Easy Fermented Carrots with Garlic & Ginger

I’ve always loved the bite of sauerkraut, but last year I discovered a whole new love for fermented foods.

There’s something about making your own ferments that feels a little bit like magic. You start with something as simple as a carrot, some salt, and water, and a few days later, you have a crunchy, tangy snack packed with flavor.

Of all the ferments I’ve tried, fermented carrots are by far my favorite.

And the best part? You don’t need anything fancy to make them.

My basic recipe requires just carrots, salt, and water. I like to add garlic and fresh ginger for a little extra zip, and I use a small amount of raw, unfiltered kombucha as a starter to help get the fermentation going.

Why I Love Fermented Carrots

Fermenting vegetables is one of those old-fashioned food preservation methods that I really enjoy bringing into my kitchen.

Carrots are especially easy to ferment because they hold their crunch really well. Instead of ending up with soft, mushy vegetables, you get a tangy, slightly salty carrot that makes a great snack or addition to a meal.

And they’re incredibly easy to customize.

You can slice your carrots into rounds or cut them into sticks. Personally, I prefer sticks, but my family prefers rounds.

Of course they do. 🤷‍♀️

The garlic and ginger are completely optional, but I highly recommend them if you like a little extra flavor.

What You Need

For one quart-sized glass jar:

Carrots, enough to fill a quart jar
3 tablespoons good-quality real salt
2–5 cloves peeled garlic, optional
½ teaspoon freshly grated ginger, optional
¼ cup raw, unfiltered kombucha, optional
Water

If you don’t use a starter liquid, you’ll need additional salt for the fermentation. I prefer using a little starter because I don’t want my carrots to end up quite so salty.

How to Make Fermented Carrots

1. Prepare Your Carrots

Wash your carrots and slice them into rounds or sticks.

Pack them into a clean quart-sized glass jar, leaving enough room at the top for the liquid.

I usually make mine into sticks, but if you’re feeding a family, you might want to ask what shape everyone actually wants before you start. Apparently, carrot geometry matters around here.

2. Add the Garlic and Ginger

If you’re using garlic, add 2–5 peeled cloves to the jar.

Then add about ½ teaspoon of freshly grated ginger.

Both are optional, but they add so much flavor to the finished carrots.

3. Add the Starter

I like to add ¼ cup of raw, unfiltered, original-flavor kombucha as my starter liquid.

This is optional, so don’t feel like you need to run out and buy kombucha just to make fermented carrots.

You can ferment the carrots without it. You’ll simply use more salt.

4. Add the Salt

Add 3 tablespoons of good-quality real salt to the quart jar when using the starter liquid.

Then add enough water to completely cover the carrots.

If you’re skipping the starter liquid, use 6 tablespoons of salt per quart jar according to my original method.

Yes, that sounds like a lot of salt.

Because it is!

That’s one of the reasons I prefer using the starter liquid.

5. Cover and Shake

Put the lid on your jar and give everything a good shake to distribute the salt and seasonings.

You’ll want your carrots to remain completely submerged beneath the liquid during fermentation.

This is where I eventually invested in fermenting jar tops.

After I discovered how much I loved making and eating ferments, I also discovered how much I hated cleaning fermented liquid off my kitchen counters.

If you’ve ever opened a jar and had fermented liquid shoot everywhere, you know exactly what I’m talking about. 😒

Fermentation creates pressure, so a lid designed for fermenting can make the process much easier.

If you don’t have fermenting lids, that’s okay. Just remember to carefully open your jars each day to release the pressure that builds up.

6. Let Them Ferment

Place your jar on the counter at room temperature and let the carrots ferment for approximately 7–10 days.

The exact timing can vary, so I like to pay attention to the carrots rather than relying entirely on the calendar.

As they ferment, they’ll develop that delicious tangy flavor and soften slightly while still retaining some of their crunch.

Once you’re happy with the flavor, move the jar to the refrigerator.

How Long Do Fermented Carrots Last?

Once the carrots have reached the flavor you like, transfer them to the refrigerator.

The cold temperature slows the fermentation process down significantly.

In my house, the bigger problem isn’t figuring out how long they’ll last.

It’s keeping everyone from eating them all.

A Few Things I’ve Learned About Fermenting

If you’re new to fermentation, don’t feel like you need to have a perfectly equipped fermentation kitchen before you start.

I certainly didn’t.

Start simple.

A glass jar, fresh vegetables, salt, water, and a little patience can take you a long way.

I’ve also learned that fermentation doesn’t have to be complicated to be worth doing.

There are plenty of elaborate recipes and special equipment available, but one of the things I love most about these carrots is how simple they are.

They’re just carrots.

And salt.

And time.

Add a little garlic and ginger if you want to make them extra delicious.

My Favorite Way to Eat Them

Honestly, I usually eat these straight out of the jar.

They’re an easy little snack when I’m standing in the kitchen and looking for something crunchy and flavorful.

They’re also a fun addition to a meal when you want something tangy to balance out richer foods.

And because they’re already sitting in the refrigerator ready to grab, they’re one of those little homemade foods that makes it easier to reach for something you’ve made yourself.

If you’ve never tried fermenting vegetables before, fermented carrots are a great place to start.

They’re simple, inexpensive, and forgiving—and once you get hooked, you might find yourself looking around the kitchen wondering what else you can ferment!