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By Katja Heino 28 Comments
Savory Lotus may receive commissions from purchases made through links in this post.

85 Ways to Eat More Fermented Foods

jars of colorful sauerkraut

OK, so we all know by now that taking care of the gut is important.  And fermented foods are an easy way to do that.  Need some inspiration?  Here’s 85 easy ways to eat more fermented foods.

Did you know that almost 80% of your immune system stems form the gut?  Yeah, that’s a lot.  So what kind of shape do you think your immune system is in if your gut health is in the toilet? I’ve said it many times, and I will say it many times again: Good health starts in the gut. 

Keeping your internal ecosystem healthy and balanced is essential for a strong immune system and vital living.  Eating fermented foods is one of the easiest and most economical ways to improve your gut flora. Humans have been fermenting foods for ages.  And you may be surprised how easy it is to do at home.

I get a lot of messages from readers telling me that fermenting foods is intimidating.  And I get it.  If you have never done it before, it can be a bit daunting.  All I can say is that once you get started, you will see that it’s a lot easier than it seems and the possibilities are endless.  You just have to jump in.

THE PROCESS:

What we are talking about here are REAL fermented foods that are lacto-fermented, meaning that the starches and sugars in vegetables and fruits are converted into lactic acid by the many species of lactic-acid-producing bacteria present on the surface of all living things.  Lactic acid is a natural preservative that inhibits putrefying bacteria.   All you do is add SALT.  Bacteria that could be harmful to us can’t tolerate much salt, but there are healthy bacteria that can.  Lacto-fermentation wipes out the bad guys , then lets the good guys get to work . The product is a living food, full of enzymes and probiotics.

To learn more about fermentation basics, be sure to check out Fermented Foods 101  and 9 Tips for Successful Fermentation.

THE EQUIPMENT:

I have been fermenting foods for quite some time now.  I have experimented with many different jars.  The ones that I personally use are no longer available online, but I have seen similar ones HERE. These type of fermentation jars come with an airlock that needs to be filled with water and work great at keeping oxygen and pathogens out.

I also really love THESE fermentation lids that fit right over wide mouth mason jars.  They are so easy to use and super affordable.

You’ll want to add a weight on top of your fermenting foods so they stay below the brine.  I use glass fermentation weights made specifically for that purpose.  I know some folks get creative and use rocks or other clean/sterile items.

close up of colorful sauerkraut

OK, what are you waiting for?  Time to get fermenting.  Here’s 85 easy and delicious fermented foods to get you started:

