Carrot and Zucchini Pickles + Simple Tartar Sauce

Apparently I am capable of growing more than just jalapeño peppers in my garden… I can grow zucchini, too! I’ve attempted to grow zucchini in the past with dismal results. This year, however, my three zucchini plants are going strong.

As it turns out, zucchini is also growing well on the farm that we get our weekly CSA box from, as well. Go figure. So, you can probably guess that I’ve had quite a bit of zucchini on my hands this summer.  At any given time, we’ve had between 10 and 15 zucchini hanging out in the fridge just waiting to be used.

We’ve been eating a lot of zucchini… And, I’ve been putting it in just about everything. Unfortunately, that hasn’t taken care of the zucchini surplus.  So, I decided to look into canning zucchini to save some of the bounty for later in the year.  In the process, I came across an easy recipe for carrot and zucchini pickles and decided to give it a shot.

The pickles are fast and easy to make, and I love the hint of sweetness that the carrot adds to the pickles. In fact, I’m considering making another batch because I think my friends and family will love getting these pickles as gifts, and I want to make sure I have some left for myself!

And, in case a recipe for pickles isn’t enough, I also have a great recipe for a fast and easy tartar sauce that uses the pickles.  So, be sure to stick around to the very end of this post so you don’t miss the recipe!

Carrot and Zucchini Pickles
Makes about 5 pints
(Slightly adapted from The Complete Book of Small Batch Preserving)

• 2 pounds carrots, peeled and cut into short strips
• 2 pounds zucchini, cut into short strips
• 2 teaspoons Kosher salt
• 3 1/2 cups white vinegar
• 1 1/3 cups water
• 2/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 1 teaspoon dried dill
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Begin by preparing the carrots and zucchini.  Blanch the carrots in boiling water for 2 minutes.  Then, drain and transfer the carrots to a large bowl of ice water. Drain the carrots again and combine them with the zucchini. Sprinkle the carrot and zucchini mixture with the Kosher salt, and toss to combine.  Let stand for 4 hours.  Then, drain and thoroughly rinse the carrots and zucchini.

Prepare a boiling water canner and keep the jars in hot (but not quite boiling) water until ready to fill. Have lids and bands prepared and ready.

To make the pickling liquid, combine the vinegar, water, sugar, parsley, dill, thyme, and pepper in a saucepan over medium-high heat.  Bring to a boil, stirring to make sure that the sugar has dissolved.

Once the pickling liquid is prepared, remove the jars from the canner and pack the carrots and zucchini into the jars.  Pour the pickling liquid over the carrots and zucchini, leaving 1/2-inch of head space in each jar. Carefully wipe the rims of the jars and fit them with lids and bands.  Process pint jars in boiling water for 20 minutes.

First time canning? Be sure to check out these guidelines for boiling water canning! I have done my best to ensure that this recipe is safe for canning, and  I used a reputable source.  However, it is always important to double check the guidelines to make sure a recipe is safe for canning.

Simple Tartar Sauce
(Makes about 1/2 cup)

• 1/3 cup mayonnaise
• 2 tablespoons minced carrot and zucchini pickles
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper

Combine the mayonnaise, minced pickles, and mustard in a small mixing bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Please Note – The links to The Complete Book of Small Batch Preserving provided in this post are Amazon affiliate links. If you purchase this cookbook (or another item) after  clicking on my link, I receive a small percentage of the sale price, which helps to keep My Kitchen Addiction up and running. Thanks!