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Cucumber relish is a flavorful way to preserve summer vegetables without the dill or pickling spice you’d find in traditional relish recipes. This version combines cucumbers, sweet peppers, celery, and onion in a lightly sweetened vinegar brine with just a touch of mustard and celery seed. It’s crisp, tangy, and colorful—perfect for burgers, hot dogs, and picnic salads.
Cucumber relish is one of those old-fashioned pantry staples that deserves a place in every home kitchen. Unlike dill relish or sweet pickle relish, this version skips the pickling spices and dill in favor of a balanced mix of cucumbers, sweet bell peppers, onion, and celery. The result is a relish that’s fresh-tasting, colorful, and just tangy enough—perfect for topping burgers and hot dogs, or mixing into egg and potato salads.
This tested recipe, adapted from the Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving, uses a salt soak to draw excess moisture from the vegetables, which keeps the finished relish from turning watery in the jar. After rinsing away most of the salt, the chopped veggies are simmered briefly in a lightly sweetened vinegar brine with celery seed and mustard seed for flavor. It’s easy to prepare, and the bright flavor and vibrant colors make it a great way to preserve the summer cucumber harvest in a shelf-stable form.
If you’ve never made relish before, this is a great starter recipe. There’s no tricky timing or hard-to-find ingredients—just classic garden vegetables and a simple canning process. The finished jars make thoughtful gifts and are endlessly useful in everyday cooking.
Ingredients for Cucumber Relish
This is not a dill or pickle relish—no overpowering spices here. Just a balanced mix of garden vegetables with subtle seasoning for a clean, sweet flavor.
- Cucumbers – Peeled and finely chopped, they form the bulk of the relish and soak up the brine beautifully.
- Green and Red Bell Peppers – Add color, crunch, and mild sweetness.
- Celery – Gives structure and bite, balancing the soft texture of the cucumbers.
- Onion – Adds depth and savoriness to round out the flavors.
- Canning Salt – Used in the soaking step to draw out excess moisture. It’s rinsed before canning so the relish isn’t overly salty.
- White Vinegar – The preserving acid, and vital to canning safety. Stick to vinegar with 5% acidity for safety, but you can also use white wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar for a milder flavor.
- Sugar – Balances the tart vinegar and adds a traditional sweet relish flavor.
- Celery Seed – A warm, earthy spice that complements the celery flavor in the mix.
- Mustard Seed – Adds gentle heat and subtle spice without overpowering.
Feel free to add other spices to adjust the flavor to suit your tastes.
How to Make Cucumber Relish
Start by prepping the vegetables: peel and finely chop the cucumbers, and finely dice the peppers, celery, and onion. In a large bowl, combine all the vegetables with the canning salt and let them sit for 4 hours in a cool place. This soaking step draws out excess liquid so the final relish isn’t watery.
Once the time is up, drain everything in a colander, rinse well with cool water, and squeeze out as much moisture as you can. Set the vegetables aside.
Meanwhile, prepare a boiling water bath canner and sterilize your jars, lids, and rings. In a large pot, combine the vinegar, sugar, mustard seed, and celery seed. Bring the mixture to a boil, then stir in the drained vegetables. Return to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Ladle the hot relish into prepared jars, leaving ½ inch headspace. Debubble, wipe rims, and adjust headspace as needed before applying the two-part canning lids. Process the jars in a boiling water bath canner for 10 minutes (adjusting for altitude), then turn off the heat and let them rest in the canner for 5 more minutes before removing to cool.
Altitude Adjustments
For safe water bath canning, increase processing time depending on your elevation:
- 0 to 1,000 feet – 10 minutes
- 1,001 to 6,000 feet – 15 minutes
- Above 6,000 feet – 20 minutes
Serving Ideas
This cucumber relish is perfect for spooning over grilled sausages, mixing into deviled eggs, or serving alongside cold salads. It also makes a delicious condiment for sandwiches, burgers, and wraps—especially in the summer when fresh toppings shine the most.
Cucumber Relish
Equipment
Ingredients
- 8 cups cucumbers, peeled and finely chopped
- 4 cups green bell peppers, finely chopped
- 4 cups red bell peppers, finely chopped
- 2 cups celery, finely chopped
- 1 cup onion, finely chopped
- ½ cup pickling or canning salt
- 3 cups white vinegar, 5% acidity
- 2 ¼ cups sugar
- 3 Tbsp celery seeds
- 3 Tbsp mustard seeds
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine cucumbers, green and red peppers, celery, onion, and canning salt. Cover and let sit in a cool place for 4 hours. Drain the vegetables in a colander, rinse with cool water, and drain thoroughly. Squeeze out excess moisture.
- Prepare a water bath canner and sterilize jars, lids, and rings.
- In a large saucepan, combine vinegar, sugar, celery seed, and mustard seed. Bring to a boil. Add the drained vegetable mixture, return to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes.
- Ladle the hot relish into prepared jars, leaving ½ inch headspace. Remove air bubbles, wipe rims, adjust headspace, and apply 2-part canning lids.
- Process in a boiling water bath canner for 10 minutes, adjusting for altitude. Let jars rest in the canner for 5 minutes before removing to cool completely. Store sealed jars in a cool, dark place. Refrigerate after opening.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Relish Recipes
If you’re diving into relish canning, there’s a wide range of flavors to try. My Corn Relish is a sweet and tangy pantry staple, while Zucchini Relish is a clever way to use up a bumper crop. For something traditional, try Dill Relish or the classic Piccalilli, also known as English-style mustard pickles.
Regional favorites like Southern Chow Chow and New England Chow Chow each bring their own twist, and Amish Chow Chow is a hearty mixed vegetable relish perfect for preserving the harvest.
