These marinated zucchini are great as a snack on their own or as an accompaniment to grilled meats and many other dishes. Try them with mashed potatoes, it's a match made in heaven!
A little bit of oil, sugar, salt and acidity does wonders to vegetables, especially to bland ones like zucchini. They preserve longer, and, most importantly, they taste much better when marinated. I posted on my blog some of my most favorite marinated vegetable recipes, such as Marinated Shredded Carrots and Marinated Eggplant. They are always a hit at our house.
When we make marinated vegetables there is always a lot of tasting, sometimes to the point where there is almost nothing left to marinate.
Marinated zucchini is one of those recipes that are prone to excessive tasting while they are being made. The reason is that they are sliced so thinly that they absorb the marinade almost immediately which makes them very tasty practically as soon as they are made.
Try to resist the urge and let them marinate overnight. You will be rewarded handsomely. The zucchini will have enough time to soak in the flavorful marinade and each slice will be exploding with tasty goodness in your mouth.
Marinated Zucchini with Garlic and Fresh Herbs
Ingredients
- 2 medium zucchini rinsed, ends trimmed off
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
For the marinade
- 1/3 cup sunflower oil
- 4 Tbsp white vinegar
- 2 tsp honey
- 3 cloves garlic pressed
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1/3 tsp red pepper flakes plus more to taste
- 1/2 tsp black pepper freshly ground
- 1 tsp fresh basil finely chopped
- 1 tsp fresh parsley finely chopped
- 1 tsp fresh cilantro finely chopped
Instructions
- Slice the zucchini really thin, about 1/16-inch thick on a mandolin or a food processor. Place them in a bowl, toss with salt and let stand for 30 minutes.
- Prepare the marinade by mixing the olive oil with the rest of the ingredients.
- Drain the zucchini. Handful by handful, gently press with your hands to remove excess liquid. Place in a bowl. Add the marinade and mix well.
- Transfer to an air tight container and refrigerate overnight before serving.
- Marinated zucchini will keep in an air tight container in a fridge for up to 7 days.
Jaime
This looks delicious! Before I run to the store for Sunflower oil, I was wondering if the use of it is strictly for flavor and if there are other oils that you think may work well (that I might already have in my pantry!)
Victor @ Taste of Artisan
Hi Jaime,
The main reason why I use sunflower oil is that it doesn't get cloudy and solidifies at fridge temps. I used to use olive oil to marinate vegetables and other things but it would get semi-solid and not very appetizing in the fridge. Then I looked at a jar of Italian anchovies with the oil in it that was perfectly fluid and looking very good. What gives? The ingredient list had sunflower oil. Google search confirmed that sunflower oil solidifies at 1F, while olive oil solidifies at common fridge temps. Oils that don't solidify at fridge terms also include safflower, flax seed, almond, soy bean. Corn and canola oils may work but they might still get a little cloudy.
Tina
This recipe looks delicious. Would it work to reduce the amount of salt?
Victor @ Taste of Artisan
Definitely, you can reduce the amount of salt to your liking.
Georgie Schwartzenberger
Can you can this once its marinated?
Victor @ Taste of Artisan
Georgie, USDA currently has no recommendation on how to safely can zucchini. However, Stanley Marianski the anything-cured-smoked-or-canned guru in his Home Canning Meat, Poultry, Fish and Vegetables book has a recipe for mixed vegetables that includes zucchini suggests canning them in a pressure canner at 10 PSI for 75 min for pints and 90 min for quarts. If I were to can them, I would can them this way even though they have vinegar.
Neila Smith-Dorfman
Another winning recipe Victor! I confess I didn't wait for it to marinate overnight- had it the same evening for dinner and it was delicious!
Victor @ Taste of Artisan
Happy to hear that, Neila. Enjoy!
Glagys
I love it! I served the marinated zucchini for lunch and ... Nothing left! It was very good!
Victor @ Taste of Artisan
Thank you for the feedback. I am glad that you liked my recipe.
BB
Can you can these? If so, what changes would need to be made?
victor
Simple answer is 'probably no'. Canning requires processing zucchini in boiling water before you can can them, but USDA has withdrawn their recommendation for canning squashes because, apparently, they are uncertain about the appropriate processing time – https://www.clemson.edu/extension/food/canning/canning-tips/01summer-squash.html. I’ve never canned zucchini myself, they will lose their crunch if you heat-process them.