Pickle relish is one of those pantry staples that tastes completely different when you make it yourself. This sweet pickle relish recipe uses garden cucumbers, bell peppers, and a turmeric-spiced brine that my grandmother made every summer without fail. It is bright, tangy, and just sweet enough to balance a burger or dress up an egg salad. Ready in about 30 minutes active time; plan for a 2-hour soak.
If you are new to water bath canning, my canning 101 guide walks you through the full process before you start. When you are ready for your next project, my bread and butter pickles have been on this site since the beginning and they are still one of the most-made recipes here. For something sweet without the pickle, my son requests blueberry syrup every summer.
Recipe Card?
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Instructions
Fresh, simple ingredients make the best sweet pickle relish. Cucumbers bring the crunch, peppers add color and sweetness, onion gives a savory base, and the vinegar-sugar brine ties it all together. With just a handful of spices, you'll have a relish that tastes better than anything store-bought and it makes 2 quarts!
Prep the Veggies
- Wash and dry the cucumbers, peppers, and onion.
- Remove the seeds from the cucumbers and peppers, then finely dice all the vegetables.
Salt and Soak
- Place the diced vegetables in a large pot, sprinkle with the pickling salt, and stir to coat.
- Add enough water to just cover the vegetables, then cover the pot and let them soak for 2 hours.
Drain and Rinse
- After soaking, pour the vegetables into a large strainer.
- Rinse well under cool water to remove excess salt and let them drain completely while you prepare the brine.
Make the Brine
- In the rinsed pot, combine apple cider vinegar and sugar.
- Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves.
- Add mustard seed, celery seed, and turmeric.
- Boil for 2 minutes to infuse the flavor.
Simmer
- Reduce the heat to low, add the drained vegetables to the brine, and stir well.
- Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Fill the Jars
Hot relish into hot jars-that's the rule.
- Spoon the relish into the prepared mason jars, dividing evenly so one jar doesn't get all the liquid.
- Wipe jar rims clean and secure the lids.
Canning Method (Water Bath)
This method seals your relish for long-term storage.
- Place filled jars in a canning pot with water covering them by at least 1 inch.
- Boil for 10 minutes.
- Remove jars and let sit at room temperature for 24 hours.
Check the Seal
Check seals (lids should not flex when pressed). Store sealed jars in a cool pantry for up to 1 year.
Refrigerator Method
Perfect if you don't want to can or don't have space for long term storage!
- Let jars cool to room temperature (about 2 hours).
- Tighten lids and refrigerate.
- Wait 3 days before using for best flavor.
- Store sealed jars in the fridge for up to 3 months.
Did you make this recipe?
Do you have feedback that would be helpful to others? If so can help this small business owner by leaving a rating and a review in the comments section? Thank you for being part of the Savoring The Good Community. ~ Sarah
Picnic Tip
If you're planning for a BBQ or picnic, make it at least 3 days in advance using the refrigerator method.
Ingredient Substitutes?
- White vinegar instead of apple cider vinegar - White vinegar gives you a sharper, cleaner bite. Apple cider vinegar has a mild fruitiness that rounds out the sweetness; you lose that with white vinegar. The relish still works, it just tastes a little more one-note. I use apple cider vinegar.
- Green bell pepper only (no red) - Classic sweet pickle relish is often all green, and it works fine. The red pepper adds a little sweetness and color contrast. Skip it if that's what you have; the recipe holds.
- Jalapeño added - Add 1-2 seeded jalapeños with the peppers and you get a sweet-heat relish. It's a different product, not just a spicier version.
- Honey instead of sugar - Honey changes the flavor profile significantly; it goes floral. If you want less sugar, reduce the granulated sugar by half instead (see the Uncle George note in the FAQ).
- Zucchini instead of cucumbers - This works, and it's a smart move when your garden is overflowing in August. The texture is slightly softer than that of cucumber relish and the flavor is milder. Salt and drain it the same way. It is not sweet pickle relish at that point; it is zucchini relish, which is its own good thing!
What can I use sweet pickle relish for?
It's classic on hot dogs and burgers, but also great in tuna salad, egg salad, deviled eggs, potato salad, or as a quick topping for grilled meats.
Seasonal Favorite
This is the best homemade seedless black raspberry jam recipe made with fresh or frozen black raspberries.
Frequently asked questions, answers and tips:
While I try to share all the information you need to make this recipe in your home with restaurant-quality results, there still may be a question or two. Or these are questions I have received from the community about this recipe. I do my best to answer them as clearly as I can. I hope this helps.
