Zucchini jam: 3 cooking recipes

Zucchini jam is a delicacy that is not familiar to everyone. It has unique flavor characteristics and can be used as an independent dessert or addition to baked goods.

Composition and calories

The basis of this jam are zucchini. This vegetable contains a large number of nutrients. Per 100 g of the product accounts for:

• 0.32 g of fat;
• 1.21 g of vegetable proteins;
• 3.11 g of carbohydrates;
• 94.79 g water;
• 0.58 g ash;
• 2.5 g sugar;
• 1.0 g of fiber.

Zucchinis are a rich source of vitamins. 100 g contains:

• 10 µg of vitamin A (1.1% of the daily allowance);
• 120 micrograms of beta-carotene (2.4% of the daily requirement);
• 0.1 mg of vitamin E (0.8% of the daily requirement);
• 4.3 mcg of vitamin K (3.6% of the daily allowance);
• 17.9 mg of ascorbic acid (29.9% of the daily allowance);
• 0.1 mg of vitamin B2 (7.2% of the daily allowance);
• 24 mcg of vitamin B9 (6% of the daily allowance);
• 0.5 mg of vitamin B3 (2.8% of the daily allowance);
• 0.2 mg of vitamin B6 (13.5% of the daily allowance);
• 9.5 mg of vitamin B4 (1.9% of the daily allowance);
• 0.2 mg of vitamin B5 (4.1% of the daily allowance).

Zucchini contains a large amount of minerals. 100 g of this vegetable contains:

• 16 mg of calcium;
• 0.2 mcg of selenium;
• 0.4 mg of iron;
• 0.2 mg of manganese;
• 18 mg magnesium;
• 0.1 mg copper;
• 38 mg phosphorus;
• 0.3 mg zinc;
• 261 g potassium;
• 8 mg sodium.

The nutrients contained in zucchini are also contained in jam prepared on its basis. However, when consuming this product, you should also consider the fact that its caloric content will be significantly higher if it contains sugar.

In 100 grams of zucchini jam contains 196 kcal. Due to its low calorie content, the product can be included in a diet whose goal is to reduce weight.

It is worth noting and the fact that zucchini jam contains more proteins, fats and carbohydrates than the vegetable itself, which is worth considering when including the finished product in the daily diet. 100 g of zucchini jam contains:

• 0.3 g of proteins;
• 0.1 g of fat;
• 48.9 g of carbohydrates.

What is useful for zucchini jam

The rich composition of zucchini allows you to use jam cooked on their basis, not only as a delicious treat, but also as a means for the prevention and treatment of many diseases. This product has many useful properties. With regular use, it is capable of:

1. Improve the work of the human immune system, which helps to prevent the development of diseases caused by viruses or infections.
2. Accelerate the process of rehabilitation after serious illnesses.
3. Prevent the development of avitaminosis and saturate the human body with missing vitamins.
4. Accelerate metabolic processes.
5. Normalize the work of the cardiovascular system, preventing the development of dangerous diseases.
6. Improve the blood.
7. Increase the level of hemoglobin in the blood, preventing the development of anemia.
8. Normalize the hormonal background.
9. To remove excess fluid from the body, which helps to get rid of edema.
10. Stop premature aging of the skin and the whole body.
11. Remove accumulations of toxins, detrimental cholesterol and other harmful substances.
12. Prevent the appearance of malignant tumors.
13. Normalize the work of the gastrointestinal tract.
14. Improve the function of the kidneys and liver, preventing the development of dangerous diseases.
15. Regulate the secret function of the stomach and intestines.
16. Prevent the development of disorders of the central nervous system.
17. Accelerate the healing process in the presence of diseases such as arthritis, atherosclerosis.
18. Relieve the symptoms of allergies and prevent its recurrence.

Based on this, it is safe to say that zucchini jam is one of the most useful treats. It can please not only with its taste characteristics, but also have a beneficial effect on the human body.

