What is the best salt percentage for fermenting vegetables?

For dry-salted ferments like sauerkraut, use 2-2.5% salt by weight of the vegetables. For brine-submerged ferments like pickles and carrots, use a 3-5% salt brine (30-50g of salt per liter of water). Lower salt produces a faster, more sour ferment. Higher salt slows fermentation and keeps vegetables crunchier. Going below 2% increases the risk of spoilage. Going above 5% can inhibit beneficial Lactobacillus bacteria.

How long do fermented vegetables last?

Properly fermented vegetables stored in the refrigerator last 6-12 months or longer. The cold temperature slows fermentation but does not stop it, so the flavor continues to develop slowly. Fermented vegetables left at room temperature will continue to acidify and eventually become too sour. The vegetables are safe to eat as long as they smell and taste good with no signs of mold.

Do I need to use special salt for fermentation?

Use salt without additives. Non-iodized sea salt, kosher salt, and pickling salt all work well. Avoid table salt with iodine or anti-caking agents, as iodine can inhibit Lactobacillus bacteria and anti-caking agents can cloud the brine. Himalayan pink salt and Celtic sea salt also work. The mineral content in unrefined salts can provide trace nutrients for the bacteria.

Why is my fermented food mushy?

Soft or mushy texture usually means the salt concentration was too low, the fermentation temperature was too high, or both. High temperatures (above 25°C / 77°F) speed up enzyme activity that breaks down pectin in vegetables. Using grape leaves, oak leaves, or horseradish leaves in the jar adds tannins that help preserve crunch. Keeping ferments at 18-22°C (64-72°F) also helps.

Can I ferment vegetables without salt?

Salt is strongly recommended. It inhibits harmful bacteria during the first hours of fermentation while Lactobacillus populations establish themselves. Salt also draws water out of vegetables (creating natural brine), maintains texture, and slows enzyme activity. Salt-free fermentation is possible but significantly increases the risk of spoilage and produces softer results.

Is the white film on my ferment mold?

A thin white film on the surface is usually kahm yeast, not mold. Kahm yeast is harmless but can add off-flavors if left unchecked. Skim it off and make sure the vegetables stay submerged under the brine. True mold is fuzzy, raised, and often colored (green, black, blue, or white with fuzz). If you see fuzzy mold, discard the batch.

Fermented Foods Recipes: Vegetables, Dairy, and More — Ferment Calculator

Fermenting your own food takes very little equipment and very few ingredients. Salt, fresh produce, a jar, and some patience will get you through most of the recipes on this page. The basic principle is always the same: create conditions where Lactobacillus and other beneficial microorganisms thrive while spoilage organisms cannot. Salt concentration, temperature, and keeping food submerged under liquid are the three variables that control every ferment.

These recipes are organized from simplest to most advanced. If you are new to fermentation, start with sauerkraut or fermented carrots. Both are forgiving, fast, and require nothing beyond vegetables, salt, and a jar.

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Sauerkraut

Sauerkraut is shredded cabbage fermented in its own juice using nothing but salt. It is the simplest and most forgiving vegetable ferment. The salt draws moisture from the cabbage, creating a natural brine that submerges the shreds and supports lacto-fermentation.

1
Shred and salt Remove the outer leaves and core from a medium cabbage (about 900g-1kg). Shred finely. Sprinkle with 2% salt by weight (about 18-20g for a 1kg cabbage). Massage and squeeze the cabbage with your hands for 5-10 minutes until it releases enough liquid to cover itself.
2
Pack the jar Press the cabbage tightly into a wide-mouth quart jar, pushing it below the brine with each handful. Leave 3-5cm of headspace. Place a weight on top (a smaller jar filled with water, a zip-lock bag of brine, or a fermentation weight) to keep the cabbage submerged.
3
Ferment Cover loosely and ferment at 18-22°C (64-72°F) for 7-21 days. Taste after 7 days. Cooler temperatures produce a slower, more complex ferment. Warmer temperatures produce a faster, more sour result. When the flavor and sourness suit your taste, cap tightly and refrigerate.

