Pickled Zucchini

If your garden is drowning you in zucchini, this is the recipe that turns the surplus into something you’ll actually crave months later. Thick slices of zucchini, onions, and green bell peppers get salted and refrigerated for six hours to draw out moisture, then packed into a sweet, tangy cider vinegar brine loaded with mustard seed, celery seed, turmeric, and a broken cinnamon stick.

The salt soak is what keeps these pickles crisp. Skip it and the zucchini turns soft and waterlogged once it hits the brine. After soaking, rinse the vegetables thoroughly or the finished pickles will be way too salty.

The brine simmers for 10 minutes to let the spices bloom, then the vegetables go in and come right back off the heat. That brief contact cooks them just enough to absorb flavor without turning them to mush. Pack into hot sterilized jars and process for 5 minutes.

Pro Tips

• Cut zucchini slices a consistent ½ inch thick so they pickle evenly. Thinner slices will go limp.
• Use cider vinegar specifically. White vinegar works for safety but tastes harsh against the sweet brine. Cider vinegar rounds it out.
• Let the sealed jars sit at least two weeks before opening. The flavor deepens significantly with time.
• Store in a cool, dark place. These keep for up to a year unopened.

Variations

• Add a few dried red pepper flakes to each jar for a sweet-and-spicy version.
• Swap yellow squash for half the zucchini for a more colorful jar.
• Replace the green bell peppers with red for a sweeter, milder flavor.