My most requested recipe.
Four score and seven years ago…
…a food blogger made someone scroll through seventeen paragraphs about their grandmother’s garden, their childhood memories, and the emotional significance of a zucchini before finally revealing the recipe.
This is not that blog.
You came here for squash relish, so we’re getting straight to squash relish.
No life story. No family tree. No dramatic tale about a squash that changed my life.
Just a really good relish recipe that’s sweet, tangy, colorful, and a great way to use up extra summer squash.
Colorful Squash Relish Recipe
Yield
Approximately 5 pints
Ingredients
- 8 cups diced yellow squash and zucchini (any combination)
- 1 onion, diced
- 1 orange bell pepper, diced
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 1 yellow bell pepper, diced
- 2 green bell peppers, diced
- 3 tablespoons salt
- 3 cups white sugar
- 2 cups vinegar
- 2 teaspoons celery seed
- 2 teaspoons whole mustard seed
Directions
Step 1:
In a large bowl, combine the squash, onions, and peppers. Sprinkle with salt, toss well, and let sit for 1 hour. Drain and discard the liquid.
Step 2:
In a large pot, combine sugar, vinegar, celery seed, and mustard seed. Bring to a boil, stirring until the sugar dissolves.
Step 3:
Add the drained vegetable mixture. Return to a boil and cook for approximately 15 minutes, or until vegetables are tender.
Step 4:
Meanwhile, sterilize jars and lids in boiling water.
Step 5:
Ladle hot relish into sterilized jars, leaving ¼ inch headspace. Remove air bubbles and wipe rims clean.
Step 6:
Apply lids and rings. Process in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes. Adjust processing time for altitude if necessary.
Step 7:
Remove jars and allow them to cool undisturbed. Check seals, label, and store.
Click here to watch the entire canning process.
Equipment I Use
Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links. If you purchase through these links, I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. Thank you for supporting my homestead and helping me keep the recipes coming.
If you’re new to canning, these are a few tools that make life a whole lot easier:
- Electric Ball Canner
- Jar lifter set
- Wide-mouth funnel
- Mason jars
- Magnetic lid lifter
- Labels for finished jars
These are the tools I personally use and recommend.
What Do You Eat Squash Relish On?
My favorites include:
- Dirty rice
- Hot dogs
- Hamburgers
- Roast beef sandwiches
- Smoked sausage
- Crackers and cream cheese
- Straight from the jar while standing in front of the refrigerator pretending you’re “just checking the seal”
Kenya’s Note
If the seal is good, these jars will happily sit on your pantry shelf for 12-18 months. Once opened, stick them in the fridge.
This started as a way to use up extra squash from the garden and somehow turned into one of the most requested recipes I’ve shared.
If you make it, let me know what you put it on.
And if you eat it straight from the jar, welcome to the club. 🤍
Why I Call It “Colorful” Squash Relish
Because I don’t get too particular about the peppers.
I don’t use specific colors because the recipe demands it. I use whatever colorful bell peppers I have on hand because they make the jars look prettier.
Red, orange, yellow, green. If it’s a bell pepper and it adds color, it’s welcome.
If all you have is green peppers, use green peppers.
If you’ve got enough colors to make it look like a crayon box exploded in your kitchen, even better.