DadCooksDinner

  • Home
  • Rotisserie
  • Recipes
  • Tools
  • Books
  • Merch
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Recipes
  • Books
  • Tools
  • Merch
  • About
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • RSS
    • Twitter
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • Recipes
    • Books
    • Tools
    • Merch
    • About
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • RSS
    • Twitter
  • ×
    Home » Recipes » Side dish

    Zucchini Pickles, Zuni style

    Published: Sep 23, 2009 · Modified: Jan 21, 2015 by Mike Vrobel · This post may contain affiliate links · Leave a Comment

    As I was finishing up pickle week, I stumbled across this recipe for zucchini pickles from Zuni Cafe in San Francisco.  I'm embarrassed that I didn't find it earlier.  Zuni is one of my favorite restaurants in the world, and I've talked before about how influential the Zuni Cafe Cookbook has been on my cooking.  I've also talked about how overrun by zucchini we are this time of year.  But a recipe in the cookbook that I've looked through hundreds of times?  Somehow, it managed to elude me.

    In the spirit of better late than never, here it is.  I like these pickles as much, if not more than, the cucumber pickles I made.  Zucchini is always easier to find than good cucumber pickles, so I will be using this recipe again.
    *And I love saying "Zuni Zucchini".  It rolls off the tongue.  Zunicchini.  Yes, my seven year old self is never far from the surface...

    Sliced and ready to go

    Recipe: Zucchini Pickles, Zuni style

    Equipment:

    • A clean quart jar with a tight fitting lid (Canning jars or flip top gasket jars are the usual choices.)

    Ingredients:

    • 1 pound zucchini or summer squash, sliced 1/16 inch thick (I used my food processor's slicing disk)
    • ½ onion, sliced thin
    • 2 tablespoon table salt
    Pickling Liquid:
    • 2 cup cider vinegar
    • 1 cup sugar
    • 1 tablespoon mustard seeds
    • 1 coriander seed
    • 1 tablespoon black peppercorns

    Directions:
    Click here for the basic technique of pickling vegetables.

    1. Prep and brine the vegetables: Put the sliced zucchini and onions in a large bowl, sprinkle with the kosher salt, and toss to evenly coat with the salt. Add cold water to just cover, and let sit for 1 hour to brine.  Drain, and dry thoroughly; Judy Rodgers recommends using a salad spinner to help get all the moisture out.  Put the vegetables in your jar.

    Brining the zucchini and squash

    2. Make the pickling liquid: Combine the Pickling Liquid ingredients in a medium saucepan, and bring to a boil over high heat.  Reduce the heat, and simmer for 5 minutes to open up the flavor of the spices. *Note: in the original recipe, Judy recommends cooling the pickling liquid to room temperature BEFORE continuing to the next step. She says this will give you much crisper pickles. My schedule didn't allow me to wait, and the pickles turned out anyhow.


    3. Combine the liquid and the vegetables: Carefully pour the pickling liquid into the jar until the vegetables are covered.  (Optionally, pour pickling liquid through a fine mesh strainer first, to strain out the herbs and spices; your pickled vegetables will look less rustic that way.)
    *I pour the pickling liquid from my sauce pan into my Pyrex 2-Quart Measuring Cup, and from there into the jar.  The spout on the measuring cup makes this much less messy.

    4. Refrigerate: Let cool at room temperature, close the lid on the jar, and refrigerate. It's best to refrigerate for at least one day, and preferably one week. They will last, refrigerated, for up to 3 months.

    What do you do with (yet another) three pounds of zucchini?

    Variations:
    *In the original recipe, you were supposed to use 1.5 teaspoon mustard seed and 1.5 teaspoon ground mustard; I only had mustard seeds.  Also, you were supposed to use 1 teaspoon turmeric.  I was out, so I substituted 1 tablespoon of coriander seed.  (Why? Because I like coriander.)


