Do you love zucchini but get overwhelmed by how many fruits your plant produces? I feel you. I love finding zucchini in the garden, but I can only make so much zucchini bread. Zucchini salsa has quickly become a family favorite.
I love to preserve what I grow in my garden, creating a pantry full of shelf-stable foods. Most of the year, I only shredded the zucchini and froze it for the occasional bread, muffin, and brownie recipes.
Is It Safe to Can Zucchini?
I heard about making zucchini salsa awhile ago from a friend, but I wasn’t sure, so I had to do some research about is it safe to can zucchini. When you think of preserving zucchini, canning doesn’t usually come to mind.
The National Center for Home Food Preservation says that canning summer squash, including zucchini, isn’t recommended because of the uncertain food processing times. Squash is a low-acid vegetable, and you have to pressure can these types of foods. There hasn’t been enough studies to let us know the appropriate length of time to process to kill off all the bacteria.
They did offer a recipe to safely can zucchini, and that was to create zucchini pineapple. Interesting, right?
You are able to can zucchini pineapple because the high levels of acid in pineapple make it safe. The NCHFP does recommend recipes for bread and butter zucchini pickles – which are delicious. I tried those as well!
Gather Up The Supplies
Salsa is a high-acid recipe, so that means you don’t need a pressure canner. That makes a lot of people happy, even though I have a secret love affair with my pressure canner.
It doesn’t have an explosive problem like so many people think. It’s just misunderstood.
You’ll need the regular canning supplies for water bath canning, such as:
You’ll also need other supplies, such as a cutting board, but most kitchens already have those.
How to Make Zucchini Salsa
For the most part, zucchini salsa is a straightforward recipe. The longest part is grating the zucchini. You need 12 cups of zucchini. I used green and yellow zucchini; it all tastes the same.
Usually, you want to soak the grated zucchini in salt for at least a few hours to help draw out the moisture. Rinse well after the salt soak.
Next up, you have to dice onions and peppers. I use jalapeno, and I often stick a few cayenne peppers into the mix as well to kick up the heat for my husband. He’s a heat addict, so each season, I usually make a hot batch for him and a normal one for the rest of us.
Next, dice up those tomatoes. You can toss them into a food processor if you want as well. Ideally, you don’t want a liquid – chunks are good since it’s salsa.
This is a great recipe to use to get rid of all those blemished tomatoes. No one ever knows that the tomatoes you used weren’t beautiful.
Once everything is ready, all of the ingredients need to go into a large stockpot to cook down. Truly, that’s all there is to it. Salsa needs to cook down for at least 45 minutes to boil off some of the water and to integrate the flavors throughout the salsa.
Once the salsa is put into the jars, process in the water bath canner for 15 minutes for pints and 20 minutes for quarts.
That’s all you have to do. I take this salsa with me to family parties, and it’s always a hit!
Zucchini Salsa
It's the perfect salsa for your pantry with a bit of sweetness paired with heat
Ingredients
- 12CupsGrated Zucchini
- 2CupsDiced Onion
- 1Green PepperChopped
- 1Red PepperChopped
- 3-4Jalapeno PeppersDiced
- 12CupsFresh TomatoesChopped
- 3 1/2TBSPCanning Salt
- 1TSPTurmeric
- 1 TSPCumin
- 1TSPGarlic Powder
- 1TSPBlack Pepper
- 1 1/2 – 2 1/2TBSPRed Chili Peppers
- 1 TBSPMustard Seeds
- 1 1/2 CupsBrown SugarLight
- 2CupsWhite Vinegar
Instructions
The first step is the longest. Grate the zucchini. You can cover the zucchini with pickling salt and let sit in the refrigerator overnight or several hours to dry out moisture. You can skip this step; I often do, and simply let the mixture to boil longer to remove more of the liquid.
The next day or a few hours later, drain and rinse the zucchini well.
Dice up the onions, tomatoes, and peppers. Remember you can adjust the heat of this recipe by adding or reducing peppers.
Put the grated zucchini, tomatoes, onions, and peppers into a large stock pot. Turn it in on medium-high heat.
Add the turmeric, garlic powder, cumin, black pepper, red chili peppers, mustard seeds, brown sugar, and vinegar. Bring up to a boil.
Once boiling, bring down the heat to medium and let the mixture cook for 45 minutes to an hour, depending on how much liquid is in the tomatoes. You might have to cook for longer if the tomatoes are watery.
Ladle the hot salsa into hot jars, leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Don't forget to wipe down the rims before adding the lids and rings.
Process in a water bath canner for 15 minutes (pints) or 20 minutes (quarts).
