When cauliflower is in season, consider preserving some using the lacto-fermentation method. This fermented cauliflower recipe preserves the florets as tasty and crunchy little tidbits packed with probiotics.
New to fermenting foods? Be sure to read this compilation of frequently asked questions before you get started!
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My first attempt at lacto-fermentation?
It didn’t go so well. First, the whole idea of letting fresh food sit out on the counter until it ferments goes against everything I’ve ever been taught about cooking. But beyond that, I was trying to cobble together a system that left me with a moldy, uh, buggy mess that ended up in the compost.
It’s a simple thing, but it’s essential that the food you’re trying to ferment remain completely submerged under the brine. Mine did not. Thus, the big ole fat fail.
That was years ago.
The little glass weights that hold ingredients under the brine are a key to my success, these days.
Why fermented foods?
- Naturally fermented foods recipes are host to the original probiotic and promote a healthy digestive system.
- It’s a great way to preserve your garden goodness.
- Fermented foods are delicious.
- Getting started is easy.
- Read this to find out more about the difference between pickling and fermenting.
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Fermented Cauliflower Recipe
It took me 25 minutes, start to finish, to assemble three pints of cauliflower. Then, of course, there’s the fermentation time, but you don’t need to do much during that other than check the jars to make sure the solids remain completely covered.
Ingredients
Cauliflower — Whether you grow your own cauliflower or pick it up from the produce section, you’ll start by cutting the cauliflower into manageable pieces and giving them a good rinse. You can feel free to try the fancy purple cauliflower, too, if you have access to it.
Peppers — You can use any kind of hot pepper. You’ll see here that I’ve used a couple of different ones. You can slice them – or not! You can also SKIP the peppers (and garlic) entirely, if you prefer.
Garlic — Cloves of garlic add a depth of flavor, but these are entirely optional.
Salt — Use sea salt, NOT table salt. Table salt often has anti-caking agents that can interfere with the fermentation.
Water — It’s critical that you use filtered or distilled water for fermentation. Municipal water is treated with chlorine and other chemicals that can impede successfully fermented vegetables.
Preparing the Ferment
Once the cauliflower is chopped and ready, it’s a simple matter of packing the vegetables into jars and covering it with a salt brine. Really, it couldn’t be easier!
You can use mason jars here or upcycled jars in either case, be mindful that the salty brine will cause metal lids to rust. You can prevent this by putting a piece of waxed paper between the jar and lid.
Do you need an airlock? No. When I first started fermenting veggies, I did use one. Anymore though, it’s just as easy to use a plain lid and “burp” the jar daily. This requires loosening the lid to allow gasses to escape. If you must leave fermenting products for days at a time or are afraid you’ll forge to release those gasses, you might be more comfortable using an airlock.
Set the cauliflower in an out of the way place to ferment. Active bubbling can cause the brine to overflow, so it’s a good idea to place the jars on a tray to capture liquid.
In a warm room, fermentation will take about 3 to 5 days. In a cooler room it will likely take longer. The best way to test is with a taste!
It should smell pleasantly sour; if it smells off at all, discard the cauliflower and try again. If it smells good, pull out a small piece of cauliflower and see if it’s tangy. If it’s not tangy enough for you, leave it at room temperature and continue checking the flavor.
★ Did you make this lacto-fermented cauliflower recipe? Don’t forget to give it a star rating below! ★
Lacto-Fermented Cauliflower Recipe
These crunchy cauliflower bites are excellent for snacking and pack a probiotic punch. Serve this fermented cauliflower on a crudite platter, alongside a sandwich, or straight out of the jar.
Ingredients
- 4 cups non-chlorinated water, see recipe notes
- 2 tablespoons sea salt, or pickling salt
- 1 head of cauliflower
- 3 hot peppers (optional)
- 3 cloves garlic (optional)
Instructions
- Wash 3 pint-sized jars (or one quart and one pint). Even if they were clean in the cupboard - you want to be sure to avoid unwanted bacteria.
- Mix water and salt to make brine. Set aside, stirring occasionally until salt is dissolved.
- Place one pepper and one garlic clove in each pint-sized jar. Use them whole or slice them if you like.
- Cut cauliflower into bite sized pieces and divide between jars.
- Pour brine over cauliflower to cover. (If you don’t have quite enough brine, you can add water to top off each jar.)
- Place glass weight on top of the cauliflower to assure it’s submerged under the brine. Seal jar with an airlock system or screw a lid on loosely.
- Set in an out of the way place to ferment for 3-5 days. (There’s potential for these to overflow a little, so set fermenting jars in a pan of some sort to catch drips.)
