini relish because I misread the recipe I added zucchini instead f cucumbers It has become our favorite as I use itt in everything from salads to hot dogs It s very similar to yoursexcept I grind all vegetables thanks f9r your tim