Store-Style Zucchini Spread for Winter
A stock-up for the whole winter! An aromatic appetizer for any side dish. This store-style zucchini spread for winter recreates a beloved grandma-style classic. The secret is the method: fry each vegetable separately and add a little flour for a perfectly smooth texture.
Updated : 16 March, 2026
Easy
About 30 min.
Ingredients
3 kilograms
Zucchini
300 milliliters
Vegetable oil
1 tablespoon
Sugar
3 tablespoon
Tomato paste
8
Garlic
1 kilograms
Onions
1 kilograms
Carrot
1.5 tablespoon
Salt
to taste
Ground black pepper
2 tablespoon
Vinegar
3 tablespoon
Wheat flour
Table
Table of volume measurements:
- teaspoon - 5 ml
- dessert spoon - 10 ml
- tablespoon - 20 ml
- glass - 200 ml
Preparation
Step 1
Prepare all the necessary ingredients. Wash and dry the vegetables well. Any zucchini works - any color, size, or shape. Only large zucchini should be peeled and have the seeds removed. Tomato paste can be replaced with ketchup, but it’s best replaced with crushed tomatoes.
Step 2
Sterilize the jars in advance in any convenient way. I microwave jars with a little water for 5-7 minutes. You can also sterilize them in the oven at 100°C / 212°F for about 30 minutes, or hold them over steam. Boil the lids for 5 minutes.
Step 3
Peel the onion and dice it. To reduce tearing, rinse the knife and onion with cold water. Heat a little vegetable oil in a skillet. Fry the onion in batches until golden, adding more oil as needed. This usually takes 5-7 minutes. Remove the onion from the skillet.
Step 4
Peel the carrots and grate them. Heat vegetable oil in the skillet. Fry the carrots in batches, adding a little oil each time. Fry for about 5 minutes per batch. Remove the carrots from the skillet.
Step 5
Peel the zucchini if needed, cut into cubes. Fry in batches in the skillet with vegetable oil, adding about a spoonful of oil each time. Fry each batch for about 7-10 minutes.
Step 6
Transfer all vegetables to a thick-bottomed pot, add peeled garlic, and blend until smooth. You can also use a meat grinder. Bring to a boil and simmer over low heat for about 30 minutes. Then add tomato paste, salt, ground pepper, and sugar to taste. Bring back to a boil and cook, stirring constantly, for about 30 more minutes.
Step 7
Immediately add vinegar and cook for about 5 minutes more. The recipe uses 6-9% table vinegar. If you have vinegar essence, dilute it 1:8 with water.
Step 8
Spoon the spread into jars and seal tightly with lids. I don’t pasteurize this preserve and it keeps well; if you prefer extra caution, you can pasteurize the filled jars. Store in a cool, dark place or in the refrigerator.
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