Easy Refrigerator Pickled Zucchini Recipe - Low Carb, Low Calorie (2024)

by Denise 4 Comments

If you are looking for a keto snack and love pickles, try this easy low carb refrigerator pickled zucchini recipe. Use up some of the garden zucchini to make this quick pickle. You just need a few everyday ingredients and to make this healthy and tasty pickle. Only 2 calories per piece and 0.3g net carbs!

You might also like these low carb spicy pickled green beans recipe!

Easy Refrigerator Pickled Zucchini Recipe - Low Carb, Low Calorie (1)

I’m always trying to find things to do with my hubby’s garden harvest. It’s September and I still have lots of green and yellow zucchini so I thought I’d make a quick refrigerator pickled zucchini recipe and made it low carb so I could feel good about eating it.

I used a recipe my husband likes for his pickled jalapeños. Of course it was delicious and easy and so I am sharing it with you. Also pickles are a healthy and delicious snack to munch on…. especially when they come from your own garden.

Quick Low Carb Picking Brine Ingredients

To make a pickling brine you need vinegar, water, salt and sometimes sugar or sweetener in this case. From there you can add flavor with herbs and spices. In this pickle we are using white vinegar, salt, water, Swerve sweetener, garlic, cayenne, basil and oregano.

And of course we need zucchini. If you have both green and yellow it makes for a more visually dish but you can just use green.

Easy Refrigerator Pickled Zucchini Recipe - Low Carb, Low Calorie (2)

Let’s Pickle Some Zucchini!

1.) First you cut up the veggies you want to pickle. In this case I used yellow and green zucchini. You can cut them any way you like. I made them into spears.

TIP: Try to think of how you are going to eat them. I like them on salads sometimes and the chunks work great in that instance… no chopping. But if you are going to use eat them from the jar like a dill pickle, cut them into thick sticks or spears. They might work nice in a big cross section slice if you are going to eat it on sandwich.

Easy Refrigerator Pickled Zucchini Recipe - Low Carb, Low Calorie (3)

2.) Next get your pickling liquid going. Add everything to the pan (not the veggies tho) and wait for it to boil.

3.) In the meantime take the veggies and put them into a clean dry jar ( I recycle old jars and now have a million mason jars).

4.) When the liquid boils, pour it over the veggies to cover and let them sit until it cools a bit. This will cook the zucchini a little to soften it but it will still be a bit crunchy.

And that is it. Just put on your lidand put them in the fridge. You can eat them as soon as the are cold… in a few hours.

It’s a great way to use some of the extra veggies you get from your garden and taste great on salads, sandwiches and as a side dish even. Give them a try and let me know how you like them!

The nutritional information for 1 piece of pickled zucchini is:
2 cals / 0.3g carbs / 0.1g protein

I adapted this recipe from Chef John’s recipe on Allrecipes.com. Check it out here.

Easy Refrigerator Pickled Zucchini Recipe - Low Carb, Low Calorie (4)

5 from 2 votes

Print

Low Carb Refrigerator Pickled Zucchini

These quick pickled zucchini spears are a great low carb, low calorie snack!

CourseSnack

CuisineAmerican

Keywordcold pickle, quick pickle, zucchini

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 5 minutes

Total Time 10 minutes

Servings 20 pieces

Calories 2 kcal

Author Denise

Ingredients

  • 1zucchini cut into spears (I used green and yellow)
  • 1cupwater
  • ¾cupwhite distilled vinegar
  • 3tablespoonsSwerve sweetener
  • ½teaspooncrushed garlic
  • ¼teaspooncayenne pepper or crushed red pepper flakes
  • ½teaspoonoregano
  • ¼teaspoonbasil
  • 1tablespoonsalt

Instructions

  1. Add all the ingredients (except the veggies) to a pan, mix well and bring to a boil.

  2. In the meantime cut up your zucchini into spears. You can cut them into any shape you want but I did large spears.

  3. Add them to your jar and once the pickling liquid is boiling, pour it over the veggies.

  4. Let them cool a bit then put a lid on them and refrigerate.

  5. You can eat them in a few hours, once they are cold.

Easy Refrigerator Pickled Zucchini Recipe - Low Carb, Low Calorie (5)

More Low Carb

  • Keto Chicken Alfredo with Zucchini Noodles
  • Slow Cooker Chicken Salsa Verde
  • Keto Yucatan Shrimp Recipe
  • Low Carb Asian Zucchini Noodle Salad

Subscribe

for your weekly recipe fix.

Reader Interactions

We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Nutritional information for the recipe is provided as a courtesy and is approximate only. You should always do your own calculations if you are concerned about the accuracy of this or any recipe. I use the Lose It app for all of my nutritional information because I have for years.

Comments

  1. Carol

    These were delicious! How long can you keep them in the refrigerator?

    Reply

    • Denise

      I’m so glad you like them! I would keep them the same amount of time as you would a jar of store bought pickles.

      Reply

  2. Janet R

    I loved this recipe so much that I ended up not putting them on the sandwich but just eating them out of the jar! It’s a great way to enjoy veggies during this hot New Mexico summer. The only thing I would change is next time I’ll leave out the basil.

    Reply

    • Denise

      Hi Janet, so glad you liked them. They are a great snack right out of the jar. My hubby just made some eggplant similar to this and it was really good too. But I think it needs a little extra prep work.

