The recipe library
Browse 47 free, step-by-step fermentation recipes with ingredients, timelines, and troubleshooting guides.
21 recipes
Traditional lacto-fermented cabbage. Three weeks of hands-off fermentation, guided by clear daily checkpoints.
A tangy Salvadoran slaw of cabbage, carrot, and onion, lightly fermented with salt and oregano. Expect about 30 minutes of active prep, then 3-5 days of fermentation, with a taste check to decide when it is tart enough to refrigerate.
Green beans fermented with dill and garlic into a crunchy, tangy snack. Expect about 15 minutes of active prep, then 7-14 days of fermentation, with a taste check to decide when to refrigerate.
Whole asparagus spears fermented in a garlicky brine until tangy and still snappy. Expect about 15 minutes of active prep, then 5-10 days of fermentation, with a taste check to decide when to refrigerate.
Halved Brussels sprouts fermented in a garlicky brine until tangy and savoury, with caraway if you like. Expect about 20 minutes of active prep, then 10-14 days of fermentation, with a taste check to decide when to refrigerate.
Carrot sticks fermented in a salted brine until crisp, lightly sour, and ready for snacking. Expect about 20 minutes of active prep, then 5-10 days of fermentation depending on room temperature and taste.
Cauliflower florets fermented in a garlicky brine until tangy and crunchy, with optional turmeric for colour. Expect about 20 minutes of active prep, then 7-14 days of fermentation, with a taste check to decide when to refrigerate.
Whole cherry tomatoes fermented in a garlicky brine until fizzy, savoury, and tangy, like a little flavour bomb. Expect about 15 minutes of active prep, then 5-10 days of fermentation, with a taste check to decide when to refrigerate.
Whole peeled garlic cloves fermented in a light brine until their raw bite mellows into something soft, savoury, and lightly sour. Expect about 20 minutes of active prep, then 3-4 weeks of fermentation, with the cloves softening and mellowing as the sign they are ready.
Firm green tomatoes fermented in a dill-and-garlic brine until tangy and savoury. Expect about 20 minutes of active prep, then 7-14 days of fermentation, with a taste check to decide when to refrigerate.
Chillies, garlic, and brine fermented until fruity and sour, then blended into a pourable sauce. Expect about 30 minutes of active prep, 1-3 weeks of fermentation, and a short blending session at the end.
Sliced jalapeños fermented in a garlicky brine until their raw heat mellows into a tangy, savoury kick. Expect about 20 minutes of active prep, then 5-10 days of fermentation, with a taste check to decide when to refrigerate.
Button mushrooms blanched then fermented in a garlicky brine until savoury, tangy, and firm. Expect about 25 minutes of active prep, then 7-14 days of fermentation, with a taste check to decide when to refrigerate.
Whole or halved cucumbers fermented in a salted dill brine until crisp and tangy. Expect about 30 minutes of active prep, then 5-10 days of fermentation depending on room temperature and how sour you want them.
A chunky tomato salsa lightly fermented until bright, tangy, and more rounded than a fresh salsa. Expect about 25 minutes of prep and 2-4 days of fermentation before refrigeration.
Garlic cloves submerged in honey until the honey thins, bubbles, and turns savoury and sweet. Expect about 15 minutes of active work and at least 2-4 weeks before the flavour becomes rounded enough for regular use.
An Italian-style mix of cauliflower, carrot, celery, and pepper fermented in a herby brine until tangy and crunchy. Expect about 25 minutes of active prep, then 7-14 days of fermentation, with a taste check to decide when to refrigerate.
Turnip batons fermented with a slice of beetroot that dyes them a bright pink, in the Middle Eastern style. Expect about 20 minutes of active prep, then 7-14 days of fermentation, with a taste check to decide when to refrigerate.
Whole lemons cured in salt and their own juice until the rinds turn soft, tender, and intensely citrusy. Expect about 20 minutes of active prep, then 3-4 weeks of curing, with the softening rind as the main sign it is ready.
Cubed Korean radish tossed with salt and a spicy gochugaru paste, then briefly fermented into a crunchy, tangy banchan. Plan on about 30 minutes of active prep and 1-3 days to reach the flavour you want before refrigerating.
Classic napa cabbage kimchi. A two-day active process followed by slow cold maturation that gets better with time.
4 recipes
A rich, gently tangy cultured cream made by stirring a live culture into cream and leaving it to thicken. Expect about 5 minutes of work, then 12-24 hours at room temperature, with the thickness telling you when it is ready.
