Tender, garlicky marinated zucchini sliced paper thin and soaked in a bright olive oil and vinegar marinade with garlic, dried oregano, and a pinch of red pepper flakes. Ready in about 30 minutes of prep with a day in the fridge to let the flavors fully develop.
If you love easy Italian ways to use summer produce, my Zucchini and Corn Fritters are another fast weeknight favorite - and for more ways to preserve summer vegetables, my Easy Pickled Cucumbers use the exact same simple technique.
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Jump To
- All you need to make the zucchini marinade:
- How Long Can I Marinate Zucchini?
- How to store marinated zucchini? How long do they last?
- Can zucchini be canned?
- Some ways you can enjoy these delicious, easy marinated zucchini summer long:
- Some other easy pickled and marinated recipes:
- Easy Marinated Zucchini (Italian Style Recipe)
The method I'm sharing here today is more of the method that I use to make my marinated cucumbers. All you need are very thinly sliced zucchini and a marinade that comes together in no time! The marinade couldn't be simpler.
You will be making this all summer long and adding them to your salads and bowls. I just adore zucchini, it could even be a slight obsession. And easy marinated zucchini are a TOTAL obsession. Make them and you will understand why!
The zucchini are very thinly sliced (I did it by hand, but feel free to use a mandolin). Next, you then salt them for about 30 minutes.
A very simple marinade is what comes next.
All you need to make the zucchini marinade:
- extra-virgin olive oil (the better the quality the better the marinade)
- white vinegar (you could also use white wine vinegar)
- garlic
- dried herbs (I used dried parsley and sometimes use dried oregano)
- crushed red pepper flakes
Is it a dream come true? You probably have all the ingredients already in your pantry! Right before adding the zucchini to the jars, add the marinade ingredients to a small pot. Bring the marinade to a gentle boil for a few minutes. Set aside until you're ready to pour it over the zucchini.
At about 30 minutes of salting them, you'll see when they look tender and ready. Drain the salty water and gently squeeze out any remaining liquid from zucchini. Add the zucchini to the jars.
Whisk together the marinade and pour it over the zucchini in the jars.
How Long Can I Marinate Zucchini?
It takes a full 24 hours for the zucchini to absorb the delicious marinade. If you have the patience to wait even three days, you'll be pleasantly surprised with it's fantastic flavor! When we make the marinated zucchini there is more eaten than stored in the jars, and I'm sure the same thing will happen when you make it! Slightly addictive!
How to store marinated zucchini? How long do they last?
The marinated zucchini store best in glass jars and also in the refrigerator. In my opinion, keeping them nice and cold in the fridge keeps them with a a little bit of crisp to each bite and the marinade flavor is so fresh. Store them in a mason jar for optimal flavor.
Refrigerate the zucchini for up to a week.
Can zucchini be canned?
My Calabrian mother-in-law does can her zucchini. I can't tell you how many magical jars of her canned zucchini she insisted I take home at the end of a summer visit in Italy. She has her own method and has been doing it for her whole life. These zucchini actually taste almost exactly like Teresa's canned zucchini. She does add her own dried oregano from Calabria. I do have bags of her oregano here and sometimes add it to the marinade (and then it tastes just like hers!). Or I just add dried parsley.
If you read this article from Michigan State University, they explain why the USDA has withdrawn their recommendation on canning zucchini (and summer squash). Pickling and even freezing is what they recommend.
I suggest doubling the recipe and you can give as gift to your favorite neighbor or your brother (my brother loves them!).
Some ways you can enjoy these delicious, easy marinated zucchini summer long:
- a quick snack (my favorite way to enjoy them…right out of the fridge!)
- a fresh summer side dish (think add-on for your grilling condiment tray)
- added to salads (just a few drizzles of the marinade makes the most amazing addition to your salad dressing)
- a summer pasta salad
- top it on your favorite bowl
- summer bruschetta (perfect added on to toasted Italian bread).
