30 Essential Fermented Foods for Better Gut Health (2024)

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Kristin Appenbrink

Kristin Appenbrink

Kristin is the co-founder of Part Time Vegan and Silent Book Club. As a former editor at Real Simple, she is compulsively organized and loves solving people's problems. She has a weakness for desserts, especially ice cream.

Jan Valdez

Jan ValdezAssistant Recipe Producer at The Kitchn

I got into this field by spending 10 years working in Research & Development and Product Development test kitchens, testing new products and recipes. For nearly eight years, I was the Senior Culinary R&D Specialist at Weber headquarters, where all the grills are designed, engineered, and tested. I've helped launch numerous best-selling, top-rated grills across the globe (you should see my grill collection at home!).One of my proudest accomplishments happened years earlier, when I had the opportunity to visit the Good Housekeeping Institue in NYC after developing an award-winning Tropical Citrus Shrimp recipe that jumpstarted my career in test kitchens and food editing. Since then, I've worked at Serious Eats (one of my favorite food sites) and EatingWell as an updates editor.I'm passionate about both classic recipes and new, unique twists. I'm constantly learning and that's what makes food and cooking so fun (just ask me how to bake light and airy pavlovas on the grill – I've tested them countless times!).

updated Aug 28, 2024

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30 Essential Fermented Foods for Better Gut Health (1)

Fermented foods like sauerkraut and kombucha have been in the limelight for their role in supporting healthy bacteria in your gut, but they are also just plain delicious. If you’re looking to eat more fermented foods on a regular basis, consider making your own. It’s totally doable and can be a lot of fun to make things like milk kefir or sourdough.

Of course you can eat (and drink) most fermented foods as is, but we think the real fun comes from finding clever ways to work them into meals and snacks throughout the day. This also happens to be the premise of Kelli Foster’s cookbook The Probiotic Kitchen, which employs widely available fermented foods in everyday recipes.

Whether you’re ready to try your hand at a batch of creamy yogurt, or you’re simply looking for easy and fun ways to eat more fermented foods, we have 30 recipes to help you do just that.

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Homemade Sauerkraut

Making your own sauerkraut might seem intimidating, but all it really takes is some chopping, a Mason jar, and a little bit of time. The results are 10 times better than what you can buy. Once your kraut is finished, it's time to start making Reuben sandwiches and beer brats.

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Homemade Kombucha

With all the delicious kombucha flavors out there, it's sometimes easy to forget that it's actually made from sweetened tea. As soon as you're ready to try making your own, follow this step-by-step tutorial.

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Homemade Kimchi

One of the most-recognized and well-loved fermented foods is kimchi. There are centuries of tradition around this dish. If you're interested in making it at home, we love this simple Mason jar recipe.

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Sourdough Bread

If you've been baking for a while, but haven't ever attempted making your own sourdough, now is the time to give it a try. Whether you make your own starter (a prime example of fermentation!) or you get one from a friend, there are few things more satisfying than a freshly baked loaf of homemade sourdough.

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Homemade Yogurt

If you've been entertaining the idea of making your own yogurt at home, let us be the ones to convince you. Not only does it save money, but it also gives you the control of the flavor and consistency. Just like most fermented foods, all it takes is a little time.

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Homemade Milk Kefir

Kefir is like a tangy drinkable yogurt, and all you need to make your own version at home is whole milk and kefir grains, which are easily found online. The best part is that as long as they stay healthy, you can use kefir grains over and over again pretty much indefinitely.

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Lacto-Fermented Mixed Pickles

No, these pickles don't have milk in them — here the "lacto" refers to lactic acid. If you've mostly made vinegar-based pickles, consider this your next lesson in home pickling. It takes a bit longer than making quick pickles, but the results are definitely worth it.

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Beet Kvass

If you've never tried kvass before, you're in for a treat. Similar to shrubs or drinking vinegars, kvass is a fermented beverage that has the earthy flavor of beets and a bit of fizziness. It has so many uses, including cocktails and vinaigrettes, and can even be enjoyed on its own as a tonic.

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Fermented Carrots with Galangal and Lime

These lacto-fermented carrots bring balance to the sweetness of this root veggie, with the addition of galangal or ginger and lime zest. They make for a delightfully unexpected snack. If you don’t have any fine-textured pickling salt on hand, you can substitute sea salt that doesn’t have any additives.