A thick, tangy strained-yogurt cheese, made by hanging salted yogurt until the whey drains away. Expect about 10 minutes of active work, then 12-48 hours of straining in the fridge, with the texture telling you when it is ready.
A tangy, lightly fizzy cultured milk made by fermenting milk with kefir grains at room temperature. Expect a couple of minutes of work, about a day of fermenting, then a quick strain, with the grains carrying straight on to the next batch.
Simple homemade yogurt using live cultures. Ready in under 24 hours with precise temperature control at two key stages.
2 recipes
A crusty, open-crumb loaf leavened entirely with an active sourdough starter. Plan on a hands-on morning of mixing and folding, a 4-6 hour bulk rise, an overnight cold proof, then baking the next day, with the dough's rise telling you when each stage is done.
A two-week wild yeast cultivation project. Daily feedings build a reliable, active levain ready for baking.
17 recipes
A gently spiced apple soda lightly carbonated with a ginger bug. Plan on a quick brew, 1-3 days of fermentation, and 1-3 more days in the bottle to build fizz.
An earthy, salty, lightly sour beet tonic made by fermenting chopped beetroot in a light brine. Expect about 20 minutes of active prep, then 1-2 weeks of fermentation, with a taste check to decide when the liquid is tart enough to refrigerate.
A deep purple, berry-forward soda lightly carbonated with a ginger bug. Plan on a brief brew, 1-3 days of fermentation, and 1-3 more days in the bottle to build fizz.
A traditional Eastern European fizzy drink brewed from toasted stale rye bread, sugar, and a starter. Expect about 20 minutes of active work, an overnight steep, then 1-2 days of fermentation and a little time in the bottle for fizz.
A rich, fruity cherry soda lightly carbonated with a ginger bug. Plan on a brief brew, 1-3 days of fermentation, and 1-3 more days in the bottle to build fizz.
A bright, naturally carbonated ginger soda brewed from a ginger bug starter. Plan on a brief brew day, 2-4 days of fermentation, and 1-3 more days in the bottle to build fizz, with a taste check to decide when to bottle.
A tart, ruby-red hibiscus soda lightly carbonated with a ginger bug. Plan on a quick steep, 1-3 days of fermentation, and 1-3 more days in the bottle to build fizz.
Naturally fermented sweet tea with a living SCOBY. A two-week first ferment followed by a fizzy bottle-conditioning stage.
A crisp, citrusy soda lightly carbonated with a ginger bug, like a homemade lemon-lime. Plan on a quick mix, 1-3 days of fermentation, and 1-3 more days in the bottle.
A cool, refreshing cucumber soda with fresh mint, lightly carbonated with a ginger bug. Plan on a quick prep, 1-3 days of fermentation, and 1-3 more days in the bottle.
A soft, summery peach soda lightly carbonated with a ginger bug. Plan on a brief brew, 1-3 days of fermentation, and 1-3 more days in the bottle to build fizz.
A tropical pineapple soda lightly carbonated with a ginger bug. Plan on a quick brew, 1-3 days of fermentation, and 1-3 more days in the bottle to build fizz.
A bittersweet grapefruit soda with a savoury rosemary note, lightly carbonated with a ginger bug. Plan on a quick brew, 1-3 days of fermentation, and 1-3 more days in the bottle.
A wild fermented ginger bug that you feed daily until it is lively, then use to carbonate homemade sodas. Expect a few minutes of work each day for about 5-7 days to get it active, then ongoing feeding to keep it alive.
A fragrant strawberry soda with a hint of basil, lightly carbonated with a ginger bug. Plan on a brief brew, 1-3 days of fermentation, and 1-3 more days in the bottle.
A light fermented pineapple drink made from pineapple peel, sugar, and spices. Expect about 20 minutes of active prep, 2-3 days of room-temperature fermentation, and another day if you bottle it for extra fizz.
Water kefir grains fermented in lightly sweetened water until lightly tangy and gently fizzy. Expect about 20 minutes of active work, 1-3 days for the first ferment, and another day if you want a stronger second ferment.
2 recipes
A savoury fermented paste of soybeans, rice koji, and salt, aged slowly into deep umami. Plan on an overnight soak and a few hours of cooking and mixing, then 6-12 months of patient fermentation, tasting from around six months to decide when it is ready.
A savoury Japanese seasoning of rice koji, salt, and water, fermented into a sweet-salty paste that tenderises and adds umami. Expect a few minutes of work, then 7-10 days of daily stirring, with the koji softening as the sign it is ready.