BEST FERMENTED GREEN TOMATO SALSA RECIPE
The best fermented green tomato salsa recipe and fermented tomatoes!
In this post I share two easy recipes to get you started on your fermentation journey.
These recipes are super easy and quick to make at home and have a very short fermentation time, so you can make them today and enjoy in just a couple of days.
They are ideal recipes for beginners.
Get the full recipes here and enjoy!
Make sure to check the FAQs section at the end.
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It’s Monday again… urgh! How did that happen so fast?
The weather was great, so we had the chance to go out and spend some time in the fresh air. It was a welcome distraction from a long week spent indoors, between schooling and work, mainly sitting in front of a screen.
It was very cold to be honest, but we didn’t mind. We wrapped up really well and enjoyed the crisp air on our faces. It felt good to be outside.
We had long walks with our dogs, followed by hot chocolate and tea and a movie by the fire, and went on a bike ride as well.
It was such a lovely weekend!
EASY MEAL PREPPING IDEAS
Aside from all the outdoor fun, I was also very busy in the kitchen.
I cook almost everything from scratch and don’t rely on convenience foods, apart from the odd times.
Therefore, my cooking takes time, and I need to get organised when I have the time do so: that is to say mostly on Saturdays and Sundays.
If you have a busy lifestyle like me, baking and meal prepping are necessary jobs to do on weekends. But they are also a way of spending time and do something fun with your children, if they are inclined to help out that is!
And if the kids don’t want to help, just relax, have a glass of wine and put on your favourite music or podcast!
Indeed, Saturday or Sunday afternoons are ideal to:
- bake cakes and muffins;
- start fermenting;
- bake sourdough bread;
- make plant based milk (like almonds or oats milk);
- prepare make aheads breakfasts dishes.
You can read this post to get inspiration for yummy and nutritious make ahead breakfast recipes!
While you read this post, make sure to grab the FREE EBOOK, complete with all 7 recipes!
Download it, print it, and enjoy!
Best FERMENTED green tomato salsa recipe
Luckily for you, today I’m going to share 2 super easy fermented recipes that you can make today and enjoy in just a couple of days.
These 2 recipes are very easy, making them ideal even for beginners.
Therefore, if you never fermented foods before, don’t be afraid to try the following fermented green tomato salsa recipe and fermented tomatoes.
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IMPORTANT
The content of this blog post is intended for information purposes only. It is not intended to replace professional medical advice.
I am not a doctor and I’m only sharing my personal experience here.
If you are unwell or sick, always ask your trusted doctor or medical practitioner for advice. Pay particular attention if you are allergic or intolerant to any food and/or medication, if you are pregnant or breast-feeding. Children and elderly people should also seek medical attention quickly if unwell or experiencing any symptom.
Even if you don’t experience any symptom, always contact your trusted health provider if in doubt. If you feel unwell and are worried, it is safer to ask for medical advice from a professional than to wait.
Never risk it!
ARE FERMENTED FOODS GOOD FOR YOU?
Fermented foods are indeed very good for your health.
Although I don’t consider myself to be a health freak, I do try my best to feed my family nutritious meals 99% of the time.
I try to create meals that are nutritious and healthy and that taste good. At the same time though, I don’t have hours on end to dedicate to cooking, so I tend to prepare meals that are not too time consuming or complicated.
If you are looking for healthy and tasty foods that are cheap and quick to prepare, fermenting is the answer to your prayers.
Fermented foods are extremely beneficial for gut health, taste absolutely delicious, take very little time to prep, and require no special and expensive kitchen tools.
In my home we are big fans of fermented foods. And they are so good for you!
Sauerkraut is probably the one ferment we consume the most, but we also love to ferment tomatoes and other veggies.
What is the easiest thing to ferment?
If you are a beginner, there are a few recipes you could try to get started with fermented foods.
For example, you could try:
- Sauerkraut;
- Kimchi;
- Sourdough;
- Kombucha;
- Kefir;
- Tomato salsa;
- Tomatoes.
HOW DO YOU MAKE SAUERKRAUT AT HOME?
If you want to learn how to make Sauerkraut, I have a complete guide for you:
THE BEST FERMENTED GREEN TOMATO SALSA AND FERMENTED TOMATOES RECIPES
On Saturday evening I prepared 2 lovely fermented recipes: fermented tomatoes and a batch of salsa.
They are super easy, only take about 10 minutes in total to prepare, and you just need a glass jar to make them.
You don’t even need a food processor for these recipes!
Making fermented tomatoes or salsa is a great way to preserve tomatoes, especially at the end of the season, when you might find yourself with a bunch of green tomatoes and no idea on how to use them!
I use recipes from the book “The Cultured Club” by Dearbhla Reynolds.
This book has given me all the info I needed, and I can’t recommend it enough, honestly. It has given me all the education I needed to start fermenting, and I haven’t bought any other publication since.
Let me tell you a little bit about it.
“THE CULTURED CLUB” by Dearbhla Reynolds
I was first introduced to this publication by a dear friend, who showed it to me one morning over coffee and cake at her house.
After a quick flick through the pages, I could see why she loved the book!
Dearbhla Reynolds is an Irish woman who, thanks to her upbringing, always had a love for wholesome and nutritious foods, and after becoming a mother, started experimenting with fermenting foods, in order to give her children the best possible start in life.
