Green Zucchini Ikra: Ukrainian Inspired Appetizer
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This recipe is inspired by the traditional dish Ikra, or “eggplant caviar,” a Russian and Ukrainian staple. Ikra is similar to bruschetta, caponata, or salsa. It’s a sort of relish dish that can be served alone or on crackers, toast, or soft bread. This traditional Slavic recipe is made with fresh zucchini, bell peppers, garlic, carrots, tomatoes, and onion. It’s a wonderful accompaniment to a main course, and it makes a delicious relish to include on a charcuterie plate.
what is ikra?
The more that I learn about traditional food, the more I am beginning to understand that many of the dishes that attract me the most tend to be a part of my ethnic heritage. I never knew that most of my family was from Eastern Poland and Western Ukraine until I started digging into my family records. Learning about the food cultures of my heritage has helped me to connect with my ancestors.
Recently, I discovered the recipe for Ikra and I was so inspired to make it! It was the perfect recipe as it used so many of the vegetables that were ripe in my garden. Baklazhannaya ikra is a garlicky, tangy, summertime spread traditionally made with eggplants, bell peppers, and tomatoes. It’s red in color and has a similar texture to bruschetta.
The dish is from Russia and Ukraine, and it became popular in the mid 20th century when food was scarce and there was widespread poverty. Caviar was a luxurious food, so this was nicknamed “poor man’s caviar” and stuck. Today, it’s a comfort food. You will usually find Ikra as part of a spread for a celebration, and it is considered a commonly made zakuski, or cold appetizer.
gathering ingredients:
To make your green zucchini ikra, you will need to gather a few key ingredients! This recipe is really fun to make in the summertime, especially if you are growing a garden. All of the produce in this recipe is ready to harvest around the same time, which means you can easily find all of the ingredients at the farmer’s market!
Onion. Yellow onion works best for this recipe, but white would be fine too.
Garlic.
Green Bell Peppers. Traditional Ikra uses red bell peppers, but we are using green to compliment the color of the zucchini!
Jalapeno Peppers. You can omit these if you would rather not have the dish be spicy!
Carrots.
Zucchini. You will want firm and young zucchini that do not have large seeds.
Cherry Tomatoes. If you want to avoid having tomato skins in your Ikra, you can use tomato sauce instead.
Oil. Any cooking oil will work for this recipe. I like to use avocado oil or sunflower oil.
Sugar. I used granulated sugar, but you can substitute in honey.
Vinegar. Distilled white vinegar works well for this recipe, but you can also use apple cider vinegar.
how to make zucchini ikra:
Step One: Begin by chopping all of your vegetables. For this recipe, you will want to dice them finely so that there are all about equal sized pieces.
Step Two: In a large sauce pot, warm the oil over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring constantly, until the onion is softened, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add the jalapeno pepper, bell pepper, and carrots. Cook until just softened, another 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in the cherry tomatoes and zucchini, cooking for another 2 to 3 minutes. Add the vinegar, sugar, salt, and pepper, stirring to coat.
Step Three: Bring the mixture to a boil and then lower the heat to a simmer. Adjust the seasonings as necessary, then cover the pot with a lid. Continue to simmer the Ikra on low heat for a further 40 to 50 minutes, or until the vegetables have broken down significantly and started to liquefy. It should look like a very chunky relish with some juices.
Step Four: Remove the pot from heat and allow the Ikra to cool down significantly. When cooled, transfer the Ikra to an airtight container and refrigerate until fully chilled, about 3 hours.
how to serve zucchini ikra:
This zucchini Ikra is delicious served as a cold appetizer on hot summer days! It makes an excellent accompaniment to a charcuterie board with crackers, toasts, cheeses, meats, and fresh vegetables.
Serve it on crostini. In these photos, I served my Ikra on homemade crostini! I used my recipe for 3-Hour Baguettes.
Serve it with pickles and other relishes. There are so many delicious pickles that taste great alongside Ikra! Try my 18th Century Style Refrigerator Pickles for a unique flavor.
Serve it with summer potluck staples. This Ikra would taste delicious with some homemade Three Bean Salad or Balsamic Tomato & Basil Pasta Salad.
common questions:
Why is Ikra served cold? Ikra is a zakuski or cold appetizer. This recipe is in the same category as pickles, relishes, salsas, spreads, salads, and charcuterie. You can certainly try it hot, but traditionally it is eaten cold on bread or toast.
How long does Ikra store? This homemade zucchini Ikra will store in the refrigerator for about 5 days. I think it tastes better the longer it sits!
Should this be pureed? Sure, it definitely can be! Some Ikra recipes are more of a smooth spread, similar to salsa. If you would rather your Ikra be smooth than chunky, you can put it into the food processor and pulse it a few times until smooth.
Can Ikra be canned? I have personally not tried it, and I have only come across non-tested recipes for canned Ikra. That does not mean that it cannot be canned! I would not suggest canning this recipe.
final thoughts:
If you have ever wondered about making a traditional Russian or Ukrainian dish, then I think you will really enjoy this zucchini Ikra! It’s a unique twist on a classic recipe that is sweet, tangy, and zesty. It’s the perfect way to enjoy all of the summer vegetables coming out of the garden this time of year. You are going to love this Ukrainian inspired Ikra recipe!
xoxo Kayla
Green Zucchini Ikra
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) sunflower oil or avocado oil
- 1 medium onion (100 g), diced finely
- 4 cloves garlic (12 g), minced
- 1 small jalapeno pepper (10 g), minced, optional
- 1 green bell pepper (118 g), diced finely
- 2 medium carrots (96 g), shredded
- 2/3 cup cherry tomatoes (136 g)**
- 2 medium zucchini, diced, about 1 lb (454 g)
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) distilled white vinegar
- 1 1/2 tsp granulated sugar
- 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
Instructions
- In a large sauce pot, warm the oil over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring constantly, until the onion is softened, about 3 to 4 minutes.
- Add the jalapeno pepper, bell pepper, and carrots. Cook until just softened, another 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in the cherry tomatoes and zucchini, cooking for another 2 to 3 minutes. Add the vinegar, sugar, salt, and pepper, stirring to coat.
- Bring the mixture to a boil and then lower the heat to a simmer. Adjust the seasonings as necessary, then cover the pot with a lid. Continue to simmer the Ikra on low heat for a further 40 to 50 minutes, or until the vegetables have broken down significantly and started to liquefy. It should look like a very chunky relish with some juices.
- Remove the pot from heat and allow the Ikra to cool down significantly. When cooled, transfer the Ikra to an airtight container and refrigerate until fully chilled, about 3 hours.
- Serve the Ikra cold on toast, crackers, or freshly made bread.
Notes
**If you would like to avoid having tomato skins in your finished Ikra, you can use canned tomato sauce instead. Substitute the cherry tomatoes for about 1/4 to 1/2 cup (60 to 120 ml) of tomato sauce.
Nutrition Facts
Calories
203