Flavor variations Add caraway seeds, juniper berries, garlic, or red pepper flakes during packing. Shredded apples, grated ginger, or turmeric create interesting variations. Keep the salt ratio the same regardless of additions.

Kimchi

Kimchi is a Korean fermented vegetable dish, most commonly made with napa cabbage, Korean chili flakes (gochugaru), garlic, ginger, and fish sauce or salted shrimp. The process involves salting the cabbage first, then coating it in a spice paste before packing it into jars to ferment.

1
Salt the cabbage Quarter a large head of napa cabbage and sprinkle generously with coarse salt (about 60-80g per kg of cabbage). Let it sit for 1-2 hours, turning occasionally, until the leaves are wilted and flexible. Rinse thoroughly 2-3 times to remove excess salt and squeeze out water.
2
Make the paste Blend or mix together: 3-4 tablespoons gochugaru (Korean chili flakes), 4-5 minced garlic cloves, 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger, 2 tablespoons fish sauce (or soy sauce for a vegan version), and 1 teaspoon sugar. Add 2-3 chopped scallions and optionally shredded daikon radish and carrot.
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Coat and pack Wearing gloves, work the paste between every leaf of the cabbage quarters. Pack tightly into a jar, pressing down to eliminate air pockets. Leave 3-5cm of headspace, as kimchi produces CO2 during fermentation.
4
Ferment Leave at room temperature for 1-3 days until the kimchi tastes tangy and the brine is bubbly. Then refrigerate. Kimchi continues to develop flavor in the fridge for weeks. Young kimchi (1-3 days) is bright and crunchy. Aged kimchi (2-4 weeks) is more sour and complex.

Lacto-fermented pickles

Lacto-fermented pickles are different from vinegar pickles. They use a salt brine instead of vinegar, and the sour flavor comes from lactic acid produced by Lactobacillus during fermentation. The result is a living, probiotic pickle with a deeper, more complex tang.

Quick recipe Pack small, firm pickling cucumbers into a quart jar with 2-3 cloves of garlic, a sprig of dill, and optionally mustard seeds and black peppercorns. Dissolve 30-40g of salt in 1 liter of water (3-4% brine) and pour over the cucumbers, covering them completely. Weight the cucumbers below the brine and ferment at room temperature for 3-7 days.

Keeping them crunchy Use the freshest cucumbers possible, picked within 24 hours. Cut off the blossom end (the end opposite the stem), which contains enzymes that soften the pickle. Add a grape leaf, oak leaf, or horseradish leaf for tannins that help maintain crunch. Ferment at cooler temperatures (18-20°C / 64-68°F) rather than warm.

Half-sours vs. full-sours Half-sour pickles ferment for 3-4 days and retain a fresh cucumber flavor with mild tartness. Full-sour pickles ferment for 7-14 days and are deeply tangy throughout. Both are ready when they taste good to you. Refrigerate to stop fermentation at the stage you prefer.

Yogurt and kefir

Homemade yogurt and kefir are both fermented milk products, but they use different cultures and processes.

Yogurt Heat 1 liter of milk to 82°C (180°F) to denature the whey proteins (this creates a thicker texture). Cool to 43°C (110°F). Stir in 2-3 tablespoons of plain yogurt with live cultures as your starter. Hold at 40-46°C (104-115°F) for 6-12 hours using a yogurt maker, oven with the light on, or insulated cooler. The yogurt sets when it jiggles like panna cotta and tastes tangy. Refrigerate.

Greek-style yogurt Strain finished yogurt through cheesecloth or a fine-mesh bag for 4-12 hours in the refrigerator. The whey drains off, leaving a thick, creamy yogurt with roughly double the protein. Save the whey for brine-based ferments or bread baking.

Kefir Add 1-2 tablespoons of milk kefir grains to a cup of milk. Cover loosely and ferment at room temperature for 12-24 hours. Strain out the grains (reuse them for the next batch). Kefir is thinner and tangier than yogurt and contains a wider range of probiotic strains (30-50 vs. 2-7 for most yogurts). No temperature control is needed.

