Zucchini caviar, or ideas for winter preserves: step-by-step recipe with photos

Zucchini Caviar — a snack made from zucchini, carrots, onions, tomatoes, and spices, which are stewed and crushed to a homogeneous paste-like consistency. It has become popular due to its simplicity of preparation, availability of ingredients, and flavor versatility. It can be consumed cold as a standalone snack, used as a side dish for meat dishes, or as a spread for toast. For example, a toast made from fresh black bread with zucchini caviar and shrimp is quite a fitting combination, in our subjective opinion.

Historically, zucchini caviar has Soviet roots, as it was created as an economical way to use a large number of quickly growing zucchinis that are common in many regions of the former Soviet Union. It can also be stored for a long time in sealed jars as a form of preservation, making it a popular winter preparation. However, today we will prepare and promote this snack due to its flavors, simplicity of preparation, and health benefits. It is a low-calorie yet filling dish. It is easily absorbed by the body and is a rich source of vitamins, microelements, and fiber that are preserved after thermal processing. So let's move on to the preparation steps.

up to 1.5 hours 

2 out of 5

low in the vegetable season, from medium to high in the off-season

3 kg of zucchini

1 kg of carrots

750 g of onions

300 g of tomato pulp

140 g of tomato paste

150 ml of sunflower oil for frying (any other oil with a high smoke point can be used)

2 tbsp of salt (can be adjusted according to individual taste preferences)

1 tbsp of black ground pepper (can also be adjusted according to individual taste preferences)

1 tbsp of vinegar

Prepare the vegetables. Peel the zucchini (if using young ones, you can safely leave the skin on), cut them into large cubes. Grate the carrots, and chop the onions into large cubes.

Heat the frying pan, add 75 ml of oil. Add the onions and fry over medium heat until golden brown.

Add the carrots, stir, and reduce the heat.

Stew until it becomes soft. Add the tomato paste and tomato pulp. 

This tomato pulp was left over from making sun-dried tomatoes. Stir thoroughly and simmer for 5-7 minutes.

Take a larger pot, in our case – a 10-liter pot, add the zucchini, the sauté of onions/carrots/tomatoes/tomato paste, add salt, pepper, the remaining 75 ml of oil, mix thoroughly and place on low heat. Wait for it to boil, then cover with a lid.

Stew under the closed lid for one hour.

After the mass has stewed, turn off the heat, add vinegar, and use an immersion blender to puree to a homogeneous paste-like consistency. At the same time, sterilize the jars in which we will store the finished caviar.

We have placed part of the caviar in jars for winter enjoyment, and part was used as a spread on toast for breakfast. Enjoy your meal!

Cook for your enjoyment! ;)