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Kimchi and Radish Salad

This simple salad of Bibb lettuce and a duo of radishes is anything but basic, thanks to blitzing kimchi into a flavor-packed dressing.

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Ginger Kombucha

Think of this like the perfect combination of kombucha and ginger ale. It's spicy, fizzy, and healthy in all the right ways.

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Lacto-Fermented Squash and Apples

This tangy condiment made with butternut squash and honeycrisp apple is great chopped and spread on your favorite sandwich.

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Mango Kombucha

Based on our step-by-step lesson on how to make kombucha, this version is infused with fresh mango, for a drink that's fizzy, sweet, and totally refreshing.

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Roasted Cauliflower in Turmeric Kefir

Enjoy this spicy, stew-y dinner over basmati rice or with parathas.

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Dairy-Free Coconut Yogurt

This rich and creamy dairy-free yogurt comes together with just four ingredients.

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Sauerkraut Martini

You'll love every briny sip of this 2-ingredient cocktail, made with sauerkraut liquid and vodka.

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Fizzy, Fermented Salsa

You'll want to keep fermented salsa on your radar. It has a distinct, tangy flavor and faint effervescence that sets it apart from the store-bought stuff and even regular homemade salsa. But it's easy to pull off.

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Sparkling Cider

Homemade sparkling cider, made with Champagne yeast, has a bit more of a bite to it than the version you might have grown up drinking. All you need is your favorite fresh-pressed cider and yeast to make this sweet and fizzy beverage.

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Homemade Tempeh

To make tempeh at home, you just need some beans, a spoonful of tempeh starter, and a warm spot in your house. We’ll walk you through each step of the process, from preparing the beans to cooking it for dinner.

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Stuffed Cucumber Kimchi (Oi Sobaegi Kimchi)

Once you've made your own homemade kimchi, it's time to come up with ways to serve it. We love this appetizer even more when you use fermented cucumbers to make it.

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Ginger Kombucha Tonic

An after-dinner tonic made with a variety of herbs, including rosemary, sage, and mint, and topped off with ginger kombucha is the perfect tonic to sip on after a meal has left you stuffed and bloated.

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Probiotic Breakfast Bowls

Tangy Greek yogurt and a big forkful of fermented kraut give this wholesome breakfast bowl a big pop of flavor. Try swapping the kraut for kimchi — it's a delicious move.

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Fermented Asparagus Pickles

You might not have thought about turning asparagus spears into fermented pickles, but you should. The middle of the spear is best for fermenting because they are dense and hold their form, while still having a soft-enough texture to enjoy eating.

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Spicy Kombucha Bloody Mary

What’s cool? Bloody Marys with brunch. What’s cooler than being cool? Bloody Marys with kombucha. Time to give this classic brunch cocktail a fizzy, gut-healthy update.

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Smashed Chickpea Salad Sandwiches

This protein-rich vegetarian sandwich swaps the mayo for gut-friendly Greek yogurt and mixes in chopped-up fermented pickles for good measure.

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Tahini-Miso Dressing

We think it's a good idea to keep a batch of this simple, three-ingredient dressing on hand at all times. From topping grain bowls to drizzling over a simple salad, it's a great go-to recipe.

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Crispy Sesame-Lime Tempeh with Coconut Curry

If you've never cooked with tempeh before, you’ll want to give this flavor-drenched, veggie-packed curry a try. The nutty, chunky tempeh is perfectly complemented by a flavorful marinade. Baking it produces a bit of crust without the mess and oiliness of frying.

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Sweet and Sour Miso-Kombucha Sauce

Tangy, fermented kombucha and miso paste join forces for a quick dressing that instantly perks up any salad.

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Tempeh Parmesan Sandwich

Tempeh is a great stand-in for meat in vegetarian sandwiches, and this tempeh Parmesan sandwich is one of our favorites. It's hot and melty, and the tempeh holds up to the sauce in a way that tofu can't.

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Credit: Leela Cyd

Lacto-Fermented Oatmeal

If you're used to soaking your oats overnight, this won't be a big change to your routine, but it will make your breakfast taste much better. Instead of soaking just in water, add a little yogurt to lacto-ferment the oats. You'll end up with a much more complex flavor.

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