FAQs
Trim the ends off, then cut the zucchini into cubes, do not peel it. Boil or steam the zucchini for 2-3 minutes. Pack the hot zucchini into the canning jars (pint or quart.) Leave a 1 inch head space.
Do I have to cook salsa before canning? ›
Do You Have To Cook Salsa Before Canning? Yes, otherwise, if you can raw or fresh salsa, you will have to process it for a longer time than cooked salsa. This will take much longer, so it is better to cook the salsa before canning.
How do you preserve zucchini in jars? ›
Procedure: Peel zucchini and either cut into 1/2-inch cubes or shred. Mix zucchini with other ingredients in a large saucepan and bring to a boil. Simmer 20 minutes. Fill jars with hot mixture and cooking liquid, leaving 1/2-inch headspace.
Can you can squash and zucchini in water bath? ›
Because squash is a low-acid food, it isn't safe to preserve it with water bath canning methods (the most common type of canning) unless you pickle it with a lot of salt and vinegar.
How do you keep zucchini crisp when canning? ›
Cover the zucchini mixture with ice water and a bit of ice, stir in kosher or pickling salt. Let stand at room temperature for 2 hours. This step is a must as it keeps the zucchini crisp. Prepare boiling water-canner.
Does canned zucchini get mushy? ›
Safely canning any low acid food requires a pressure canner to ensure temperatures high enough to destroy Clostridium botulinum spores that produce a dangerous toxin. However, processing squash and zucchini at such high temperatures in a pressure canner would compact them and create an undesirable mush.
Do you have to use vinegar when canning salsa? ›
You must add acid to canned salsa because the natural acidity may not be high enough. Commonly used acids are vinegar and bottled lemon juice. Lemon juice is more acidic than vinegar and has less effect on flavor.
How long does salsa need to be in a water bath? ›
Water must cover jars by 1 inch. Adjust heat to medium-high, cover canner, and bring water to a rolling boil. Process pint jars and half pint jars for 20 minutes, adjusting for altitude. Turn off heat and remove cover.
Can I cook salsa and can it later? ›
Salsa can be cooked before or after canning. This recipe calls for cooking the salsa beforehand, cutting down on processing time in the hot water bath.
Is it better to freeze or canning zucchini? ›
Slices or cubes of cooked summer squash will get quite soft and pack tightly into the jars. The amount of squash filled into a jar will affect the heating pattern in that jar. Michigan State University Extension recommends that to preserve zucchini (and all summer squash) you should freeze it.
If you have more fresh zucchini than you can eat, freezing it is the fastest & easiest way to preserve it. Today, I'm showing you how to freeze zucchini (in just minutes!), and how you can use frozen zucchini, once you have it.
What is the best way to preserve zucchini for winter? ›
Blot the zucchini dry with a paper towel and place on a baking sheet and place in the freezer. Freeze the zucchini for 1-2 hours. Once they're frozen, transfer them to a freezer safe storage bag and freeze for several months.
Is zucchini good for canning? ›
Pressure canners are safest for low-acid foods, like vegetables and zucchinis, and can stop the spread of bacteria. Pressure canners abide by the recommendations of the National Center for Home Food Preservation, which follows USDA guidelines, and they preserve vegetables safely to avoid foodborne illness.
Why is canning squash not recommended in water bath? ›
Squash are low-acid vegetables; therefore, they require pressure canning for a known period of time to destroy the bacteria that cause botulism.
Why do you soak zucchini in salt water? ›
Salt causes zucchini rounds to release excess water. This important extra step helps the zucchini to sauté rather than stew in its own juices.
Do you have to cook vegetables before canning? ›
When vegetables are raw packed, they are cleaned but not heated. Then, they are simply added to the jar, and the jar is filled with boiling water. Fill the jar with freshly prepared, unheated vegetables, making certain to pack the jar tightly because the vegetables will shrink during the canning process.
Does zucchini need to be cooked? ›
Zucchini, also known as courgette, is a type of summer squash with many culinary uses. While it's commonly served cooked, many people enjoy eating zucchini raw too, as it works great in salads, with dips, as a wrap, or even spiralized to make low-carb noodles.
Do you cook vegetables before canning them? ›
Blanch vegetables. Combine all the vegetables in a large pot and boil for 5 minutes. Pack the clean jars with the vegetables and cooking liquid, leaving 1 inch of space at the top of the jars. As an optional addition, add 1 teaspoon of canning salt to each jar.
Does zucchini need to be fully cooked? ›
Bottom line: Raw or cooked is fine. It's safe to eat raw zucchini. Try it with your favorite dip; leave the skin on so you get the extra fiber. It's possible to be allergic to raw zucchini, but cooking it might help some people.
