177 fermented recipes

Korean dongchimi made with turnip, scallion, ginger, and garlic in a light salt brine. A refreshing, mild water kimchi that ferments at room temperature and keeps for a week in the fridge.

Fiery Sichuan-style wok chicken with chili, fermented bean curd, and fresh ginger, simmered in stock and served over tender pea shoots. A 30-minute wok sensation.

Ma-po tofu, silky bean curd and ground pork simmered in a fiery sauce of fermented chili and ginger, thickened glossy and finished with sesame oil and scallion. The Sichuan classic, hot, spicy and tender.

Pickled spring garlic in vinegar and sweetened soy sauce, Korean-style. Slow ferment that mellows young garlic into tender, savory cloves perfect for rice bowls and grilled meats.

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.

Tangy sourdough pancakes with a tender crumb and subtle fermented flavor, made from active sourdough starter for fluffy breakfast hotcakes.

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.

Sourdough silver dollar hotcakes with an overnight fermented batter, baking soda for lift, and a tangy flavor no regular pancake can match. Makes 30 mini pancakes.

Watercress salad with a Chinese-style bean curd cheese and tahini dressing. Blanched watercress tossed in a creamy, savory fermented bean curd dressing with chili flakes and lemon.

Homemade elderberry wine fermented with fresh berries, sugar, lemon juice, and yeast. A traditional country winemaking recipe that needs just five ingredients and three months of patience.

Traditional fermented beet kvass, the tangy ruby-red base for authentic borscht. Just beets, water, and a slice of bread create this Old World staple in 4 to 5 days.

Stuffed eggplant pickles filled with minced cabbage, red bell pepper, garlic, and dill, tied with softened celery ribs and fermented in vinegar brine. A traditional Middle Eastern style pickle ready in 2 to 3 weeks.

Liquamen, an ancient Roman fish sauce made from anchovies, oregano, salt, and grape juice. A quick stovetop recreation of the fermented condiment that flavored nearly every dish in ancient Rome.

Grape starter for sourdough bread uses wild yeast from red grape skins to build a tangy, fruity base with just flour and water. A 6-day fermentation process creates a living starter you can maintain for months.

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.