How to choose zucchinis for jam

To achieve the expected result and cook delicious zucchini jam, you should know how to choose the main ingredient - zucchini. The yellow varieties will be ideal for making this treat. Jam, cooked from such zucchinis, will have not only a pleasant taste and bright flavor, but also a beautiful golden color.

Choosing vegetables for cooking a delicacy, pay attention to their degree of maturity. Young zucchini will boil, and overripe ones will spoil the taste of the finished product. So it is worth giving preference to moderately mature vegetables. The jam, made from them, will have both a great taste and the right consistency.

Pay attention to the quality of vegetables. During the preparation of the treat is not allowed to use spoiled zucchini. Such vegetables will spoil not only the appearance of the finished product, but also have a negative impact on its taste and flavor.

Peculiarities of cooking delicacy

Decided to cook zucchini jam for the first time? Then we suggest you read a small list of nuances that should be taken into account when cooking this delicacy:

1. To ensure that the jam is not too liquid, you should remove the maximum amount of liquid from the vegetables.
2. Making sure that the treat is ready is very simple. Drop a few drops of jam on a ceramic saucer and pay attention to how it behaves. If the liquid spreads over the surface, it indicates that you need to boil the jam some more. If, on the other hand, the drops hold their shape, then the treat can be taken off the fire.
3. During the preparation of zucchini jam, a large amount of sugar is used. Some people may find this treat too sweet or even sugary. In this case, it is allowed to reduce the amount of sugar. However, you should also remember the fact that such actions will lead to a reduction in the shelf life.
4. If you decide to make a large amount of zucchini jam, prepare a test batch and adjust the amount of ingredients to your liking.
5. Do you like tender, melt-in-your-mouth jam? Then peel off all the skin from the vegetables.
6. Freshly cooked zucchini jam should be allowed to stand for at least 24 hours before use. During this time, the zucchinis will be infused with sweetness and the delicacy will acquire a rich flavor and aroma.
7. To make the jam even tastier, you can add not only zucchini, but also other ingredients, such as apples, lemons, oranges and so on.

How to cook zucchini jam: Recipes

There are a huge number of recipes for zucchini jam. Each of them is unique and has its own flavor differences and features. Therefore, to choose a recipe that will suit the taste of the household, you need to cook at least a few of them. Start with those suggested below, and be sure - zucchini jam once and for all will become one of your favorite treats!

Zucchini Lemon Jam

Zucchinis are perfectly combined with lemon, which allows you to use it as an additional ingredient in the preparation of this unique treat. Before proceeding with the direct preparation, prepare the following ingredients:

• 1 kg of fresh zucchini.
• 1 kg of granulated sugar.
• 1 medium-sized lemon.
• 100 ml of purified, cold water.

Preparation of zucchini lemon jam consists of the following steps:

1. Start by processing the vegetables. Rinse them thoroughly in clean water, removing all impurities. After that proceed to remove the skin and slice the zucchini. Using a sharp knife, cut each vegetable into cubes, trying to make them equal. This will give an attractive appearance to the finished product.
2. Prepare the lemons. Rinse them under cold running water, wipe them with a dry towel and grind them with a blender.
3. The next step is to make the sugar syrup. Pour 100 ml of water into a container, which will be used for cooking jam, add 700 grams of sugar and put it on a low heat. Bring the resulting mixture to a boil, stirring constantly.
4. Once the syrup boils, pour in the sliced zucchini and the remaining sugar. Thoroughly stir the mixture and simmer for no more than 10 minutes. After the sugar has completely dissolved, the zucchini should be completely covered with syrup. The main thing is to prevent them from sticking to the bottom of the pan. To prevent this, constantly stir the jam.
5. When the syrup is ready and the zucchini has boiled a little, add chopped lemons to the jam and mix the resulting mixture well. Boil the mass until the lemon peel becomes soft. Usually it takes no more than 20-30 minutes.
6. Once the lemon rind has softened, the jam is considered ready. Pour it into pre-prepared jars and close with lids.

Apple and zucchini jam

Surprise your taste and zucchini jam, during the preparation of which sweet, fully matured apples were used.