- Test the cauliflower after a few days; if you’re happy with the level of fermentation, screw on a lid and refrigerate. Not quite ready? Leave out on the counter for another day or two. Be sure to use a clean utensil to remove cauliflower — using fingers could contaminate the brine.
Notes
Water: Municipal tap water contains chlorine, which can inhibit fermentation. Use spring or distilled water instead.
Salt: Salt with iodine or anti-caking agents can inhibit fermentation.
Brine: Four cups of brine is enough for approximately three pint jars of cauliflower.
It's critical that the veggies remain completely submerged in the brine. Glass weights are great for this!
Do you need an airlock? No. When I first started fermenting veggies, I did use one. Anymore though, it's just as easy to use a plain lid and "burp" the jar daily. This requires loosening the lid to allow gasses to escape. If you must leave fermenting products for days at a time or are afraid you'll forge to release those gasses, you might be more comfortable using an airlock.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 12 Serving Size: 1/2 cupAmount Per Serving: Calories: 16Total Fat: 0gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 540mgCarbohydrates: 3gFiber: 1gSugar: 2gProtein: 1g
More recipes for fermentation:
If you loved this recipe (and the idea of adding more probiotics to your diet!) there’s so much more exploring to do!
- These spicy fermented snap peas are a delicious addition to a salad, chop them in small bits and add to your deviled eggs, or serve them alongside a cold beer.
- Try these fermented carrots with garam masala seasoning for something different.
- Turn up the heat with a fermented hot pepper relish or a banana pepper hot sauce.
Originally published in 2015; this post has been updated. It was originally sponsored by Fermentools.
I want to use kefir whey to ferment my cauliflower. How much would you recommend? I’ll use a 1/2 gallon mason jar. Is 1/2 cup of whey enough?
I would think so!
Just picked several heads of cauliflower from my allotment which in January is a surprise! Delightful tho! Going to try yr recipe. Have successfully fermented a few things and was really pleased to find a little jar just the right size to fit the top of my Milner yippee I thought BUT I couldn’t get it out until I tried sucking it out with a vacuum
Now I put said ideal jar in a plastic bag and it comes out a treat! Just a warning for newbie fermenters!
Noted 🙂
I made my first batch of sauerkraut last week.I was so impressed. Can’t wait to try this recipe.I love pickled . Sounds simple and wonderful! Thank you
Oh good, you’ll love it 🙂
not a single receipe on the internet says what to do with the brine and the vegetable once fermentation is complete. I dump the brine and rinse vegetables with water because I want the fermentation process to stop. comments? hints? suggestions?
To slow fermentation, it can go in the fridge and you can eat it from there. Once you’re done with the veggies, you can reuse the brine as a starter culture for a new ferment!
Is it possible to use less salt in fermentation? I’m trying to watch my salt intake, but love fermented vegetables.
You can experiment with it a bit, but know that you might have some loss as you get it right. Using a starter culture often allows you to use less salt to begin with. Good luck!
Kris, I’ve never done this before and am a little confused about the lid and burping process. Can I use a canning lid and just “pop” it ? Or would the seal mess things up? Where do you get glass weights or is there something else I could use?
You’ll want to unscrew the lid to let the gasses out for burping. A plastic lid is preferable, if using a canning lid with a ring put parchment paper in between the lid and the jar. Sometimes you can find glass weights online, try Etsy. Or, try a small glass jar (like a baby food jar) filled with water as a weight. Good luck!
Can ferments be “jump started” using yogurt starter?
They can be jump-started with whey; haven’t tried it with yogurt starter.
I accidentally pushed down the cauliflower with my fingers after I added the brine. Is that going to be bad for the fermentation? Just read your note on trying to not touch the brine with your finger because of introducing potential bacteria. Should I discard and start over?
There’s always a small risk, but it should be fine if your hands were clean. Up to you if you want to start over!
Hello,
How do I know if I want to add more salt or not?
I like it salty and crunchy,
Can I add more salt in day 2 or 3 of fermentation after tasting?
Thank you
It should be pretty salty already. You can add a little more if needed but not too much because it can inhibit fermentation.
Looks great thanks. How soon to you need to consume by? Is there any way of conserving for about a year?
It should last a very long time in the refrigerator once it is fermented to your liking. As with any ferment, just keep your eye on it and give it a smell, a taste, and check for mold. Otherwise, it’s fine to eat!
This worked very well. I just put a part of the cauliflower stalk /leaf on top as a weight and it worked perfectly. It took about a week to ferment, and I left it out as we sacked our way thru the jar. The one pepper I used gave a nice peppery taste and they were crunchy and tasty. Thanks for the simple straightforward instructions!