Sourdough starter

A sourdough starter is a fermented mixture of flour and water that captures wild yeast and Lactobacillus from the environment. Once established, it replaces commercial yeast in bread baking and produces the characteristic tangy flavor and chewy texture of sourdough bread.

1
Day 1 Mix 50g whole wheat or rye flour with 50g water in a jar. Cover loosely and leave at room temperature.
2
Days 2-6 Each day, discard half the starter and feed with 50g flour and 50g water. By day 3-4, you should see bubbles forming. The starter may smell unpleasant during days 2-3 as various bacteria compete. This is normal. By day 5-6, the smell should shift to pleasantly sour and yeasty.
3
Day 7 and beyond The starter is ready when it doubles in size within 4-8 hours of feeding and smells like ripe fruit or mild vinegar. It should be bubbly throughout and have a slightly domed top. At this point, you can bake with it or switch to a regular feeding schedule.
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Maintenance If you bake daily, keep the starter at room temperature and feed once or twice a day. If you bake weekly, store it in the refrigerator and feed once a week. Pull it out the night before baking and give it 1-2 feedings at room temperature to wake it up.

Miso

Miso is a Japanese fermented paste made from soybeans, salt, and koji (rice or barley inoculated with Aspergillus oryzae mold). Homemade miso requires a long fermentation (3-12 months), but the process itself is simple once you have the ingredients.

Quick recipe Cook 500g dried soybeans until very soft (pressure cooking works well). Mash into a rough paste. Mix 400g rice koji with 130g salt. Combine the koji-salt mixture with the mashed beans and enough bean cooking liquid to form a thick, pliable paste. Pack tightly into a crock or container, pressing out air pockets. Sprinkle salt on top, cover with plastic wrap pressed directly onto the surface, and weight it down.

Fermentation time White (shiro) miso ferments for 3-6 months and has a mild, sweet flavor. Red (aka) miso ferments for 6-12 months or longer and develops a deeper, saltier, more complex taste. The longer the fermentation, the darker and more intense the miso becomes. Store at room temperature during fermentation, in a cool spot away from direct sunlight.

Sourcing koji Koji (rice inoculated with Aspergillus oryzae) is available from specialty fermentation suppliers online. You can also make your own koji from scratch using koji spores and steamed rice, but this requires careful temperature control at 28-32°C (82-90°F) for 40-48 hours. Buying prepared koji is the simpler option for a first batch.

Tempeh

Tempeh is an Indonesian fermented soybean cake. Cooked soybeans are inoculated with Rhizopus oligosporus mold spores and incubated at 30-32°C (86-90°F) for 24-48 hours. The mold binds the beans into a firm, sliceable cake with a nutty, mushroom-like flavor.

1
Prepare the beans Soak 500g dried soybeans overnight. Dehull them by kneading in water (the hulls float to the surface). Cook until tender but not mushy, about 45 minutes. Drain thoroughly and spread on a clean towel to cool and dry. The beans must be surface-dry before adding the starter.
2
Inoculate Once the beans are cooled to below 35°C (95°F), sprinkle with 1 teaspoon of tempeh starter (Rhizopus oligosporus spores, purchased from a fermentation supplier). Mix evenly.
3
Pack and incubate Pack the inoculated beans into zip-lock bags poked with small holes every 2-3cm (the mold needs airflow). Flatten the bags to about 2-3cm thick. Incubate at 30-32°C (86-90°F) for 24-48 hours. A proofing box, oven with the light on, or insulated cooler with a heating pad works well.
4
Harvest The tempeh is ready when the beans are bound together by dense white mycelium and the entire block holds together firmly when sliced. Some gray or black spots are normal (those are spores forming). If the tempeh smells strongly of ammonia or shows yellow, green, or orange mold, discard it.