To prepare a treat according to this recipe, you will need the following ingredients:

• 750 g zucchini.
• 250 grams of sweet apples.
• 750 grams of granulated sugar.
• 75 ml of fresh lemon juice.
• 10 g chopped ginger root.

For the jam to have a pleasant taste and beautiful color, prepare it in the following sequence:

1. Rinse apples and zucchini under running water, peel them from the skin and remove the seeds. If you find spoiled fruits and vegetables, replace them with quality ones.
2. Grind these two ingredients with a meat grinder.
3. Put all the ingredients in the indicated quantities in an enameled saucepan of suitable size. A double-bottomed saucepan is ideal. During cooking in such a container, the risk of sticking is minimized.
4. After thoroughly stirring, put the billet on medium heat and bring it to a boil, constantly stirring the jam with a wooden spoon.
5. After the sugar has completely dissolved and the jam is boiling, turn up the heat a little more and cook the jam until it is completely cooked. It will take you no more than 25 minutes.
6. After the specified time, remove the foam from the finished delicacy, pour it into clean and sterilized jars, and then roll up.

Zucchini citrus jam

Citrus can improve the taste of many dishes. This can also be said in the case of zucchini jam. The flavor of this treat will open up for you in a new way if you add to it a small amount of oranges and lemons.

To make the jam you will need the following ingredients:

• Zucchini - 1,5 kg.
• Lemons - 2 pcs.
• Oranges - 2 pcs.
• Ginger - 25 gr.
• Water - 100 ml.
• Sugar - 1,5 kg.

Preparing jam according to this recipe does not take too much time and consists of the following steps:

1. Dump the zucchini in a medium-sized basin, pour cool water over them and thoroughly wash each vegetable.
2. Peel the clean zucchini from the skin and seeds. After that, cut them into cubes, the size of which should not be too large.
3. Rinse lemons and oranges, then peel and slice them in the same way as zucchini.
4. Peel the ginger root and chop it in any way you like.
5. When all the ingredients are ready, proceed to prepare the sugar syrup. To do this, mix the water with the specified amount of sugar in a container, which has been selected for brewing jam. Bring the resulting mixture to a boil, constantly stirring it with a wooden spoon.
6. Do not take the syrup off the fire, pour the prepared zucchini and ginger into it. Bring the mixture to a boil.
7. When it is boiling add citrus fruit.
8. Stir thoroughly and simmer until the jam becomes fully translucent. This will take no more than 50 minutes.

Pour the finished jam into jars (0.5 l or 1 l) and seal it.

Common mistakes

Housewives who decided to cook this delicacy for the first time, make many mistakes, which in turn negatively affect the taste characteristics, flavor and appearance of the finished product.

The most common mistakes include the following:

1. Using utensils unsuitable for cooking jam. Zucchini is a delicate vegetable that cooks very quickly. That is why it is recommended to use double-bottomed pots for making zucchini jam. This will prevent the vegetables and other ingredients from sticking to the bottom of the container and get the desired result.
2. Too little sugar. Of course, not everyone likes too sweet jam. However, when it comes to zucchini jam, reducing the amount of sugar specified in the recipe will lead to a decrease in the shelf life of the preparation. If you reduce the amount of sugar by 100-200 grams, the shelf life will be reduced by a small amount of time, but if you reduce the sugar content by half, the shelf life will be minimal.
3. Adding vegetables with signs of rotting. Vegetables that show signs of rotting cannot be used to make jam, even if the spoiled part of the zucchini has been cut off.
4. Cooking time. The cooking time of zucchini jam should correspond to that specified in the recipe. If you boil the jam for too long, its taste and color will be far from ideal. In addition, with prolonged exposure to high temperatures, many vitamins and other useful substances in the composition disappear. Naturally, about the benefits of consuming such a product is no longer necessary.
5. Incorrect cutting of vegetables. Slicing zucchini, you should take into account the fact that during cooking, their size will decrease several times.

Take into account each of these nuances and cook zucchini jam correctly. Only then will its taste please every member of the family.

