Name: Pickled Zucchini
Cook time: 12 minutes
Total time: 2 hours 12 minutes, plus 1 week for pickling
Yield: Makes 2 quarts
Ingredients: 2 lb. small zucchini, trimmed, cut crosswise into 4" lengths, halved lengthwise, quartered if large; 4 Tbsp. coarse sea salt or pickling salt, divided; 4 red jalapeños or Fresno chiles, halved lengthwise; 4 garlic cloves, halved; 12 sprigs dill; 2 tsp. yellow or brown mustard seeds; 1 tsp. coriander seeds; 1 tsp. dill seeds; ¼ tsp. saffron threads; 2½ cups white wine vinegar; ¼ cup sugar; Special equipment: Two 1-qt. heatproof wide-mouthed glass jars with a lid

Pickled zucchini spears on a plate and in storage jars.

Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Micah Marie Morton

If you’re looking for a way to use up a bumper crop of summer squash, you can’t go wrong with a batch of homemade zucchini pickles. In this recipe, we trade classic cukes for fresh zukes to make briny, snappy zucchini dills, perfect for your lunch box or BBQ spread.

Soaked in an herb-infused vinegar solution, zucchini spears transform into crunchy, briny wonders that’ll last for a long while in the fridge (3–4 weeks). White wine vinegar offers a neutral starting point for any pickling project, but feel free to swap it out for cider vinegar, rice vinegar, or plain old distilled vinegar. We season the pickling liquid with mustard seeds, coriander seeds, and saffron threads, plus plenty of fresh dill and dill seeds, but you can adjust those ingredients to your taste. Split jalapeños inject the brine with heat—if you prefer them less spicy, use two chiles (or fewer) instead of four. Serve these zucchini dill pickles with your favorite burger or sandwich.

Recipe information

Total Time
2 hours 12 minutes, plus 1 week for pickling
Yield
Makes 2 quarts

Ingredients

2 lb. small zucchini, trimmed, cut crosswise into 4" lengths, halved lengthwise, quartered if large

4 Tbsp. coarse sea salt or pickling salt, divided

4 red jalapeños or Fresno chiles, halved lengthwise

4 garlic cloves, halved

12 sprigs dill

2 tsp. yellow or brown mustard seeds

1 tsp. coriander seeds

1 tsp. dill seeds

¼ tsp. saffron threads

2½ cups white wine vinegar

¼ cup sugar

Special equipment: Two 1-qt. heatproof wide-mouthed glass jars with a lid

Preparation

Step 1
Place 2 lb. small zucchini, trimmed, cut crosswise into 4" lengths, halved lengthwise, quartered if large, in a medium bowl. Add 2 Tbsp. coarse sea salt or pickling salt and 4 cups ice; pour in water to cover. Weigh down zucchini with a plate to keep submerged. Let sit at room temperature 2 hours. Drain zucchini and rinse under cool running water.
Step 2
Pack 4 red jalapeños or Fresno chiles, halved lengthwise, 4 garlic cloves, halved, 12 sprigs dill, 2 tsp. yellow or brown mustard seeds, 1 tsp. coriander seeds, 1 tsp. dill seeds, and ¼ tsp. saffron threads into clean, hot jars, dividing evenly; set aside.
Step 3
Bring 2½ cups white wine vinegar, ¼ cup sugar, remaining 2 Tbsp. coarse sea salt or pickling salt, and 1¼ cups water to a boil in a large saucepan. Working in batches, add zucchini and cook until light tan in color and just pliable, about 2 minutes. Using tongs, transfer zucchini to jars, leaving hot syrup behind. Pour syrup over zucchini to cover, leaving ½" of headroom. Wipe rims clean and seal jars. Process in a boiling-water bath for 10 minutes. Let sit at room temperature at least 1 week before eating.