An easy homemade tutorial on how to ferment vegetables in a mason jar.
You’re probably thinking I’ve caught the hippie train straight out of here with this post but hear me out.
Do you like pickles? Yes? (note -you should check out this post on how to make simple homemade pickles and spicy garlic dill pickles if so).
Ok then, you’re going to like fermented vegetables.
So read on.
Unfortunately, I had to be on antibiotics 3 times over the last 6 months.
I absolutely hate taking them and believe me, if there was a way I could’ve avoided it, I would’ve.
I’m a huge proponent of probiotics so while I was filling prescriptions in the drug store these past few months, I was simultaneously buying some kick ass probiotics to try and help keep some good bacteria in my system.
And let me tell you, the *good* probiotic pills, yeah, well they’re costly.
Six times more costly than the antibiotics in fact.
So, when the second round of antibiotics came around, I decided that instead of spending $30 on probiotic pills and $4 kombucha bottles every time I ventured into the hippie-mart (my loving name for the local natural foods store), I should probably look into this whole lacto-fermented vegetable thing.
Lacto-fermented vegetables
Lacto-fermented…it sounds crazy, right?
First thing I thought was “wait, there’s milk in this?”
Um, no. Lacto, in this case, doesn’t refer to milk, it refers to lactic-acid.
The naturally occurring bacteria on fruits and vegetables is called lactobacillus. When they’re placed in an oxygen free environment, the bacteria convert sugar into lactic acid which is what gives fermented foods their characteristic tangy/sour flavor.
So now that the science lesson is out of the way, here’s the cool part:
Vegetables + water + salt + a few days = a probiotic powerhouse of tangy vegetable deliciousness.
Bonus: it doesn’t cost $30 and they’ll last in the fridge for months.
How to Ferment Vegetables
What you’ll need to ferment vegetables:
- 1 quart wide mouth mason jar
- plastic lid
- sea salt
- water
These are the basics. There’s a whole world of fermentation supplies that can be purchased to make the process both easier and safer once you’ve got the method down.
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You can literally ferment whatever vegetables you like. If you ferment cabbage you get red cabbage sauerkraut!
They’re perfect for snacking on or adding to your meals for a probiotic boost.
I’ve been adding them to salads, on top of my protein with lunch or dinner or, just picking at them throughout the day when I’m bored.
I do the same with pickled garlic scapes – another vegetable that transforms into a tangy delight once fermented/pickled.
Yeah, a lot of that.
And this is where I’m going to sound like a total nerd, but every time I eat them I silently say “take that, antibiotics.”
Kimchi is an Asian version of fermented vegetables so if you like that, you’ll definitely like these fermented vegetables.
Also make sure to try out this bulgogi kimchi rice plate and this kimchi potato hash.
More pickled recipes to try if you love the taste of fermented vegetables:
Spicy Pickled Pineapple
Balsamic Pickled Shiitake Crostini
Pickled Fennel Citrus Salad
Pickled Blueberry Panzanella Salad
Mango Melon Soup with Pickled Cucumber
How To Ferment Vegetables
Equipment
Ingredients
- sliced or chopped vegetables, anything will do, I really like broccoli, radishes and carrots
- 2 cups water
- 1 1/2 tablespoon coarse sea salt
- 1 quart wide mouth mason jar with plastic lid, not necessary, but if you’re going to do this often, the regular metal lids will corrode from the acid
- any spices or herbs you like, peppercorns, dill, basil, bay leaf, etc.
- 1 small cabbage leaf
Instructions
- Place vegetables and any spices/herbs you’re using in the mason jar right up to the bottom of the neck, there should be about 1 inch of space to the top.
- Stir the salt and water together until dissolved.
- Pour the salt water over the vegetables until it reaches just below the top of the jar. There should be about 1/2 inch of room left.
- Fold a small cabbage leaf and press it down on top of the vegetables so that it keeps the vegetables submerged in the salt water. This isn’t necessary, but helps make sure the vegetables are submerged. Feel free to skip this step if you don’t have cabbage on hand.
- Close the lid on the jar tightly and place the jars out of direct sunlight in a relatively moderate temperature (68-75 degrees).
- You will start to see some bubbling around day 2 or so. After day 2, over a sink (in case it leaks/drips), gently loosen the lids to let some of the gas escape once or twice a day.
- The vegetables are ready anywhere from day 4-10. The longer they sit, the more tangy they’ll be. Taste them starting on day 4 to figure out your preference. I like them best around day 5 or 6.
- Once you decide they’re the level of sourness you’re looking for, place the the jar in the refrigerator where it will keep for a couple of months (not that they’ll last that long!)
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Gina Matsoukas is an AP syndicated writer. She is the founder, photographer and recipe developer of Running to the Kitchen — a food website focused on providing healthy, wholesome recipes using fresh and seasonal ingredients. Her work has been featured in numerous media outlets both digital and print, including MSN, Huffington post, Buzzfeed, Women’s Health and Food Network.
Is your sea salt coarse or fine?
Coarse.
I just saw this, and I used fine, and it was salty. Will use coarse next time and see what happens. Maybe in recipe, state that you are using coarse. That will help the rest of us. Thanks. :)
When I read the recipe, I saw coarse salt. 8-)
Ah. Okay. This is important information to include in the recipe.
Question: Salt, 1 1/2 Tea Spoons or Table Spoons?
Tablespoons. Make sure it’s sea salt. Not table salt.
Why? I used kosher and it did end up too salty
I was wondering if it is normal to have an odor coming from the hard.
Everyone please use distilled water. And if it’s too salty, use less salt. Did you mean to put 1 1/2 tsp, instead of tbsp?
Can you use filtered? I used tap water and it is too salty. Can I do something to remedy this batch?
That happened to me with some store-bought pickled turnips! Perhaps try draining off the liquid and replacing with water. For me, it reduced the saltiness considerably.
I did this with a friend and I misunderstood and did not tighten the lid down. The fluid in the jar has turned cloudy and I’m afraid to eat it now that I read your blog about tightening the lids !
Too salty. I always follow directions and always too salty
OK followed the recipe exactly. They bubbled and squirted like crazy. I was so excited it worked, But…. I went to taste the vegetables and they were Soooooo salty. What did I do wrong?
Can a person hot bath these jars to seal and store them down in the storm cellar?
Yes, definitely!
It doesn’t kill the probiotics?
Yes it does.
Question: When hot bathing, should I leave the fermenting liquid in the jar? Probably a stupid question, but I would be afraid that the jars would become too pressurized and maybe burst? Or does the hot bath stop the fermenting process all together? I am the Assistant Coordinator for our local Farmers Market and pickled everything we grow in our community garden. For the probiotics aspect I was going to see about fermenting and then hot bathing. Do the probiotics diminish with the hot bath? That particular question came up but wasn’t addressed.
Thanks for the help.
Sharon
Hi Sharon- there is no hot bath in this recipe and I haven’t experimented with doing that after the fermentation so I can’t really say how that would or wouldn’t work.
If I want to ferment beets, can I use steamed beets or do they need to be raw?
They should be raw.
This is great! I really want to try fermenting my own stuff at home so I don’t have to buy anything from the grocery store any longer. I don’t really know how much I spend but I can guarantee its probably much easier and cheaper to just make my own! I’ll definitely give this recipe a try, thanks for sharing!