      Reply

Leave a Reply

Easy Refrigerator Pickled Zucchini Recipe - Low Carb, Low Calorie (2024)

FAQs

How many calories are in pickled zucchini? ›

Zucchini, pickled contains 58 calories per 170 g serving. This serving contains 0.5 g of fat, 1.7 g of protein and 13 g of carbohydrate. The latter is 12 g sugar and 1.4 g of dietary fiber, the rest is complex carbohydrate.

Can I use zucchini instead of cucumbers for pickles? ›

Pickled zucchini soak up some of the pickling spice flavor better than cucumbers. This version is garlicky, spicy, and so good. There are many spices you can add to the pickles—I recommend big flavors. After all, we are trying to get flavors into what are, to be honest, pretty bland vegetables.

Can you eat bread and butter pickles on a keto diet? ›

Pickles can be keto-friendly as long as they don't contain added sugar. In general, you should select dill or sour pickles but avoid sweet, candied, and bread and butter ones.

What does pickled zucchini taste like to eat? ›

These quick zucchini pickles are a little sweet, a tad spicy, and the perfect way to use up that zucchini harvest. If you have zucchini coming out of your ears this summer and are tired of making zucchini bread and zucchini muffins, these pickles are an awesome choice!

What has less calories zucchini or cucumber? ›

Basic Nutrition

A cup of sliced, unpeeled cucumber contains 16 calories, while a cup of sliced, unpeeled zucchini contains 19 calories. You'll get 4 g of carbohydrates, . 5 g of dietary fiber, less than 1 g of protein and . 1 g of fat from eating a cup of cucumber slices.

Why do pickled vegetables have no calories? ›

The truth is, pickles have calories. Food companies are allowed to refer to them as zero-calorie foods due to their low calorie count. In fact, the FDA allows manufacturers to label anything with less than 5 calories as a zero calorie food. That's why some jars show 0 calories, while others show 5 calories per serving.

What keeps cucumbers crisp when pickling? ›

Use Calcium Chloride

Calcium chloride (CaCl2), sometimes known as “pickle crisp”, is a type of salt that helps preserve the crunchiness of food.

What does soaking zucchini in salt water do? ›

Salt causes zucchini rounds to release excess water. This important extra step helps the zucchini to sauté rather than stew in its own juices.

What type of cucumber is best for pickling? ›

"I like to use medium-to-small-sized Kirby cukes," says Brad. The Kirby variety has a thicker skin that can stand up to the pickling liquid, and remains crunchy, with a good snap, long after it's been preserved. "You wanna find cucumbers that aren't too big or too small," says Brad.

Which pickles have no carbs? ›

Dill or salt pickles don't have the added sugar and carbs, naturally,” she says.

What can I substitute for sugar when pickling? ›

Sugar or sweetener – Many pickling recipes call for sugar, but again it's up to you if you want your veggies to taste slightly sweet or not. You could substitute traditional white sugar for organic cane sugar, honey, or agave syrup to achieve the same effect.

How many eggs can you have per day on keto? ›

It's totally fine and safe to eat up to 6 eggs a day while on the keto diet. You can consume even more eggs per day occasionally, as long as you make sure that you eat your greens, healthy fats and proteins from other sources.

Why does my zucchini taste rubbery? ›

How to Tell If Zucchini Has Gone Bad. Bad zucchini will feel rubbery or slimy to the touch. It may also have an off-putting smell and dark or fuzzy moldy spots. The interior of bad zucchini may be off-white to brownish with stringy, mushy flesh and large, hard seeds.

Why does my zucchini taste sour? ›

When exposed to environmental stress, poor soil pH, or poor soil nutrition, zucchinis trigger the production of cucurbitacin, a natural phytonutrient that helps the plant overcome stress but consequently results in the unwanted bitter taste.

Why brine zucchini? ›

Seriously. Meat normally gets all the brining love, but a 45-minute soak in a saltwater solution produces incredibly well-seasoned zucchini. During brining, salt diffuses from an area of greater salt concentration (our 10-percent-salt brine) to an area of lesser concentration (our soon-to-be-delicious zucchini).

Are pickled vegetables high in calories? ›

One of the best things about enjoying a variety of pickled vegetables is that they are low in calories and low in fat. Cucumbers, a vegetable synonymous with pickling, are full of great vitamins, such as Vitamin K that your body needs for bone health and blood clotting.

How many calories are in zucchini relish? ›

Calories in Zucchini Relish
Calories18.7
Sodium0.4 mg
Potassium29.8 mg
Total Carbohydrate4.8 g
Dietary Fiber0.2 g
8 more rows

Are pickled cucumbers low calorie? ›

Cucumber pickles are a low-calorie food. Because of their high water content, they may help you feel fuller longer. Pickles also contain vinegar, which has been linked to reduced appetite.

How many calories are in pickled mixed vegetables? ›

Nutrition summary:

There are 26 calories in 100 grams of Pickled Vegetables. Calorie breakdown: 5% fat, 80% carbs, 15% protein.

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Ouida Strosin DO

Last Updated:

Views: 6256

Rating: 4.6 / 5 (76 voted)

Reviews: 91% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Ouida Strosin DO

Birthday: 1995-04-27

Address: Suite 927 930 Kilback Radial, Candidaville, TN 87795

Phone: +8561498978366

Job: Legacy Manufacturing Specialist

Hobby: Singing, Mountain biking, Water sports, Water sports, Taxidermy, Polo, Pet

Introduction: My name is Ouida Strosin DO, I am a precious, combative, spotless, modern, spotless, beautiful, precious person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.