Fermented Ginger Carrots are a delicious way to add probiotic foods to your GAPS Diet meals. With a few simple ingredients and five minutes of prep time, you have a side that is sweet and tangy with a hint of spice.
What are Fermented Ginger Carrots?
Fermented ginger carrots are a delicious and nutritious lacto-fermented food that combines the health benefits of carrots and ginger with the power of probiotics. This simple recipe involves fermenting carrot sticks or slices with ginger in a salt brine, allowing beneficial bacteria to create lactic acid and transform the vegetables into a tangy, probiotic-rich snack.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Naturally probiotic – Supports your digestive health with a delicious way to consume probiotics.
It’s budget-friendly – Nourish your gut without breaking the bank! With a few affordable ingredients, you can have billions of probiotics to help support a diverse microbiome.
Fermented Ginger Carrots and the GAPS Diet
With billions of probiotics in each bite, lacto-fermented foods are an essential part of the GAPS Diet! They are introduced to help normalize gut flora by repopulating with beneficial bacteria, stimulating stomach acid production, and providing digestive enzymes, vitamins, and minerals to the body (Gut and Psychology Syndrome, p196). In Stages 1 and 2 only the juice is consumed and Stage 3 onwards and Full GAPS, the juice and vegetable pieces are consumed.
Sourcing Your Ingredients
When it comes to selecting carrots and ginger for your fermented recipe, you have several options depending on your budget and availability:
- Good: Regular store-bought carrots and ginger are a convenient choice and will still yield delicious results. They are widely available and budget-friendly.
- Better: Opting for organic store-bought or farmer’s market produce can enhance the nutritional value and flavor of your fermented carrots. Organic options reduce exposure to pesticides, while farmer’s market produce is often fresher and supports local agriculture.
- Best: Growing your own carrots and ginger at home ensures the highest quality and control over the growing conditions. Homegrown produce is typically free of pesticides and can be harvested at the peak of freshness.
For more insights into how lacto-fermented foods can boost gut health, check out this post. It explores the benefits of incorporating fermented foods into your diet and how they support a healthy microbiome.
Ingredients
Carrots – Fresh and crunchy, perfect for fermentation.
Fresh Ginger – Adds a zesty flavor and numerous health benefits.
Salt – Use a good quality mineral salt such as Celtic Sea salt or Himalayan salt. Avoid salts with anti-caking agents.
Water – Choose filtered water where possible, most city tap water contains chlorine and other additives and you don’t want that in your dill pickle sauerkraut as it can impact the fermentation process.
A full ingredients list with exact amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
Tools You May Need
- Knife and chopping board (or mandoline slicer)
- 2 x Wide mouth mason jar with lid (1quart or 1 litre)
- Measuring spoons
- Fermenting weight (optional)
- Fermenting lids (optional)
How to Make Fermented Ginger Carrots
This recipe is incredibly easy to make! Follow along below for the full how-to.
- Create the saltwater brine.
2. Peel the carrots, cut off the end, and chop them into sticks.
3. Add the carrot sticks to the other jar by standing them upright. Make sure to leave plenty of headroom above the carrots.
4. Peel the ginger and cut in into thin slices. Add the ginger to the jars, wedging the slices between the carrots to help prevent them from floating.
5. Add your fermenting weight (if using) to the jar and pour the salt water brine over the carrots. Make sure the weight, carrot, and ginger are submerged under the brine to prevent mould.
6. Add your fermenting lid or a regular lid and store it on the counter out of direct sunlight for 5-7 days. The longer they it ferments at room temperature, the softer and sourer it will become.
Recipe Variations and Modifications
Probiotic starter – Use a teaspoon of probiotic liquid from a previous batch of carrots or sauerkraut. This step will speed up the fermentation time.
How to Introduce and Serve
Fermented foods can have a powerful effect on the body. If you haven’t eaten home-fermented foods before you will need to introduce slowly. Starting with 1 teaspoon of the juice and working your way to as much as a cup a day. Make sure to listen to your body to see how you react during the introduction process.