Some other easy pickled and marinated recipes:
- Easy Pickled Jalapeños
- Easy Pickled Scotch Bonnet Peppers
- Easy Pickled Cucumbers
- Easy Marinated Mushrooms
Did you make this and love it? Please RATE THE RECIPE below:)
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Easy Marinated Zucchini (Italian Style Recipe)
Ingredients
For the zucchini:
- 3 medium zucchini rinsed ends trimmed off
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
For the marinade:
- 1 ¼ cups white wine vinegar with 5% acidity
- 1 cup pure olive oil
- 5 garlic cloves peeled and left whole
- 1½ teaspoon Kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 2 teaspoon dried parsley basil, or oregano (or combo of whatever you prefer)
- 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
Instructions
For the zucchini:
- Slice zucchini to 1/16-inch thickness on a mandolin or a food processor (I sometimes slice by hand and manage to get it nice and thin, so don't worry if you don't have a mandolin or food processor, just carefully slice by hand).
- In a small bowl, place the zucchini slices and sprinkle on the salt. Mix them together with your very clean hands. Set them aside for about 30 minutes.
For the marinade:
- In a small pot, add the olive oil, vinegar, garlic cloves, salt, oregano, dried parsley, and crushed red pepper flakes. Bring to a boil and let boil for about 3 minutes. When it's boiled for a few minutes, remove pot from the heat.
- Remove the garlic cloves from the olive oil marinate and reserve in a small plate.
- Drain the zucchini in a colander. Gently squeeze out all the liquid. You don't want to break apart the zucchini, so really gently squeeze out the liquid. Spoon them into your canning jars (or whatever container you are storing them in)add a garlic clove to each jar, and leave about ½ inch of headspace on the top.
- When you have your zucchini ready in the jars, stir the marinade together and carefully pour the olive oil marinade over the zucchini in the jars, being sure to leave that ½ inch of headspace on the top. If you happen to have any marinade leftover, use it in a salad dressing.
- Cover, using lids and store them in the refrigerator. They can be stored in the refrigerator up to 7 days.
- Be sure to let them marinate overnight before serving. You really want to get the full flavor of the marinade (although they are delicious even right away!). The next day, serve at room temperature.
Nutrition Disclaimer
Please keep in mind that the nutritional information presented below is an approximation and may vary depending on the exact ingredients used.
Notes
- Slice as thin as you can - a mandolin set to 1/16-inch gives the best texture and the most surface area for the marinade.
- Do not skip the salting step. It removes excess moisture and prevents the finished zucchini from being watery or soggy.
- The longer they marinate, the better. Twenty-four hours is the minimum; three days gives noticeably deeper flavor.
- Any leftover marinade makes an excellent salad dressing or drizzle for grilled vegetables.
- Store in glass jars in the refrigerator for up to 7 days. These are not shelf-stable.
Tried this recipe today and it was a great way to use extra zucchini. The marinade gave it a bright, authentic taste!
I made these again for a party. I meant to let you know the first time I made it that it's wonderful. The flavors all come together in the most perfect way. This is my favorite zucchini recipe!
I love the texture and flavor of this zucchini. I've never made it like this before.
I grow soooo much zucchini in my garden. I can't wait to make this with them! It was good with the zucchini I got from the store. I can only imagine how it will be with homegrown!
These are so good! I could eat this stuff by the spoonful!
can I u se red wine vinegar instead of white wine vinegar
Hi Josie-Yes, red wine vinegar can be used in place of white wine vinegar in this recipe, as long as it has 5% acidity. It works because it still gives the zucchini the acidity needed for the marinade.
That said, red wine vinegar will change the flavor slightly, making it deeper and fruitier, and it may also tint the zucchini a light pinkish color. For that reason, I prefer using white wine vinegar for the cleanest flavor and prettiest color. Hope that helps!
Is there a good reason to use dry herbs over, say, fresh Italian flat leaf parsley?
