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Fermented carrots on a fork.

Fermented Carrots | Easy Ferment Your Kids Will Love

These fermented carrots are crunchy, tangy, and so easy to make. Made with fresh carrots, ginger, and sea salt, this beginner-friendly ferment is packed with flavor and traditional goodness. Perfect for snacks, salads, bowls, and everyday meals. Save this simple fermented carrots recipe for your next batch.
4.16 from 132 votes
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Course: Condiment, Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Fermenting Time: 3 days
Total Time: 3 days 25 minutes
Servings: 64 Tablespoons
Calories: 5kcal
Author: Carolyn Thomas
Cost: Varies

Equipment

  • Box Grater or food processor
  • Mixing Bowl
  • Mason Jar with Lid
  • Fermentation Weight If you don't have a fermentation weight, you can also use a small glass jar.
  • Fermentation Lid If you don't have a fermentation lid, don't tighten your lid all the way, and burp your jar as needed.

Ingredients

  • 12 medium carrots about 2 ½ pounds
  • 1 Tablespoon ginger minced
  • 1 Tablespoon sea salt 2 Tablespoons if omitting starter culture
  • ¼ cup whey or another starter culture for fermentation

Instructions

  • Shred carrots using a food processor or cheese grater and place them into a large bowl.
  • Add 1 tablespoon of minced ginger.
  • Add ¼ cup starter culture (see notes for options) and 1 tablespoon salt. If you don’t have a starter culture, add 2 tablespoons salt.
  • Stir well to distribute salt and ginger throughout the carrots.
  • Pound the carrots for about 10 minutes (much like you would when making sauerkraut) to release their juices.
  • Place a funnel into a quart-sized wide-mouth Mason jar and add carrots to the jar. Pack down the carrots tightly as you go to eliminate air pockets, the goal is a firmly packed jar of carrots.
  • Once your jar is full, add the remaining liquid from the bowl so your carrots are covered with liquid.
  • Place a fermenting weight, or a small ¼ pint jar inside the quart jar to hold carrots under the liquid.
  • Add a lid, do not screw down airtight, and leave the jar out on the counter for three days.
  • After three days, taste the carrots to see if the flavors have developed to your liking. If not, continue to let ferment, tasting every 12 hours.
  • Once you’re happy with the flavor, transfer to cold storage (anything under 55°F and above freezing). This could be a cool place in the pantry, a wine cooler, a root cellar, or for many of us, the refrigerator.

Notes

Tips and Troubleshooting:
  • Keep Everything Below the Brine - This is one of the biggest keys to success. Vegetables exposed to air are more likely to spoil.
  • Use Non-Iodized Salt - Choose sea salt, kosher salt, or another salt without anti-caking agents.
  • Cooler Kitchens Ferment Slower - Warm kitchens move faster. Cool kitchens may need a few extra days.
  • Don’t Stress About Perfection - Fermentation has been feeding families for generations. Start where you are, keep it clean, and trust the process.
  • Save the Brine - Be sure to save the fermenting liquid in the jar for your next batch!
Serving Suggestions:
These fermented carrots are one of those little jars that can make even the simplest meal feel extra special. Serve them alongside eggs in the morning (learn how to cook eggs in cast iron) or Amish breakfast casserole. 
They’re also delicious tossed into grain or rice bowls, spooned onto salads, tacos and sandwiches, or served next to roasted meats like our best whole roasted chicken recipe, a pork loin, beef roast, or a spatchcock turkey. 
One of the things I love most is adding them to a mixed vegetable stir fry, or this beef and broccoli stir fry recipe, right at the end of cooking, because they bring such a bright, fresh flavor to the dish.
And honestly, don’t be surprised if your family starts grabbing them straight from the jar for a quick snack straight out of the refrigerator!
Storage Instructions:
Once the flavor is where you want it, move the jar to the refrigerator or another cold storage area below 55°F and above freezing. This could be a cool place in the pantry, a wine cooler, a root cellar, or, for many of us, the refrigerator. Cold temperatures slow fermentation and preserve texture.
For the best flavor, enjoy within several months, keeping carrots submerged in brine each time you return to the jar.

Nutrition

Serving: 1Tablespoon | Calories: 5kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 117mg | Potassium: 38mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 1911IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 4mg | Iron: 1mg
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