This super simple 3 ingredient pickling liquid transforms simple zucchini ribbons into the most gorgeous pickled courgette. It offers the perfect zingy, sharp, crunchy element to any dish (like this Smoked Trout Pate)!

Having an easy and quick pickling liquid recipe in your arsenal means you'll never be short of a sharp component to balance out other flavours.
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I'm not a huge fan of cucumber, so I went for the next best thing - courgette (or zucchini, if you're from the US).
Ingredients for Pickled Courgette

- Courgette (Zucchini) or anything else you fancy pickling in all honesty...
- White Vinegar: my favourite white vinegar at the moment is Mazzeti's Bianco Speciale White Condiment.
- Brown Sugar: if you'd prefer not to have the slight brown tinge to the pickling liquid then substitute this for straight up granulated sugar
- Salt
Optional aromatic additions: mustard seeds, peppercorns, fennel seeds etc. - all will add their own flavour to the pickling liquid).
Method for Pickled Courgette
Add sugar and salt into a pot then pour in vinegar. Bring to the boil (until sugar dissolves), then reduce to a simmer for 5 minutes.



Whilst the three ingredient pickling liquid is simmering, use a vegetable peeler to thinly slice the courgette into thin ribbons. Discard the inner (seeded) section once you've peeled all the way around.



Place the courgette ribbons into a glass jar, then pour over the pickling liquid to marinate.



Storage
Once made, the pickled courgettes should be kept stored in the fridge.
They can be ready to eat within a couple of hours, because we've shaved the courgette ribbons really thin using the peeler.
Pickled Courgette will last up to 4 weeks, albeit they'll start to soften as time goes on.
These refrigerator pickles can be used in a wide variety of things. Examples include a hot smoked salmon sandwich (with beetroot creme fraiche, pea puree and pickled courgette with watercress), alongside Smoked Trout Pate - both pictured below. Or simply enjoyed on a Ploughman's Lunch.


Why Pickles Are Worth Having In Your Fridge
These courgette pickles are a quick, easy option to make when you need a pickled element quickly to balance out a dish. Think of the time you see Masterchef contestants whipping up a pickling liquid during a 1 hour timed cook!
Long-life pickles, usually either canned or jarred for long-life (that last up to 2 years), would require a different method. You can find an example of this in this blog post from The Homesteading Family.

Pickled Courgette
Ingredients
- 1 courgette
- 200 ml white vinegar
- 4 tablespoon soft brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Add 4 tablespoon soft brown sugar and 1 teaspoon salt into a pot
- Pour 200 ml white vinegar in with the salt and sugar then bring to the boil (until sugar dissolves), then reduce to a simmer for 5 minutes
- Whilst the pickling liquid is cooking, use a vegetable peeler to thinly slice the 1 courgette into thin ribbons
- Place the courgette ribbons into a glass jar, then pour over the pickling liquid to marinate





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