    Notes:
    *Use these anywhere you would use cucumber pickles - the taste is very similar.  They are great on hamburgers and sandwiches.  I just have to watch myself; if I leave the jar on the table, I start eating them straight after I'm done with my sandwich, and the next thing I know they're all gone.

    *Obviously I scaled this recipe up - I had 3 pounds of zucchini and squash, as you can see in the picture.  I tripled the rest of the ingredients.  Just keep the proportions the same, and it works fine.

    *As I mentioned in the recipe, Judy recommends that you cool the brine off completely before you pour it over the pickles.  I'm going to try that next time; they turned out great without it, but I wonder how crisp they'll get if I follow instructions.  I'm probably going to add a crushed clove of garlic as well.

    *Also, I'm going to remember to get some turmeric before I pickle the next time; everyone adds it to give their pickles some color.  I thought I had some in my spice cabinet (again), but I was out.
    *Yes, I was forgetful enough that I was out of turmeric during pickle week, and still out two weeks later.  I thought I had bought some after pickle week, but I hadn't.  If this is how I am now, I'm scared to think how forgetful I'm going to be when I'm older...

    Questions? Comments? Other ideas? Leave them in the comments section below.

    Related Posts:
    Click here for my Sorta Sour Pickled Cucumbers recipe.
    Click here for my Pickled Vegetables basic technique.


    Adapted From:
    Judy Rodgers's The Zuni Cafe Cookbook




    *Enjoyed this post?  Want to help out DadCooksDinner?  Subscribe to DadCooksDinner using the RSS or Email options on the right, link to this post from your blog, recommend DadCooksDinner to your friends, or buy something from Amazon.com through the links on this site.  Thank you!

    Subscribe
    BirdSend Email Marketing Tool

    More Side dish

    • A platter of Sous Vide Asparagus
      Sous Vide Asparagus
    • A bowl of cast iron Brussels sprouts
      Cast Iron Brussels Sprouts
    • A baking dish of Brussels sprouts gratin on a colorful napkin
      Brussels Sprouts Gratin
    • A jar of sweet hot mustard
      Sweet Hot Mustard

    Sharing is caring!

    Comments

    No Comments

    Questions? Made the Recipe? Leave a Comment Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    Welcome to Dad Cooks Dinner!

    I'm Mike Vrobel, a dad who cooks dinner every night. I'm an enthusiastic home cook, and I write about pressure cooking, rotisserie grilling, and other food topics that grab my attention.

    More About Me →

    Popular

    • Three bowls of cooked Pinto Beans on a wood table
      Instant Pot Pinto Beans (No Soaking)
    • Pressure Cooker Beef Shank (Osso Bucco)
    • Pressure Cooker 7 Hour Leg of Lamb (in 90 minutes)
      Pressure Cooker 7 Hour Leg of Lamb (in 90 minutes)
    • Pressure Cooker Brown Jasmine Rice
    • Grilled Tomahawk Steak (Long Bone Ribeye, Reverse Seared)
      Grilled Tomahawk Steak (Long Bone Ribeye, Reverse Seared)
    • A green bowl full of chicken noodle soup
      Instant Pot Rotisserie Chicken Noodle Soup

    Seasonal

    • A bowl of asparagus risotto
      Instant Pot Asparagus Risotto (Pressure Cooker Recipe)
    • Grilled Butterflied Chicken with Garlic Butter
    • Sous Vide Rack of Lamb with Dijon Bread Crumb Crust
    • A bowl of beef stew with asparagus, carrots, and radishes.
      Instant Pot Spring Vegetable Beef Stew
    • A Rotisserie Chicken (Pollo Asado)on a platter of shredded cabbage
      Rotisserie Chicken Pollo Asado
    • Rotisserie Pork Shoulder Roast with Carolina Mustard BBQ Sauce
      Rotisserie Pork Shoulder with South Carolina Mustard Barbecue Sauce

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • Privacy Policy

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up! for emails and updates

    Contact

    • Contact

    Copyright © 2025 Dad Cooks Dinner

    718 shares
    • 3