DRINKS

1. How to Make Water Kefir from Delicious Obsessions

2. Lacto-Fermented Blueberry Soda from Fearless Eating

3. Cultured Strawberry Soda from Holistic Squid

4. Fermented Lemonade from Mind Body Oasis

5. How to Make a Ginger Bug from Nourished Kitchen

6. Fermented Orange Juice from Oh Lardy

7. Lacto-Fermented Fruit Kvass from The Elliot Homestead

8. Fermented Tea from Mind Body Oasis

9. How to Make Kombucha from Phoenix Helix

10. Peach Kombucha from Hollywood Homestead

11. Strawberry Kombucha from Hollywood Homestead

12. Apricot Kombucha from Hollywood Homestead

13. How to Ferment Your Nettle Harvest from Delicious Obsessions

VEGGIES

14. Fermented Asparagus from Mind Body Oasis

15. Fermented Pickles from Mind Body Oasis

16. Fermented Carrots from It’s a Love/Love Thing

17. Lacto-Fermented Red Onions from Delicious Obsessions

18. Fermented Garlic from The Sprouting Seed

19. Pickled Peppers from Mommypotamus

20. Lacto-Fermented Citrus Ginger Carrots from Delicious Obsessions

21. Easy Homemade Dill Pickles from Primally Inspired

22. Lacto-Fermented Garlic Pickles from Real Food Outlaws

23. Lacto-Fermented Curried Squash and Zucchini from Delicious Obsessions

24. Lacto-Fermented Summer Squash and Zucchini Pickles from Fearless Eating

25. Raw Brussels Sprout Kimchi from Jar of Honey

26. Dilly Carrots from Oh Lardy

27. Fermented Carrot Sticks from Real Food RN

28. Fermented Ginger Carrots from Stupid Easy Paleo

29. Indian-Spiced Lacto-Fermented Cauliflower from Delicious Obsessions

30. Fermented Carolina Coleslaw from Oh Lardy

31. Fermented Radishes from Mommypotamus

32. Fermented Mushrooms from Oh Lardy

33. Pickled Brussels Sprouts from Delicious Obsessions

34. Sweet and Sour Fermented Coleslaw from Homemade Mommy

35. Fermented Ginger Carrots from Steph Gaudreau

SAUERKRAUT

36. Homemade Ginger Carrot Sauerkraut from Savory Lotus

37. Fido Fermented Sauerkraut from South Beach Primal

38. Fermented Curtido Sauerkraut from South Beach Primal

39. Lact0-Fermented Beet Ginger Sauerkraut from Delicious Obsessions

40. Homemade Sauerkraut from Hollywood Homestead

41. Simple Purple Sauerkraut from Homemade Mommy

42. How to Make Kimchi from Real Food Outlaws

43. Kimchi Recipe from Delicious Obsessions

DAIRY

44. How to Make Milk Kefir from Nourished Kitchen

45. How to Make Kefir from The Urban Ecolife

46. Homemade Creme Fraiche from Delicious Obsessions

47. Real Ranch Dressing from Homemade Mommy

48. European-Styled Cultured Butter from Delicious Obsessions

49. Homemade Cream Cheese from Delicious Obsessions

50. Raw Pumpkin Kefir Cheesecake from Homemade Mommy

51. Homemade Cottage Cheese from Homemade Mommy

NON-DAIRY ALTERNATIVES

52. Herbed Cashew Cheese from Savory Lotus

53. Coconut Milk Yogurt from Gutsy By Nature

54. How to Make Coconut Milk Yogurt from Tasty Yummies

55. Cashew Nut Yogurt from Delicious Obsessions

56. Coconut Milk Kefir from Homemade Mommy

CONDIMENTS

57. Fermented Ketchup from Homemade Mommy

58. Easy Lacto-Fermented Ketchup from Girl Meets Nourishment

59. Lacto-Fermented Mayonnaise from GNOWFGLINS

60. Whey Mayonnaise from Healthy Living How To

61. Homemade Garlic Chilli Mayonnaise from Economies of Kale

62. Fermented Mustard from Punk Domestics

63. Probiotic BBQ Sauce from Nourishing Joy

64. Lacto-Fermented Cucumber Relish from Paleo Leap

65. Fermented Salsa from Tasty Yummies

66. Lacto-Fermented Green Tomato Salsa from Thank Your Body

67. Traditionally Fermented Horseradish from Paleo Leap

68. Homemade Pickled Ginger from The Nourishing Cook

69. Fermented Mango Salsa from Fearless Eating

70. Fermented Peach Chutney from Fearless Eating

71. Fermented Cranberry Sauce from Oh Lardy

72. Lacto-Fermented Pear Butter from Little Owl Crunchy Momma

73. Fermented Mixed-Berry Maple Syrup from Whole Lifestyle Nutrition

74. Lacto-Fermented Blood Orange Marmalade from Delicious Obsessions

OTHER COOL FERMENTED FOODS

75. Kombucha Popsicles from Hollywood Homestead

76. Lact0-Fermented Berries from Oh Lardy

77. Lacto-Fermented Apple Sauce from The Coconut Mama

78. Fermented Fruit Leathers from The Coconut Mama

79. Homemade Healthy Kombucha Fruit Snacks from Homemade Mommy

80. Paleo Fruity Kombucha Jello Bites from The Paleo Mama

81. Homemade Jello Fruit Cups from Homemade Mommy

82. Happy Belly Cheesecake from Savory Lotus

83. Fermented Eggs from Oh Lardy

84. Preserved Lemons from The Elliot Homestead

85. Fermented Fruits from Pickle Me Too

WANT TO LEARN MORE?

