Zucchini Jam with Orange and Lemon

Prepare the ingredients for making zucchini jam with orange and lemon. Rinse the vegetables and fruits well.

Trim the ends of the zucchini. If the skin is thin and they are young zucchinis, you can leave it on. If they are mature, large zucchinis with thick skin, it must be peeled and the seeds removed. Then, cut the zucchinis into small pieces. When slicing the zucchinis, try to keep the pieces the same size. This way, they will cook evenly and have a uniform consistency. To make the jam juicy and not too runny, I recommend cutting the zucchinis into small pieces. They will cook faster and absorb the aroma and taste of the orange and lemon.

Set aside the sliced zucchinis. By the way, zucchini jam can be cooked not only with the addition of orange and lemon, but also with other fruits or berries. Sliced apples, pears, or strawberries would be suitable.

To start, you need to obtain the orange zest. It will give the zucchini jam a bright citrus aroma. When grating the orange, be careful not to rub the white part, as it will make the jam bitter.

Place the zucchini in a pot with a thick bottom and pour in half a cup of water.

Add the orange zest to the pot with zucchini, as well as squeeze the juice of a whole orange.

Add sugar to the pot and mix well. If you prefer very sweet jam, you can increase the amount of sugar in the recipe. However, be careful not to overdo it with the sugar in order to preserve the natural aroma and delicate taste of zucchini. If you like spices, you can also add a little cinnamon, vanilla, or ginger.

Place the pot over heat and begin to cook. The cooking time is approximately 20 minutes over low heat.

Constantly stir the jam. The zucchini will decrease in size, more liquid will appear at first, and then, thanks to pectin, it will thicken.

Add the juice of half a lemon 5 minutes before the end of cooking. This will give the zucchini jam a light acidity and improve its preservation. Lemon will make the taste of the jam even brighter. If the jam is too thick, you can add a small amount of boiling water and mix. If it is too liquid, you can continue cooking for a while to thicken the syrup.

To preserve the jam for winter, transfer it to sterilized jars, tightly close with lids, and store in a cool and dry place. It is recommended to use sterilized jars and lids so that the jam can be stored for a long time. Read here how to sterilize jars in a pot, kettle, oven, microwave, steamer, multicooker, dishwasher.

Zucchini jam with orange and lemon is ready. It is perfect as a filling for pies or buns. It also goes well with yogurt and cottage cheese, so when creating desserts, remember it too. Enjoy your meal.