Homemade pickle relish is an easy way to turn garden cucumbers into a sweet, tangy condiment you’ll use all year. In this step-by-step guide, I’ll show you exactly how to prep, pack, and safely process your relish, whether you use a water bath or steam canner. Substitutions, storage options, and beginner tips are all included.

An open jar of green and red pickle relish with a spoonful of relish on the side.

How do you make sweet pickle relish?

Chop cucumbers, onion, and peppers, then salt and let them drain for 2 hours to pull out excess water.
Simmer the drained vegetables in a sweetened vinegar brine with celery seed and mustard seed for 10 minutes.
Pack into hot half-pint jars, leaving 1/4-inch headspace.
Process in a water bath or steam canner for 10 minutes (adjusted for altitude).
Yield: about 8 half-pint jars

That’s the basic steps. Lets look at each more in detail below.

Table of Contents

Already have dill pickles chopped up in the fridge? Skip the fresh cucumbers and turn those into relish instead, my dill pickle recipe works well for this.

Pickle Relish: Extended, Step-By-Step Directions

What Vegetables to Use (and What You Can Swap)

Cucumbers

Use pickling cucumbers for this one, not the slicing kind you’d put on a salad. They’ve got thinner skin and less water in them, so you get a firmer relish instead of something soft and watery. You can use burpless or slicing cucumbers if that’s what you’ve got, they’ll just turn out a little softer.

Also keep in mind if you purchase cucumbers they are sometimes treated with a wax coating. You don’t want that in your relish so you’d have to peel them first.

Honestly, just get pickling cucumbers. Or better yet grow your own!

Peppers – Red, Green or Hot!

Red and green peppers are interchangeable here. Red adds a nice pop of color, but if all you’ve got is green, use all green. Or if you like spicy you can substitute in a bit of hot peppers!

Just keep the total amount the same.

Onions – Red or white?

White or purple onion both work fine, use whichever you have on hand.

How to Make Pickle Relish

You’ll start by soaking your cucumbers and veggies for a couple hours. After the soaking time (or as it soaks) you can get your canning supplies out for the canning process.

Canning Supplies

water bath canner
canning jars
canning lids and rings
jar lifter
canning funnel and ladle
salad spinner (optional)
ladle

Ingredients:

1 quart chopped cucumber
2 cups chopped onion
1 cup chopped green pepper
1 cup chopped red pepper for color (you can substitute more green if you don’t have red)
1/4 cup canning salt
3 1/2 cups sugar
2 cups apple cider vinegar (white vinegar can be substituted)
1 Tbsp. celery seed
1 Tbsp. mustard seed

Vegetable Soak

Combine chopped cucumbers, onion, and peppers in a large bowl. Sprinkle with salt and cover with cold water. Let stand for 2 hours. The salt will remove some of the water from the cucumbers. Don’t skip this step.

Drain well. Press or spin out any excess water. A salad spinner works great for this, or you can press the mixture through a colander or wring it out in a clean towel. You want to get out as much liquid as possible.

Canning your Relish

Get water in your canner heating and warm the jars up. I like to just put the jars right into the canner to warm.

Combine sugar, vinegar, and spices. Bring to a boil. Add well-drained vegetables and simmer 10 minutes.
Pack into hot jars, leaving 1/4-inch headspace.
Add pickle crisp to each jar if desired. If you want a little extra insurance against a soft, mushy relish try pickle crisp. I use the Ball brand, but other brands work fine too. I don’t always bother with it. It does help though, especially if your cucumbers were a little soft to begin with.
Wipe your rims clean with a damp paper towel or lint free cloth. You don’t want food particles or stickiness to interfere with the seal.
Process sweet pickle relish according to water bath or steam canning directions. Full steps in the recipe card below.

Process half-pints for 10 minutes, adjusting for altitude according to the chart below. For more information on why this is important, see this altitude adjustments page.

Can You Use Zucchini Instead of Cucumber?

Yes. Zucchini is a safe one-for-one swap for cucumber here, per extension guidance. I haven’t made this particular batch with zucchini myself, but it’s a well-tested substitution, so go for it if that’s what you’ve got.

If you’re starting from fresh zucchini, use this zucchini relish recipe instead of adapting this one.

I’ve been asked of frozen shredded zucchini would work. I’d skip it for relish. I cover the full reason why on my frozen zucchini for canning relish page, but short version: freezing breaks down the zucchini, and it turns soft and watery.

Sweet vs. Dill Pickle Relish: How They Compare

Sweet and dill relish start from the same base, chopped cucumber, onion, and pepper, but they go different directions from there.

This sweet relish leans on sugar, celery seed, and mustard seed, that classic ballpark-hot-dog flavor. And obviously… it is sweeter than a dill relish.

Dill relish drops most of the sugar and builds around fresh or dried dill instead. Neither one’s more correct. It just depends what you’re putting it on.

Be sure to you use a tested recipe for either version. You can adapt the seasonings, but the salt, vinegar veggie ratios are important for safety.

Vinegar Substitution — ACV vs. White Vinegar

Apple Cider Vinegar and White vinegar are interchangeable in canning recipes. It’s a flavor difference, not a safety one. ACV gives you a rounder, slightly sweeter background note. White vinegar’s sharper and cleaner. Use whichever you’ve got, or whichever you like better.

Note – The vinegar must be 5% acidity. There are some basic vinegars that are now being sold that are only 4%. Check the labels on your bottle.

Water Bath or Steam Canning, what is best?