Here’s a few posts I found  that you may find helpful:

  • Why Your Vegetable Ferment Grew Mold, What to Do about It, and How to Prevent It from Cultures for Health
  • Lacto-Fermentation with Pictures from How We Flourish
  • How to Ferment Vegetables from Running to the Kitchen
  • Fermenting Methods from Delicious Obsessions
  • How to Use a Fermenting Crock from Oh Lardy
  • Vegetable Fermentation Further Simplified from Wild Fermentation
  • Benefits of Fermented Foods from Oh Lardy!

Click HERE to PIN THIS:

85 Ways to Eat More Fermented Foods -savorylotus.com

Do you have a favorite fermented food recipe?  I would love to hear about it in the comments!

photo credit: depositphoto @ wollertz

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Filed Under: Fermented Foods, Healthy Living Tagged With: condiments, fermented food, fermenyed, gut health, sauerkraut

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Eileen @ Phoenix Helix says

    September 4, 2014 at 7:25 am

    What an amazing list! Thanks so much for including my kombucha series. You’ve inspired me to branch out and try something new.

    Reply
    • Jenny says

      July 17, 2018 at 6:30 am

      Hi Eileen,

      I totally loved your kombucha ideas. I’m so glad to have found them here because they quickly became my favorite. I make the strawberry kombucha the most and drink them from time to time.

      Reply
      • jenneny says

        November 15, 2018 at 11:49 am

        Super super Awesome

        Reply
  2. Lyndy says

    September 12, 2014 at 10:55 pm

    Wow! Amazing list. Which recipe is the picture of? I’d like to start with that one, it looks delish.

    Reply
    • Katja says

      September 14, 2014 at 2:42 pm

      Hi, Lyndy! The image is not one of the recipes. It’s just an old picture of ferments. But there are some real treasures in this list. Thanks for coming by!

      Reply
  3. Rhoda says

    September 29, 2014 at 10:14 am

    Did you make a fermented salad using lettuce?

    Reply
    • Katja says

      September 29, 2014 at 1:54 pm

      Hi, Rhonda! No I have never done that. Do you have a recipe? I would love to see it. 🙂

      Reply
  4. MaryEllen says

    October 28, 2014 at 8:55 am

    Can anyone tell me which recipe corresponds with the photo attached to this pin? It looks like Napa cabbage and radishes and carrots. Very colorful but I can’t find which recipe it is. Thanks!!

    Reply
    • Katja says

      October 30, 2014 at 12:18 pm

      Hi, MaryEllen! The image that I used is a generic image that I have of fermented vegetables. It is not one of the recipes in the round up. It is a mix of Napa cabbage, sliced carrots, red peppers, yellow peppers, and radishes. You can use one of the other vegetable recipes as a guide to do this yourself. Hope that helps! 🙂

      Reply
  5. Ela says

    November 9, 2014 at 6:11 pm

    Could you tell me what is the fermented salad in the picture, the one with cabbage, radish, carrots and other things. I could not find recipe for this one lol. I’m Polish so I grew up on fermented cabbage, cucumbers and other things. My american husband loves the fermented wheat and rye soups as well as sour pickle soup but he just does not want to know how I make it lol.
    I can only assume that I drop all the ingredients I see there and “let them work” till they became the wonderful perfection we “fermenters” are looking for. However if there is a recipe for this jar of goodness, please let me know

    Reply
    • Katja says

      November 13, 2014 at 11:05 am

      Hi! This is a generic fermented veggie photo that I use. The recipe is not in the post. You could do copy it by using one of the recipes in the post. It’s napa cabbage, carrots, radishes, and red peppers.

      Reply
      • Ela says

        November 14, 2014 at 10:10 am

        Thank you so much for your response, I will just toss all the ingredients together as you suggested. It sure looks delicious!

        Reply
  6. Kimberly says

    November 15, 2014 at 2:27 pm

    Oh my goodness. I love this list and I feel like a kid in a candy store. Thank you so much for preparing such an extensive list. I prepare my own kombucha and kefir. I’ve got to try these!