Great question, Sarah! I could give you the easy answer and say my Calabrian mother-in-law ONLY uses dried oregano (and I never asked her otherwise)and, most importantly, it's delicious like that. To be more specific and answer your question: dried herbs work better in this marinated zucchini because they infuse the vinegar and oil more evenly and hold their flavor over time. Fresh parsley contains moisture and can turn dull or bitter in an acidic marinade, while dried herbs like oregano and basil stay stable, more aromatic, and give that classic Southern Italian preserved-vegetable flavor. Nobody wants bitter marinated zucchini...so stick with dried for this! I always recommend fresh herbs in all my pasta recipes and most of my meat dishes. Hope that helps! ENJOY!
Love topping my salad with these almost as much as I love eating them right out of the jar. Great recipe.
This marinated zucchini is amazing! Such a tasty recipe.
This zucchini is so easy and delicious.
This marinated zucchini was so yummy! The flavor was so good and the recipe was easy to make, too.
What a great way to use up that zucchini that's taken over my garden! Thanks for the recipe!
Really enjoy this zucchini recipe. It's so easy to make and I make a jar as soon as I finish one in the summertime. I have an abundance of zucchini in my garden, and this is one way I like to use them up!
When the recipe says marinade I'm not sure what you mean by that ingredient. I am not often in the kitchen.
Hi Catherine...the marinade is composed of all those ingredients that are below it (it's like a dressing you make). The zucchini get mixed with all those ingredients. Hope that helps!
This recipe sounds delicious.
I cannot find the link to the article from Michigan State University, explaining why the USDA has withdrawn their recommendation on canning zucchini and summer squash, that you mentioned.
Hi ...yes, I'll go back into the post and reactivate that link. Here it is (copy and paste this to read): https://www.canr.msu.edu/uploads/resources/pdfs/hni18_summer-squash.pdf
Basically says: "Canning
Canning is not recommended for preserving summer
squash. Squashes are low-acid vegetables. There is
uncertainty in determining processing times that would
destroy bacteria that cause botulism. It is best to freeze or
pickle summer squashes."
Hope that helps!
Absolutely love this recipe! Thank you for sharing!
Hi Sarah-SO happy you enjoyed the recipe...thank you for the lovely comment! xx
I forgot to salt and set for 30 minutes! Should I start over?
Hi Marla-Definitely salt it and start over. The point of the salt is to draw liquid out of the zucchini (and makes them tender)...so go ahead and salt that zucchini and set the timer! 🙂
Have you ever frozen these? I’m thinking, let them marinate in the fridge for a day, then freeze???
Hi Joanne-No, I have not frozen them. If you do, let me know how it turns out!
How long can I keep my jarred marinated zucchini in the fridge
Hi Corinne-I mention in the post and also in the recipe towards the end, store in fridge up to one week.
My Calabrian grandmother made a zucchini salad by boiling those large zucchini that manage to escape picking until they were too big. She seeded them and cut them in large chunks, boiled them until just tender, and drained well. Then she charred fresh mint and crumbled it on the zucchini, added salt and red wine vinegar. So delicious. I've tried to copy it over the years, but its never quite the same. Have you ever had it prepared it that way or similarly?
Hi Kathleen-I know in Naples area it's called zucchine alla scapece...my Calabrian mother-in-law only makes hers with oregano. But I have had it with mint (so refreshing in the summertime!!). Have you tried looking around for scapece recipes to see if you could find one similar to your nonna's? Sometimes the nonna's recipes are just so magical even if they write it down, if it's not made with their hands, it's not quite the same.
I tried your recipe and on day 2 in the fridge the olive oil solidified! Any suggestions?
You mentioned day 3 was the tastiest so I'm planning on leaving it till then.
That's totally normal. When you spoon a portion out onto a plate, the oil will start to liquify from the room temperature. You could spoon a portion out 15 mins before you're going to be serving it and if you're kitchen is pretty warm, it will happen even faster.Enjoy!