How to Store
Store in a glass jar in the fridge for up to 6 months. The fermentation process slows down once the carrots are refrigerated, allowing them to keep their crunch but hey will become softer and more acidic over time.
Tips for making Fermented Ginger Carrots
To ensure a perfect batch every time, keep these tips in mind:
- Submerge Completely: Make sure the brine fully covers the carrots and ginger to prevent mold and spoilage. Glass weights (like [these](link to weights)) are excellent for this.
- Leave Headspace: Allow enough space (about 1-2 inches) between the top of the carrots and the jar’s shoulder. This accommodates expansion during fermentation and prevents leaks. You shouldn’t need to “burp” the jar. If you do, you’ve likely overfilled it.
- Hands Off! Avoid opening the jar during fermentation. It’s an anaerobic (oxygen-free) process, and introducing too much air can spoil your ferment.
- Temperature Matters: Ferment at room temperature, away from direct sunlight. Cooler temperatures slow fermentation, while warmer temperatures speed it up.
- Fermentation Time is Flexible: The fermentation duration is based on your personal taste and needs. It can range from 5-7 days to several weeks or even months. Longer fermentation times break down more fiber, making the carrots easier to digest and potentially lower in histamine.
FAQ
What can I use instead of a fermenting lid or weight?
Cabbage Leaves: Place a cabbage leaf on top of your ferment and tuck the sides down.
Nested Jars: Use a smaller jar filled with water to weigh down the contents of a larger jar.
How long do fermented ginger carrots last in the fridge?
Once fermented, fermented ginger carrots store in the refrigerator for up to six months. Refrigeration slows down the fermentation process, helping maintain crunchiness while gradually increasing acidity and softness over time.
Do I need to burp my ferment?
I do not recommend burping ferments unless it appears that the jar lid is going to break. In general, I find this is only a problem when you have overfilled your jars
More Ferment Recipes from the Kitchen
Resources
Dr Natasha Campbell-McBride
- Gut and Psychology Syndrome (Yellow Book)
- Gut and Physiology Syndrome (Blue Book)
If you love this recipe, you’ll LOVE all the others in this category. Check out all my ferment recipes here!
Fermented Ginger Carrots
Fermented Ginger Carrots are a delicious way to add probiotic foods to your GAPS Diet meals. With a few simple ingredients and five minutes of prep time, you have a side that is sweet and tangy with a hint of spice.
Ingredients
- 4 carrots peeled
- 5-inch fresh ginger
- Filtered water
- 3 tsp Salt
Instructions
- Create the saltwater brine.
- Peel the carrots, cut off the end, and chop them into sticks.
- Add the carrot sticks to the other jar by standing them upright. Make sure to leave plenty of headroom above the carrots.
- Peel the ginger and cut in into thin slices. Add the ginger to the jars, wedging the slices between the carrots to help prevent them from floating.
- Add your fermenting weight (if using) to the jar and pour the salt water brine over the carrots. Make sure the weight, carrot, and ginger are submerged under the brine to prevent mould.
- Add your fermenting lid or a regular lid and store it on the counter out of direct sunlight for 5-7 days. The longer they it ferments at room temperature, the softer and sourer it will become.
Notes
Recipe Variations and Modifications
Probiotic starter – Use a teaspoon of probiotic liquid from a previous batch of carrots or sauerkraut. This step will speed up the fermentation time.
How to Introduce and Serve
Fermented foods can have a powerful effect on the body. If you haven’t eaten home-fermented foods before you will need to introduce slowly. Starting with 1 teaspoon of the juice and working your way to as much as a cup a day. Make sure to listen to your body to see how you react during the introduction process.
How to Store
Store in a glass jar in the fridge for up to 6 months. The fermentation process slows down once the carrots are refrigerated, allowing them to keep their crunch but hey will become softer and more acidic over time.
GAPS™ and Gut and Psychology Syndrome™ are the trademark and copyright of Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride.
The information in this blog post is my personal experience and for educational purposes only. It is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease; and does not consider your individual situation. If you have medical questions, please consult with a qualified medical practitioner.
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