Rules for storing jam

To preserve the taste characteristics and all the useful properties of zucchini jam, you should store it correctly. If the delicacy is prepared for long-term storage, the main condition is to use carefully washed and sterilized jars. It is also worth considering the fact that jars for closing jam must be made of glass. Plastic or metal containers are not suitable for this purpose.

Jam, during the preparation of which used the amount of sugar specified in the recipe, can be stored for no more than two years (only if it will be protected from direct sunlight and too high temperatures). Jars with such jam can be put in a pantry or in a closed kitchen cabinet, which should not be located in close proximity to the kitchen stove.

If during the preparation of jam the amount of sugar was reduced, then it should be stored only in a cold place. This can be a refrigerator or a cellar. In this case, its storage time is reduced by more than half.

If the rules of storage of zucchini jam are not followed, not only its taste and appearance change. Such a delicacy can spoil very quickly. Remember that eating tainted food can cause serious food poisoning!

Zucchinis and Courgettes Facts

1. Zucchinis can be eaten raw. Some varieties of zucchini can be eaten without prior heat treatment. They have a pleasant, delicate flavor and can be eaten as a single product or used as an ingredient in vegetable salads.
2. Young zucchinis taste much better than old ones and have a rich flavor, which cannot be said about those that have lingered in the beds. In addition, older vegetables have a thicker skin, which makes it impossible to use them for some dishes.
3. A zucchini is a pumpkin. Botanists say that zucchini belongs to the same family as the pumpkin.
4. The homeland of this amazing vegetable is the territory of modern Mexico. Although zucchini are most common in the Russian Federation, their historical homeland is Mexico. People who lived on its territory were eating them long before the arrival of the conquistadors. However, only zucchini seeds were considered edible.
5. Inflorescences that appear before the fruits form can also be used as food.
6. Some French and Greek national dishes are based on zucchini flowers. Such culinary masterpieces are very popular with the local population and have excellent taste characteristics.
7. Zucchinis can grow to enormous sizes. In 1998, a zucchini was grown that weighed more than 60 kilograms.
8. This product contains very few calories. One serving of zucchini (100 g) contains only 25 calories.
9. Zucchini can also be consumed during a diet, the purpose of which is to lose weight. This vegetable contains a minimum amount of calories, which allows you to include it in a diet menu.
10. Zucchini will help not only to saturate the human body with vitamins necessary for its normal functioning, but also to preserve female beauty. With the systematic use of dishes prepared on the basis of this vegetable, there is an improvement in the appearance of hair, slowing down their loss and accelerating their growth.
11. This vegetable is widely used in cosmetology. Cosmetologists advise the fairer sex of humanity to regularly make masks that include zucchini pulp. Such treatments will help to maintain the beauty of the skin, moisturizing and saturating it with a lot of vitamins.
12. In European countries, zucchini was used as a decoration. This vegetable was introduced to Europe back in the 16th century. However, they began to use it as a food product much later. Zucchinis have long been grown exclusively for ornamental purposes.
13. Zucchinis will help to strengthen the immune system. This product contains a large amount of ascorbic acid, which can improve the immune system of a person. In this case, to improve immunity, zucchini can be consumed not only adults, but also children. It does not cause allergic reactions and is easily digested.
14. Zucchinis mature in record time. If growing in favorable conditions, the first ripe fruits can be harvested as early as 45 days after sowing the seeds in the open field.
15. Vegetable or berry? Surprisingly, botanists argue that the zucchini, like the pumpkin, is difficult to call a vegetable. Based on certain facts and characteristics, experts call its fruits berries.

Zucchini jam is a treat that will surprise you with its taste and appetizing flavor. In addition, when consuming it, the human body will receive a huge amount of vitamins, macro- and micronutrients, which allows you to call zucchini jam one of the most useful desserts. Therefore, if you have never tried this delicacy, there is no need to waste time. Choose one of the proposed recipes, proceed to the preparation and be sure - you will not be able to tear yourself away from this jam!