These small batch fermented carrots are crunchy, tangy and a little savory, with garlic and mustard seed for extra flavor. I love keeping a small jar of them on hand for snacking or adding a little crunch to lunch, and you don't need a big batch to get started. 🙂
Note: If you're new to fermentation, see my guide Fermentation 101: How to Ferment Vegetables before getting started.
🌿 Ingredients
You'll only need a half a clove of garlic at the most as a little goes a long way here, and I also like to add some mustard seed spice which really adds to the savoriness of this recipe. Not to worry if you don't have one of these, though; you can still make this recipe with just carrots and salt!
For salt, you can use sea salt, kosher salt or any other natural, finely ground salt. Just make sure it doesn't contain any anti-caking agents and is not iodized, as both can affect the success and/or taste of the ferment.
Also, make sure you're using filtered, non-chlorinated water when fermenting carrots or other vegetables.
See recipe card below for exact quantities.
⚙️ Equipment recommendation
A Mason jar (affiliate link) or other glass jar with a lid is the only real requirement for this recipe. This is where your veggies will ferment at room temperature, and you can place the same jar in the fridge when they are ready (no need to transfer the carrots.)
You'll want to look for a wide-mouth pint-sized mason jar (as opposed to a regular mouth mason jar.) The wider opening will allow for easier access as you place your vegetables in the jar to ferment. Also, it'll be much easier to grab them out for snacking later on. 😉
If you'd like, you can buy special airlock lids (affiliate link) that will help let carbon dioxide gas escape from your ferment. However, they are not essential and you can use a regular lid if you'd prefer. I find that the airlock lids do make things a lot more hands-off (since you won't need to check on the ferment and let air escape manually). But if this is your first ferment, a regular lid is totally fine. You'll just need to check on your ferment each day and "burp" it as needed. To do that, simple loosen the lid a little and then re-tighten it.
You can also buy fermentation weights (affiliate link) to help keep veggies submerged under water during the fermentation process if you'd like. As long as you pack your carrots tightly, though, you shouldn't need an additional weight.
📝 Instructions
📖 Variations
The possibilities are endless when it comes to fermented vegetable recipes! Here are a few delicious variations you can try with carrots:
- Fermented ginger carrots - substitute the garlic with a little shaved or grated ginger for a delicious twist
- Fermented dill carrots - substitute the mustard seed for a few sprigs of fresh dill, with or without the garlic
- Fermented garlic carrots - as written, this recipe does call for half a clove of garlic, but feel free to add more if you'd like a stronger garlic flavor (just keep in mind that a little really does go a long way in a ferment)
🥧 Serving suggestions
I absolutely love snacking on homemade fermented carrots throughout the day. They also make a great add-on to a lunch sandwich (like this small batch egg salad). They are also delicious in a veggie wrap with hummus.
If you love these carrot sticks and want to go further into the wonderful world of fermented foods, I highly recommend trying some homemade sauerkraut next.
💭 FAQ
Fermented carrots have a mild salty and savory taste and crunch similar to pickles but a bit sweeter due to the natural sweetness of the carrots.
The fermentation time required for carrots will vary depending on the specific salt ratio used and temperature of the room, but a good guideline is about five days, plus or minus a day or two.
You may see some cloudiness develop in your ferment and that's usually normal. It can also be normal if a white film develops on the top of the water (called kahm yeast) which can simply be skimmed off. But if you're unsure, see mold, or smell a strange odor, those are all reasons to discard the ferment and start with a new batch.
🍳 Recipe
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Wash, trim and peel 1 pound carrots. Peel ½ clove garlic. With clean hands, use a sharp knife to cut the carrots into sticks and half of the garlic clove into thin slivers. The carrot sticks should be about an inch from the top of your jar when stacked on end.
- Place the garlic slivers and ½ teaspoon mustard seed in the Mason jar. Then, hold the jar on its side and pack the carrot sticks into it on their ends to fill it as tightly as possible, making sure they are all about equal height. When it's full, see if you can fit a few more in so that none of them can move (this will help them stay submerged while they ferment without needing a weight.) Note: you likely won't need all of the carrot sticks; save any leftovers for another batch or snacking.
- Sprinkle 2 teaspoons sea salt over the carrots, then slowly pour 1 cup filtered water over everything until the carrots are completely submerged under the water, but leaving a little room at the top of the jar.
- Close the jar and give it a little shake to disperse the salt, then place it in an area that's out of the direct sunlight at room temperature; on a countertop or in a cabinet is fine. If you're not using a fermentation lid, "burp" your carrots by quickly loosening and re-tightening the lid each day to allow any carbon dioxide gas to escape. Open the jar after 4-5 days and take a taste. If you prefer a stronger flavor, keep fermenting and test again in another day or two.
- Once you're happy with the taste, place the covered jar in the refrigerator to end the fermentation process, and enjoy!
Leave a Reply