How to Deal with Zucchini Overload: Recipes for Canning Zucchini (2024)

Life on a small farm is many things; gratifying, fulfilling, and a lot of hard work. I wrote earlier this year about how the hubby and I came to the decision to start a small farm. Today you get to see some of the work side of that decision. He is in charge of the planning, planting and harvesting of the gardens. I am in charge of the baking, cooking, processing and canning of the harvest. It’s been a lot of hard work and now that we have gotten a little bit older we have found that it’s time to move on. But that doesn’t mean I can’t revisit this post on canning zucchini.

Canning zucchini is not the first thing people think to do with the squash but there are ways to preserve it that way; in addition to the two recipes I am sharing with this series I also end up canning ratatouille if I manage to get zucchini, tomatoes and eggplant in all at the same time. If you garden and plant zucchini the time of the zucchini overload will always come upon you.

The harvest season starts somewhat in control and then the zucchini start coming in. And coming in and coming in. I am sure any of you with zucchini mounds know exactly what I mean. But there are remedies and I am going to offer two recipes for canning zucchini that will help with the zucchini overload.

Can you Can Zucchini? Yes you Can!

What you ask? Canning zucchini? Yes, there are ways of canning this ubiquitous squash. I have often said that if zucchini had more nutritional value it could solve the famine problems in the world. But that is neither here nor there. What is here is this:

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That is only two days’ harvest so you can imagine how much I have to process. I have shredded and baked and shredded and frozen. It was time for the canner to come out.

Every year I end up buying new canning jars because I give so much of what I can away as gifts. I canned this marmalade in pint jars for my convenience but it could have just as easily been done in half pints.

The Sweet and the Sour

I have two recipes for canning zucchini as part of this series. One will be featured below, the second for Zucchini Garlic Dill Relish in another blog post. Otherwise you would be reading this one post for a month. heh. I hope you find these recipes for canning zucchini helpful in dealing with the overload. Your neighbors will probably appreciate a delicious jar of marmalade or relish rather than a bag of squash on their doorstep too!

Zucchini Carrot Ginger Marmalade

Makes 4+ pints

8 cups shredded zucchini, preferably organic
2 cups shredded carrot, preferably organic
4 oranges, preferably organic
2 lemons, preferably organic
2 apples, preferably organic
8 cups granulated sugar
2 3″ pieces of ginger root, preferably organic, peeled and cut into pieces

Wash the oranges, lemons and apples.
Using a sharp knife or a vegetable peeler, carefully cut the peel off of the lemons and oranges being sure to not get any of the white pith.

Thinly slice the peels and set aside.

Cut the remaining pith and peel off of the lemons and oranges and save. Remove the fruit and cut into small pieces.

Take the pith, peel and cut ginger and put into cheesecloth and tie closed
Core the apple and be sure to remove all of the seeds. Shred in food processor or with a grater.
Add the zucchini, carrot, orange and lemon pieces, cheesecloth filled package and peel to a large, non reactive pot.
Add the sugar.

Heat over medium high heat until it comes to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and let cook for about 45 minutes until thickened.
While the marmalade is cooking prepare your jars and canner, Heat the jars in the canner and keep warm until ready to fill. Then remove from the canner.
When the marmalade is ready remove the cheesecloth bundle and set aside.
Heat the lids in preparation for processing and have the bands handy.

Fill each jar with marmalade leaving 1/2″ headspace.
Use a non reactive spatula to help the marmalade settle in the jar. If necessary add or remove some to maintain the appropriate volume.
Wipe the rim with a damp, clean cloth.

Place the lid on the jar and twist the band fingertip tight.
Process pint jars for 20 minutes (25 minutes over 3,000 ft)
When done, remove from heat and let sit in the canner for 5 minutes then remove to cool. Let sit 24 hours before you remove the band and store.

Canning Zucchini – How Was it?

This was a mashup of two different recipes I found and the result turned out really well. There was about half a pint leftover that I put in a jar for the hubby to use with his breakfast in the morning. Given that I made this marmalade for him for his breakfast – I make waffles in bulk and freeze them. I popped one out of the freezer and toasted it up so he could try the new marmalade.

I have never had him say no to a taste test for anything I have made and this was no exception. He said if I hadn’t told him he never would have guessed he was eating zucchini. (Shhhh, there was zucchini in his waffles too. I’m putting the stupid squash everywhere these days!) According to him the marmalade was not too sweet and it had just the right amount of tart. The ginger added a little spice but it did not overwhelm. He was a happy man. Canning zucchini in this case was a success!

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