Not always! If your cucumbers have small, tender seeds, you can leave them in. For larger, tougher seeds, it's best to scoop them out so your relish stays smooth and crisp. Personally, I scoop out the seeds.
Yes, but pickling cucumbers work best because they're smaller, firmer, and have less water. If you use a slicing cucumber, make sure to remove extra seeds and let them drain well.
Absolutely! I make a reduced sugar version for my Uncle George and you can too. I recommend reducing the sugar by half for a more tangy pickle relish. Just know the flavor will be sharper and less traditional.
If a jar doesn't seal, don't panic, it happens to all of us. Just store it in the refrigerator and use it within 3 months. For long-term storage, reprocess the jar in a water bath with a new lid.
This usually means the vegetables weren't drained thoroughly after soaking. While there isn't a quick fix now that the relish is made make note so that next time you make sure to rinse and let them sit in a strainer for a while longer before adding them to the brine.
If the vegetables weren't rinsed well after salting, extra salt can carry into the brine. Rinse thoroughly and let them drain fully before simmering.
This happened to me one time while I was chatting on the phone and not watching my relish pot. Overcooking the vegetables can soften them too much. Be sure to simmer gently and only for the recommended 10 minutes. Also, use firm, fresh cucumbers for best texture.
Sarah's Culinary Insight
- The 2-hour salt soak is not optional. It pulls excess water out of the cucumbers, which is what keeps the relish from turning watery. I've skipped it when I was short on time; the relish was noticeably looser.
- Drain longer than you think you need to. After rinsing, I let the vegetables sit in the strainer for a full 15 minutes. Water hiding in the vegetables will thin your brine.
- Simmer gently and watch the clock. 10 minutes is the sweet spot; I've gone over by even a few minutes while distracted and paid for it with mushy relish.
- The turmeric is what gives sweet pickle relish its signature yellow color. It's mild in flavor but non-negotiable for the look.
- If you're canning, start heating your water bath while the relish simmers so you're not waiting around with a hot pot of relish.
Ingredients
- 6 Medium Pickling Cucumbers
- 1 red bell pepper
- 1 yellow bell pepper
- 1 Large White onion
- ¼ Cup Pickling Salt
- 1 ¼ Cup Apple Cider Vinegar
- 1 ½ Cup Sugar
- ½ Tablespoon mustard seeds
- 1 Teaspoon celery seeds
- ½ Teaspoon ground turmeric
Instructions
- Wash and dry the cucumbers, peppers, and onion. Remove the seeds from the cucumbers and peppers, then finely dice all the vegetables.6 Medium Pickling Cucumbers, 1 red bell pepper, 1 yellow bell pepper, 1 Large White onion
- Place the diced vegetables in a large pot, sprinkle with the pickling salt, and stir to coat. Add enough water to just cover the vegetables, then cover the pot and let them soak for 2 hours.¼ Cup Pickling Salt
- After soaking, pour the vegetables into a large strainer. Rinse well under cool water to remove excess salt and let them drain completely while you prepare the brine.
- In the rinsed pot, combine apple cider vinegar and sugar. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Add mustard seed, celery seed, and turmeric. Boil for 2 minutes to infuse the flavor.1 ¼ Cup Apple Cider Vinegar, 1 ½ Cup Sugar, ½ Tablespoon mustard seeds, 1 Teaspoon celery seeds, ½ Teaspoon ground turmeric
- Reduce the heat to low, add the drained vegetables to the brine, and stir well. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally so every bite absorbs the seasoning.
Fill the Jars
- Hot relish into hot jars-that's the rule. Spoon the relish into the prepared mason jars, dividing evenly so one jar doesn't get all the liquid. Wipe jar rims clean and secure the lids.
Canning Method (Water Bath)
- Place filled jars in a canning pot with water covering them by at least 1 inch.Boil for 10 minutes.Remove jars and let sit at room temperature for 24 hours.Check seals (lids should not flex when pressed). Store sealed jars in a cool pantry for up to 1 year.
Refrigerator Method
- Let jars cool to room temperature (about 2 hours).Tighten lids and refrigerate.Wait 3 days before using for best flavor.Store sealed jars in the fridge for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
Notes
- I use garden fresh cucumbers for this recipe. The color of your relish will change based on the color of cucumbers you choose to use.
- I prefer sweeter peppers for this recipe, but you can use green bell peppers as well.
- If your cucumbers don't have very many seeds and you don't mind cucumber seeds, you don't have to leave them out of the relish. This is a preference thing and is totally up to you. However, if there are a lot of seeds in your cucumbers, I would recommend removing some of them, at least.
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