Wonderful, glad you are enjoying them!
Delicious and so easy.
Definitely an A++.
And it only kept getting better in the fridge after fermentation. This is my new go to. A must try for beginners as well as advanced.
So glad you love it! 🙂
This recipe is my very first batch fermentation.
Delicious! So versatile. Thank you so much.
You’re welcome, glad you love it!
Hi Kris, I am so excited about LF cauliflower… I recently finished the last of my first batch, and I saved the brine. Can I just put new cauliflower and jalapeno in the same jar with the older brine? Thank you!
Cheche
Yes, you should be able to reuse the brine!
How can you use these harder vegetables like cauliflowers once they are fermented? I love the idea, I’m just confused as I would normally blanch/cook caulis and broccoli before eating.
They’re more like a crunchy pickle.
Hey i was wondering how long will this ferment last on the shelf and do you have to stir it at all? Also can i just put a cheese cloth on top of jar or does it have to be sealed?
It needs to be kept in a cool place — think basement — if it’s not refrigerated. This slows the fermentation. I like to seal them once they’re done, but it’s not absolutely necessary. You just want to keep the bugs out.
I use panty hose instead of cheese cloth. Works fine. Use legs to tie.
That’s one way to do it!
This is my first experience, ever, with fermentation. I mixed cauliflower with carrot sticks, two jalapenos, and some diced garlic. I may have added too much brine to the jars, as some of it has seeped out of the airlock (have a catch pan underneath). It has only been 48 hours since I started this batch, but looking forward to some great tasting snacks this weekend! Will let you know if I run into any issues (or have any questions). Thank you Kris!
A really active ferment can overflow, so you’re on the right track!
We followed recipe for fermenting cauliflower after 3 days the liquid is going cloudy and bubbling rapidly is this normal?
Yes! The liquid will become somewhat cloudy and the bubbling is an indicator that it’s actively fermenting! Just be sure that the cauliflower remains submerged and you’ll be snacking in no time!
I’m excited to try this for my first time. How long will this last in the refrigerator once it’s done? Thank you.
Months! 4? 6?
Thanks for posting this recipe.
I’ve been using Lacto-Fermentation for pickles for years, and this years season is done….as are my pickles!
I needed ‘something’ to fill the void and wanted to make sure Cauliflower didn’t need anything special. I found your recipe.
The amount of salt you use is less by about 1/4 but it turned out perfect.
I added some thin sliced carrots and a bag of pearl onions (sliced in half) just to add a bit of variety to the mix.
One other change? I didn’t want to cut a hole in my gallon jar lid for a bubbler, so I use a baggie filled with brine, laid on top of the mix while it does it’s thing. It fits in the jar mouth and keeps everything submerged ….but still lets the bubbles pass. Give it a try!
It’s nice to know I have something to hold me over after everyone gobbles up my pickles.
Thanks again!
You’re so welcome!
I assume the baggie is plastic. If you are comfortable with it’s presence in your fermenting process, that’s your choice.
i took broccolli and cauliflower red onion and whole garlic salted heavily and packed in jar,set i aside for few days i didn’t realize i needed water also so when i got back to it i added water, do you think its safe this my first try and it stinks
If it has an offensive odor, you probably need to start over. That’s a good indicator that a ferment has gone bad.
Great recipe! My 14 month old even loves them! Sometimes it’s the only thing she’ll eat haha
When the toddlers love it, you know it’s good! 🙂
Can this be processed in a water bath canner? I would like to make a few jars for myself and for gifts.
This is not a canning recipe, no. And heating the fermented cauliflower will kill the good bacteria from fermenting. Look for a recipe that uses vinegar, one that’s specifically meant for canning purposes.
I just made pickles using this method and they were ready in two days, I live in AZ and it is warmer here. I am going to try this next since I am pretty sure the pickles won’t last long. They are very good! Someone suggested adding a teaspoon of vinegar to prevent the yeast growth. I did it and it worked do you know if this can be done with the cauliflower?
I’ve never added vinegar to a ferment, and the yeast is a byproduct of fermentation. Not sure I’d want to eliminate it.
Your cauliflower looks amazing, my fav vegetable.
One of my jars of fermented vegetables, distilled water, sea salt, cauliflower, broccoli, garlic, and carrots has a white layer and ring around the top. I started them 1 month ago. They stay submerged. Any idea what the white ring is?
Ferments can get a thin layer of white yeast on top of them. Scrape it off and give the jar a sniff; if it doesn’t smell objectionable, it’s likely fine. If the top gets pink, green, or black, you’ll want to toss it.
This sounds like a great experiment! I will try it! Thank you for the idea!