This recipe is safe to process in either a water bath canner or a steam canner. I used to always water bath can my relish, but I’ve switched over to steam canning for most of my pickled and high-acid recipes now. Less water to heat up, so it’s faster, more efficient. Especially for a small batch of half-pints like this one.

The directions below are for water bath canning. If you want to use steam canning you’ll use the same processing time as below… but use the process from this steam canning guide. (Or the manual that comes with your steam canner).

Can I use this for a freezer relish recipe?

If you’d rather skip canning altogether, you can freeze pickle relish instead. Pack the cooked relish into freezer-safe containers, leave a little room for expansion, and freeze. Keep in mind, it will lose some of it’s crispness. Try a small batch and see if you like it.

Storage – How long will it last?

Canned relish keeps well for at least a year, sealed and stored somewhere cool and dark. Once you open a jar, refrigerate it. I’ve never had one go moldy on me, vinegar helps with that, but still watch for signs of spoilage and use it up within a month or so.

I’ve got more on home canning, how long it lasts and expiration dates here.

Pinnable Recipe Card

Prep Time:2 30

Processing Half-Pints (adjust for altitude):10

Total Time:2 40

Equipment

Ingredients

1 quart Cucumber chopped
2 cups Onion(s) chopped
1 cup Peppers green, chopped
1 cup Peppers red, chopped
¼ cup Canning Salt
3 ½ cups Sugar
2 cups Apple Cider Vinegar 5% Acidity, White vinegar may substitute.
1 Tablespoon Celery Seed
1 Tablespoon Mustard Seed

Instructions

Processing with a Water Bath Canner

Place the jar in the warm canner. Proceed to fill all jars placing them in the canner.
When all the jars are filled, bring the water in the canner to a boil. When a boil is reached, that is when you’ll start your timing. Process for the length of time on the chart below. Adjust for your altitude.
After your time is over, turn the heat off, remove the lid, and allow the canner to rest for about 5 minutes.
Then bring your jars up out of the water. Allow them to rest for another 5 minutes.
Then remove the jars and place them a few inches apart on a thick towel to cool completely.
Leave them alone for about 12 hours or until room temperature.
When the jars are cooled, remove the metal bands, check the seals, label the jars, and store them away.

Notes

Processing Times

This recipe is for half pints or smaller.

Altitude – Time
0-1,000 ft – 10 minutes
1,001-3,000 ft – 15 minutes
3,001-6,000 ft – 20 minutes
Above 6,000 ft – 25 minutes

Processing with a Steam Canner

Follow the same fill and headspace directions as above. Follow the same time as water bath canning.

See my steam canning guide for full setup and canning details, or your steam canner manual. https://www.simplycanning.com/steam-canner/

Adapted from: Ball Blue Book

Servings: 1/2 pint jars

Author: Sharon Peterson

Sweet Message About Sweet Pickle Relish from My Friend, Rita

Love my friends! And it looks like I need to have a pickle making party!

Sharon ~ I would LOVE to have your recipe for your sweet relish!! OY! Its sooooooo good! Remember, you left a jar here after the kids b-day last September? I’ve been hiding it in the back of the fridge cause its almost gone! lol! I will learn how to make that this year!! ~ Rita

Pickle Relish Tips & FAQs

Can I Can Sweet Pickle Relish in Pint Jars?

No. This sweet pickle relish recipe has only been tested in half-pint jars, so that’s what I’d stick with. Heat needs to fully penetrate the jar for the food inside to be safe, and pint jars haven’t been tested for this recipe, so there’s no safe processing time to give you. Smaller jars are fine, just process them for the same time as the half-pint size, don’t reduce it.

How Long Does Pickle Relish Last in the Fridge?

I’ve never really tested it, but I don’t ever remember pickle relish going moldy on me. It’s pickled with vinegar, which helps preserve it. I’d estimate it should last in the fridge for at least a month, then just watch for signs of spoilage.

How Do You Get the Excess Water Out When Making Pickle Relish?

After salting and soaking the chopped cucumbers, onion, and peppers, I use a salad spinner to spin out the excess water. It works great. If you don’t have one, press the mixture through a colander, or wring it out in a clean towel.

How to Use Sweet Pickle Relish

Sweet pickle relish is a perfect match for hamburgers, hot dogs, or brats. But my favorite way to use it is in chicken sandwiches. Mix some relish in with home canned chicken breast and shredded cheddar cheese, add a couple shakes of hot sauce, salt and pepper, and enough Miracle Whip to moisten. Spread it on a sandwich or mix with macaroni for a cold macaroni salad.

Can I Freeze Pickle Relish Instead of Canning It?

Yes. Pack the cooked pickle relish into freezer-safe containers with a little headspace and freeze. The texture softens once thawed, so it’s best suited for cooked dishes, dressings, or salads rather than eating straight from the jar.

Can I Use Pickle Crisp in Pickle Relish?

Yes, pickle crisp is optional but can help keep pickle relish from turning out too soft. Add it to each jar when packing pickle relish, following the package directions.

Can I Substitute Zucchini for Cucumber in Pickle Relish?

Yes, fresh zucchini is a safe one-for-one substitute for cucumber in pickle relish. See my zucchini relish recipe if you’re starting from fresh. If you’re wondering about frozen shredded zucchini instead, that’s a different situation, so check my frozen zucchini for canning relish page for that one.

Can I Use Burpless Cucumbers to Make Pickle Relish?

You can, though I haven’t tried it myself. Burpless and slicing cucumbers carry more water than pickling cucumbers, so expect a softer texture in the finished relish. It should still be safe, just not as crisp.