    Reply
  7. Rita Ladany says

    February 27, 2015 at 6:35 am

    I was wondering why rejuvelac in not included with all these wonderful items.

    Reply
    • Katja says

      March 28, 2015 at 7:48 am

      Hi, Rita! My blog is grain free so I don not include recipes made from grains.

      Reply
  8. Rita Ladany says

    February 27, 2015 at 6:36 am

    I was wondering why rejuvelac was not included in this list of items?

    Reply
    • Katja says

      March 2, 2015 at 9:50 pm

      Hi, Rita! I follow a grain free diet so i do not include things that are made with or from grains. 🙂 Thanks so much for coming by!

      Reply
  9. Jenny.U says

    March 30, 2015 at 6:55 am

    I am currently fermenting 42.5 pounds of cabbage for kraut! I use this “recipe” http://www.inthekitchenwithjenny.com/2013/03/homemade-sauerkraut.html . I have also recently acquires a scoby and we’ve been making kombucha since January. Cranberry is a fav flavor.

    Reply
  10. Momma Cheese says

    January 29, 2016 at 7:12 pm

    What a great list! Can’t wait to use these resources.

    One question: I’m a microbiologist’s daughter, therefore the first thing that comes to mind is clostridium botulinum… Do you pressure cook after fermenting to kill botulism spores? Perhaps there’s another method?

    Thanks again!

    Reply
    • Katja Heino says

      January 31, 2016 at 8:47 pm

      HI, there!

      I would not pressure cook your fermented veggies as that would kill off the beneficial bacteria that you are trying to get into your diet. If you follow proper steps to fermentation, you will ensure that your fermented veggie are not hospitable to bacteria that you do not want in them. You can read about proper fermentation here—> https://www.savorylotus.com/9-tips-for-successful-fermentation/

      and here—> https://www.savorylotus.com/fermented-foods-101/

      Hope that is helpful! 🙂

      Reply
  11. dodie says

    September 2, 2016 at 9:38 am

    How does one know if these foods or drinks contain probiotics; I have trouble understanding this. I would like to start fermenting asap and this one question is always on my mind.

    Reply
    • Katja Heino says

      September 2, 2016 at 9:59 am

      Here’s some basic info on fermentation that may help answer some of your questions and get you started on the road to making your own ferments:

      https://www.savorylotus.com/fermented-foods-101/

      https://www.savorylotus.com/9-tips-for-successful-fermentation/

      Hope that is helpful!

      Reply
  12. Karen says

    June 9, 2018 at 2:56 pm

    Hi, I would like to know about the consumption of the fermented food, do you cook the food or consume straight out of the jar, what meats if liked are preferred / suggested to go with the fermented vegetables, is fermented food more a summer meal, hope this is not a weird question.

    Reply
    • Katja Heino says

      June 16, 2018 at 8:17 am

      Not a weird question at all. I eat fermented foods like condiments. I just add a bit on the side of my plate (uncooked, straight from the jar.) I eat them with all sorts of foods: eggs, chicken, beef… everything. And I eat them all year round. I like to add just a small amount to a meal at least once per day. It doesn’t take much. Hope that helps. 🙂

      Reply
  13. Carol says

    May 15, 2019 at 10:05 am

    Just starting down this path. Thanks for the great resource

    Reply
    • Katja Heino says

      May 19, 2019 at 9:12 pm

      Yay! Let me know if you have any questions. Happy eating!!

      Reply
  14. Charlotte Meadows says

    July 22, 2021 at 11:42 am

    Hi Katja, FYI, I clicked on several of your refs for ferments and the 5 & 1 Gal info. ; Pickl-It.com. My computer sent warnings for all the free sayin that these sites may be trying to imitate Pickl-It and could steal all of your computer info. That being said, I’m delighted to see all this info and am planning on getting back into fermenting more veggies. Thanks!

    Reply
    • Katja Heino says

      August 8, 2021 at 5:48 am

      Yes, Pickl-it must have gone out of business. I need to change the links. Thanks for letting me know. 🙂

      Reply

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