How To Make Zucchini Ikra, A Vegetable Spread, Salad, And Dip
Zucchini Ikra is an incredibly tasty vegetable spread that you didn't know you needed in your life! It's wholesome, healthy, and tastes as delicious as it smells. A medley of fresh garden vegetables are lightly seasoned and simmered for an hour to turn into a spread, relish, sauce, or salad that's super flavorful and versatile. This is also really great as a dip and suitable if you want to serve vegetarian or vegan foods.
Equipment
- 10 inch skillet or 5-7 quart dutch oven
- knife
- Grater
- cutting board
Ingredients
- 1 large or 2 small onions - about 2 cups, diced
- 2 red bell peppers - about 2 cups, diced
- 1-2 jalapenos - minced
- 4 large garlic cloves - minced
- 2 large carrots - about 2 cups, grated
- 1 ½ - 2 lb zucchini - about 6 cups, diced
- 2 large tomatoes -about 2 cups, diced
- 2 tbsp apple vinegar
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 2-3 tsp salt
- ½ cup olive oil
Instructions
- Prepare your vegetables, finely dice, mince or grate.
- Heat the olive oil in a dutch oven or skillet, do not let it get smoky hot.
- Add the diced onions and cook for about 5 minutes till soft and translucent.
- Add the diced red bell peppers, jalapenos, and garlic. Saute for two minutes.
- Add the carrots, zucchini and tomatoes.
- Add all the seasonings and stir well.
- Bring the contents to a simmer.
- Place a lid on the Dutch oven or pan and simmer for about an hour until all vegetables are very soft and juicy. I often let it simmer for an hour and a half.
- Let cool, fill into jars and refrigerate until use.
- Ikra is served cold as a salad, relish, spread, salsa, or dip. It can be blended into a sauce too.
- This will keep refrigerated for about a week, but it can be frozen too.
Notes
How To Serve
- I used to love taking this to work for lunch and eat it as a salad, maybe with some bread and cheese or just by itself. Now I love to eat it for breakfast. Just straight up by itself. You can sprinkle some fresh herbs over it too. I like to use cilantro, dill, and/or parsley.
- Zucchini Ikra is so good too as a spread on toasted bread rounds, crackers, or as a dip with chips.
- Try topping your meat with zucchini ikra while its cooking for a great flavor and tasty sauce. I love this!
- Blend it to a smooth sauce and use it as a dip, a sauce on rice, stuffed peppers or cabbage.
- Top meats, baked potatoes, rice, fish, sandwiches, or burgers with zucchini ikra.
- Great as a vegetable side dish for just about any meal.
- Serve as a vegetable relish as part of a cold buffet, along with a cheese platter or charcuterie board.