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Zucchini Relish

Zucchini relish with jalapeño dots and translucent golden-green color, simmered until the vegetables stay visibly crisp. Salt-sit draining plus a short water bath creates clear, jarred relish with a slow-blooming spicy heat.
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Prep Time 2 hours 30 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
resting/salting 2 hours
Total Time 4 hours 50 minutes
Servings: 32 servings
Course: Side Dish, Snack
Cuisine: American
Calories: 25
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Finely diced zucchini
  • 4 cup zucchini Finely diced for a relish texture with visible pieces.
Finely diced white onion
  • 1 cup white onion Finely diced for even flavor throughout.
Finely diced green bell pepper
  • 1 cup green bell pepper Finely diced for crisp, sweet-sour relish bites.
Minced jalapeños
  • 2 jalapeños Minced; adds slow heat that blooms after a few weeks.
Kosher salt
  • 2 tbsp kosher salt Used for salting to draw out moisture before draining.
White wine vinegar
  • 1.5 cup white wine vinegar Creates a slightly more refined, less sharp tang than apple cider vinegar.
Sugar
  • 1 cup sugar Sweetens the vinegar for a balanced relish.
Celery seed
  • 1 tsp celery seed
Coriander seed
  • 1 tsp coriander seed Crush for better spice release.
Turmeric
  • 0.5 tsp turmeric Adds golden color.
Red pepper flakes
  • 0.5 tsp red pepper flakes Optional additional heat for a gentle slow burn.

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven
  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Salt and drain
  1. Toss finely diced zucchini, white onion, green bell pepper, and minced jalapeños with kosher salt, then let sit 2 hours at room temperature until moisture beads on the vegetables.
  2. Rinse the vegetables thoroughly under cool water and drain very thoroughly until no standing liquid remains.
Simmer the relish
  1. In a Dutch oven, bring white wine vinegar, sugar, celery seed, crushed coriander seed, turmeric, and red pepper flakes to a boil over medium-high heat until the sugar dissolves.
  2. Add the drained vegetables to the boiling liquid and simmer 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the mixture looks glossy and evenly coated.
Jar and water-bath
  1. Ladle hot relish into sterilized jars, leaving appropriate headspace, then seal with sterilized lids and bands.
  2. Process jars in a water bath for 10 minutes, keeping the water at a steady boil for safe sealing.
  3. Let jars rest undisturbed for 2 weeks before opening so the jalapeño heat blooms and flavors meld.

Notes

Pro tip: mince jalapeños small so you get visible dots throughout without large spicy chunks. Refrigerate opened jars for up to 2 weeks; for longer storage, keep sealed jars stored cool and dark. Freezing is not recommended because zucchini texture can soften. Dietary swap: for lower sugar, reduce sugar by about 25% and expect a tarter relish.