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.

4.34 from 83 votes

Print Pin

Prep Time: 25

Fermenting Time: 5

Total Time: 5 25

Servings: servings

Author: Kris Bordessa

Ingredients

4 cups non-chlorinated water see recipe notes
2 tablespoons sea salt or pickling salt
1 head 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.
4 cups non-chlorinated water, 2 tablespoons sea salt
Place one pepper and one garlic clove in each pint-sized jar. Use them whole or slice them if you like.
3 hot peppers, 3 cloves garlic
Cut cauliflower into bite sized pieces and divide between jars.
1 head cauliflower
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

Did you make this recipe?Mention @attainablesustainable or tag #attainablesustainable!