37 fermented recipes

Classic country-style hearth loaf built on a slow poolish pre-ferment for deep, tangy flavor and a chewy open crumb. Three simple ingredients (flour, water, sea salt, yeast) and the patience to let fermentation do the work.

Ethiopian injera flatbread made with self-rising, whole wheat, and cornmeal flours. Spongy, slightly sour fermented bread used as both plate and utensil for scooping stews.

Russian malossol pickles are lightly brined cucumbers fermented with dill, garlic, horseradish root, and cherry or currant leaves. Ready in 5-6 days, crisp, garlicky, and mildly salty.

Sour sourdough bread builds extra tang through 12+ hours cold-retarded fermentation. Bread machine kneads, then artisan-style cylindrical loaves bake on cornmeal-dusted sheets.

Unyeasted fruit and nut bread made with whole wheat, rye, and roasted barley flour, studded with raisins, sunflower seeds, dried apricots, and chopped nuts. Dense, hearty wild-fermented hippie loaf.

A gluten-free yeast bread made from brown rice flour with an overnight ferment for depth of flavor. Honey-sweetened and oil-enriched, it bakes into a sliceable loaf with real structure. Makes 3 loaves.

Quinoa and bean soup with shiitake mushrooms, sauerkraut, pureed red kidney beans, and paprika. A protein-packed vegan bowl with deep fermented-savory flavor.

Quick fresh-pack dill pickles canned in pint jars with mustard seed, dill heads, and a hot vinegar brine. The classic American summer canning project, no fermenting required.

Lone dao jiow is a Thai coconut-fermented soybean dipping sauce served warm with fresh cucumber, cabbage, and green beans. Salty, sour, sweet in every bite.

Amish friendship cake with brandy-soaked fruit starter, warm spices, and pecans in a bundt pan. A share-with-friends chain recipe where the fermented fruit starter grows and gets passed along.

Finnish sour rye bread with a four-day natural starter, rye and white flour blend, and an egg wash finish. A dense, tangy, traditionally fermented loaf.

Salt-rising bread made with a potato water starter fermented overnight. A heritage Appalachian yeast bread with a distinctive tangy flavor and dense crumb.

Diced chicken and cabbage get a fast flash-fry, then tossed with crushed peanuts, fresh chilies, and fermented chili bean curd for a fiery, nutty stir-fry that rivals your favorite Kung Pao.

Garlic half-sour dill pickles: classic New York deli-style fermented cucumbers with garlic, dill, and pickling spice. Just 2 weeks to crisp, lightly sour pickles at home.

Old-fashioned brined dill pickles fermented in a crock with pickling spices, vinegar, and fresh dill. Crunchy, tangy homemade pickles worth the three-week wait.

Gruel bread: a rustic whole-wheat loaf built from leftover rice-and-vegetable gruel, no commercial yeast, risen overnight and baked dark. A zero-waste bread with deep, fermented flavor.