Fermented hot sauce and salsa

Lacto-fermented hot sauce has a rounder, deeper heat compared to vinegar-based hot sauces. The fermentation mellows the raw pepper flavor and adds a tangy complexity. Fermented salsa follows the same principle, using tomatoes, onions, and peppers in a salt brine.

Fermented hot sauce Chop 500g of fresh hot peppers (habanero, cayenne, jalapeno, or a mix). Combine with 3-4 cloves of garlic and 2% salt by total weight. Pack into a jar, press below the brine, and ferment for 5-7 days at room temperature. Blend the fermented peppers with a splash of vinegar until smooth. Strain for a thin sauce or leave chunky.

Fermented salsa Dice 4-5 tomatoes, half an onion, 1-2 jalapenos, a handful of cilantro, and the juice of 1 lime. Add 2% salt by weight of the total mixture. Pack into a jar, press below the liquid, and ferment for 2-3 days at room temperature. The salsa will become tangier and more complex as the Lactobacillus does its work. Refrigerate when the flavor suits your taste.

Curtido (Central American slaw) Shred half a head of cabbage, one carrot, and half an onion. Toss with 2% salt and a teaspoon of dried oregano. Pack into a jar and press below the brine. Ferment for 1-3 days at room temperature. Curtido is traditionally served alongside pupusas and fried dishes. It is milder and less sour than sauerkraut, with a bright, crunchy texture.

Fermented carrots and fermented garlic

These two ferments are among the easiest to make and the most versatile in the kitchen. Fermented carrots are a gateway project for anyone new to fermentation. Fermented garlic in honey is a condiment that improves over months.

Fermented carrot sticks Cut carrots into sticks or coins. Pack tightly into a jar with optional garlic, ginger, or dill. Pour a 3-4% salt brine over the carrots (30-40g salt per liter of water). Weight below the brine. Ferment at room temperature for 5-10 days. The carrots stay crunchy and develop a tangy, pickle-like flavor that works as a snack, salad topping, or side dish.

Fermented garlic in honey Peel a full head of garlic and place the cloves in a small jar. Cover with raw honey, leaving some headspace. Close the lid loosely and store at room temperature. Flip or stir daily for the first week as the garlic releases moisture and the honey thins out. Ferment for at least 1 month, though the flavor improves over 3-6 months. The garlic mellows and the honey becomes tangy and complex. Use both the garlic and honey in marinades, dressings, and glazes.

Safety note for honey garlic The combination of garlic and honey creates a low-oxygen environment. To keep the ferment safe, use raw honey (it contains wild yeast that drives fermentation) and flip or open the jar daily during the first week. The pH should drop below 4.6 as fermentation progresses. If the honey does not show signs of fermentation (bubbling, thinning) within 7-10 days, add a teaspoon of raw apple cider vinegar to lower the pH.

! Watch for

Always keep vegetables submerged below the brine. Anything exposed to air above the liquid line can grow mold.
Use non-iodized salt for all ferments. Iodine can inhibit the Lactobacillus bacteria that drive lacto-fermentation.
Fermentation produces CO2. If using a sealed jar, burp it daily by opening the lid briefly to release pressure.
Trust your senses. Fermented foods should smell sour, tangy, or pleasantly funky. If something smells rotten, putrid, or like nail polish remover, discard it.

General fermentation tips

Temperature matters Most vegetable ferments do best at 18-22°C (64-72°F). Warmer temperatures speed fermentation but can produce softer textures and sharper flavors. Cooler temperatures slow fermentation and develop more nuanced, complex flavors. If your kitchen is above 25°C (77°F), consider fermenting in a cooler spot like a basement or closet.

Equipment is simple A wide-mouth mason jar, a weight to keep food submerged, and a loose lid or cloth cover are all you need. Dedicated fermentation crocks with water-seal lids are nice but not necessary. Avoid reactive metals (aluminum, copper). Glass, ceramic, and food-grade plastic all work.

Scaling recipes All of these recipes scale linearly. Double the vegetables, double the salt. The brine percentage stays the same regardless of batch size. Use the brine calculator to get exact salt amounts when scaling up or down.