Canned Zucchini Salad Recipe

This canned zucchini salad recipe is healthy, delicious and so easy to make. It’s sure to earn a spot in your weeknight dinner rotation, especially during cold months. Combining zucchini, fresh dill and garlic, this dish is positively packed with flavor.

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Easy Canned Zucchini Salad Recipe

If you love pickles, you are going to love this easy canned zucchini salad. The taste is no different than pickles. In fact, when my sister Mariya (who shared this recipe with me) gave a jar of this salad for me to try, I couldn’t tell the difference. I was sure these were pickles.

This recipe uses healthy, simple, fresh ingredients. Since zucchini are pretty much always in season, it makes this salad the perfect make-ahead recipe for any time of the year. Whether you are growing zucchini in your garden in summer like we do or purchase from store during colder months, you almost always have access to it.

Zucchini salad comes with a generous amount of marinade in each jar, but don’t dispose it. Use that extra flavorful liquid to pour over mashed potatoes or use as a dressing for tomato salad. Garlic and tomatoes work great together.

Why You’ll Love This Canned Zucchini Salad:

• Cook everything in 1 pot on the stovetop
• Prep ahead of time – eat all winter long
• Recipe uses simple, fresh and healthy ingredients
• Can be stored in pantry, up to a year

Tell Me About This Canned Zucchini Salad

• Flavor: Herby, salty and slightly sweet with a little bit of zesty kick from that generous amount of fresh garlic. If you love fresh and garlicky herb flavor, you’ll love this one. I use fresh dill, but feel free to add some fresh parsley.
• Texture: Zucchini is a very wet ingredient, which is why it’s so lovely in canned salads…moisture! Each bite is packed with tender zucchini cubes, grated carrots and pressed garlic.
• Ease: All you’re doing is mixing all the ingredients together in a large pot and cooking for 10-15 minutes. It takes few minutes to ladle the salad into prepared jars and you’ll be done in no time.
• Time: It takes about 15 minutes of chopping, grating and pressing of ingredients. Then once the pot with mixture comes to a boil, you’ll need another 10 minutes to soften the zucchini. Finally, you will ladle into jars and seal. Now, you wait at least 24 hours before you can enjoy this salad. The flavors need time to blend to make this salad flavorful and irresistible.

Grab These Ingredients for Your Zucchini Salad:

Raw zucchini can be a dull ingredient, but when you add some fresh ingredients to it, it marinates beautifully. Here’s a quick review of the ingredients needed:

• Zucchini: Zucchini varies greatly in size, especially home grown. You need 7 pounds, which is about 12 medium zucchinis. No need to peel the zucchini because we need that harder texture so it’s not just mush. Just rinse zucchini under cold water and cube into 1-inch cubes.
• Carrots: You will need 3 large carrots, grated onto the large hole of grater.
• Fresh Garlic: Garlic cloves vary in size, so it’s best to weigh garlic amount for this recipe. It plays the main role in the marinade, so you want to be as precise as possible with it. The amount of garlic here makes this salad slightly zesty, but so good!
• Ketchup: Ketchup is used for extra flavor, a bit of tangy tomato-like flavor.
• Fresh Dill: Flavor! I finely chop it, so it releases the maximum flavor.
• Oil: I use grapeseed oil since it’s light in taste, but you can use sunflower oil, vegetable oil or even olive oil if you prefer.
• Granulated Sugar: The sugar doesn’t make this salad overly sweet, instead it balances the vinegar and salt to create an irresistible flavor.
• Vinegar: Use old-fashioned distilled white vinegar with 5% or 6% acidity.
• Fine Salt: Regular fine salt works great in here. It gives the salad flavor and helps draw out some of that zucchini moisture into the marinade. All the gooey ingredients blend nicely, creating delicious salad.
• Ground Paprika (optional): For extra flavor and color, add a teaspoon of ground paprika.

Home Canning Tools Needed:

• 32 oz sized (wide-mouth) Mason jars with rings and new lids
• Large stock pot (10qt+)
• Grater and ladle
• Garlic press

Success Tips:

• Use smaller zucchini. Small to medium sized zucchini are best to use for this salad because they have less seeds and flesh inside. This will prevent the canned salad from being mushy, compared to large zucchinis with too much flesh.
• Avoid overcooking. If cooked for too long, zucchinis become overly soft to the point of tasting mushy. You want to retain some texture. Always keep it on low heat and start putting into jars the moment zucchini skin turns lime green color. Keep in mind, it will continue cooking in jars covered under towels or blankets.
• Use fresh herbs. Nothing compares to the flavor of fresh herbs.
• Let it rest. Allow canned zucchini salad to sit for at least 24 hours before eating. It gives the zucchini enough time to develop their flavor. It’s worth the wait!

How to Store Zucchini Salad?

When canned properly and stored in a cool place, this zucchini salad can keep for up to 1 year at room temperature. Once you break the seal, make sure to store it in the refrigerator for up to 7 days.

Is Zucchini Good for You?

Absolutely! Zucchini is rich in multiple antioxidants and it’s low in calories, fat and sugar.

Can I Use Yellow Squash Instead?

You may use yellow squash instead by simply replacing some or all of the zucchini with the same amount of yellow squash.

Serve With These Dinner Favorites

Today’s canned zucchini salad recipe would pair wonderfully with the following savory dishes:

• Ukrainian Oven Roasted Cabbage
• Ukrainian Pork Meatballs
• Pork Plov
• Braised Potatoes with Pork
• Buckwheat
• Quick Oven Roasted Potatoes