In this book, she explains clearly what fermentation is, and the basic principles of it.
The book is filled with wonderful pictures of mouthwatering food, from fermented fruit to vegetables, from breads to dips, from breakfasts to soups to desserts ….. and I could go on and on!
All the recipes are extremely simple and easy to follow, with a full list of ingredients and tools needed.
The Cultured Club: Fabulously Funky Fermentation Recipes
by Dearbhla Reynolds
HOW I STARTED FERMENTING FOODS
When I first started fermenting, I only knew how to make kombucha and kefir, and I didn’t know where to get started to ferment vegetables.
The book gave me the confidence to try, and I started with fermenting tomatoes.
Today, I’m going to share with you the very first two recipes I ever tried, which are also the recipes I made at the weekend: fermented tomatoes and fermented salsa.
BEFORE YOU GET STARTED
I’ll give you just a couple of important facts before you get started:
- For the following recipes, use clean and dry glass jars (see link below). There’s no need to sterilise them beforehand;
- You must ensure that all your ingredients stay completely submerged in the brine at all times during the fermentation process. This will prevent the appearance of mould in the jar;
- If mould does form, you must discard the entire content of the jar and start over;
- You can use “fermenting weights” (see link below) to ensure that the ingredients stay submerged under the brine;
- Remember to “burp” the jar at least once a day, every day, during the fermentation process. This will prevent the build up of gas in the jar;
- If you don’t “burp” the jars, there’s a risk that they might explode in your kitchen!
FERMENTED TOMATOES RECIPE
This is the very first recipe I’ve tried from the book “The Cultured Club”.
The taste of the fermented tomatoes is surprisingly sweet and sour, and the tomatoes feel “fizzy” in your mouth.
This great recipe will go down a treat as a salad, on its own, or accompanied by some greens, like lettuce or any mixed leaves.
INGREDIENTS:
- 350g ripe cherry tomatoes;
- 5 garlic cloves, sliced;
- a small bunch of fresh dill;
- 1 bay leaf;
- 1 tsp of whole black peppercorn;
- 2 Tbsp of sea salt and of raw cane sugar each;
- 1 litre of lukewarm filtered water.
INSTRUCTIONS:
Prick each tomato once with a fork, then pack the tomatoes tightly into a clean 1 litre glass jar, distributing the dill, garlic, peppercorn and bay leaf between the tomatoes.
In a separate bowl, mix the salt and sugar in the water, and stir to dissolve. Pour this brine onto the tomatoes. Make sure to cover all ingredients. This step is very important, as mould will develop if the contents are not completely submerged. If that happens, you must discard the entire content of the jar!.
Use a fermenting weight to keep the tomatoes submerged, making sure you leave 2.5cm headspace at the top of the jar. Close the jar.
Leave to ferment for 3-5 days at room temperature. Remember to “burp” the jar at least once a day, to avoid build up of gas inside of it.
After 5 days max, pop the jar in the fridge, where it will keep for up to 2 months.
FERMENTED SALSA RECIPE
This fermented salsa is my idea of a healthy party food! It tastes just delicious and I promise it will soon become a favourite on your table.
This recipe works with many varieties of tomatoes. You can use both green tomatoes and red tomatoes. If using green, unripe tomatoes, the final taste will be slightly bitter.
INGREDIENTS:
- 8-10 ripe tomatoes, roughly chopped;
- 2 red or green peppers, roughly chopped;
- 1 medium onion, roughly chopped;
- 1-2 garlic cloves, minced;
- juice of 1 lime;
- handful of fresh coriander, chopped;
- 2 tsp of fine sea salt;
- 1/2 tsp of cumin seeds;
- a pinch of ground black pepper;
- 1 chopped pepper (optional. Choose mild peppers or jalapeño peppers for a stronger taste);
- a pinch of smoked paprika.
INSTRUCTIONS:
Place tomatoes and the rest of the ingredients in a large bowl and mix them well. Pack them into a clean 1 litre glass jar. Most importantly, make sure you leave 2.5 cm of headspace at the top of the jar.
Close the lid of the jar and allow to ferment at room temperature for at least three days at room temperature. Remember to “burp” it at least once a day.
Transfer the jar to the fridge once it’s ready. It will keep for at least 6 months once opened.
How to Use Your Fermented GREEN tomato Salsa and fermented tomatoes
Both the two recipes I shared with you today are excellent to serve and eat in several ways.
You can mix them in lovely and colourful salads, or consume on their own.
here are some ideas:
- The fermented tomato salsa is delicious on toasted bread, and especially if you serve it next to avocados or guacamole. Feel free to add some olive oil, a sprinkle of lime juice and some fresh cilantro leaves if you like.
- I also like to use the salsa as topping on grilled veggies such as aubergines and courgettes.
- Use both as toppings on burgers;
- Both ferments can be served with tortilla chips;
- Why not use them as a side to fish tacos?
There are so many yummy possibilities!
THE BEST FERMENTED GREEN TOMATO SALSA RECIPE: FAQS
When you start fermenting foods, the simple thought can be overwhelming.
You might be worried about doing it wrong and risking poisoning your family. Trust me, I know cause I still am terrified of canning!
This is why I’ve created this list of common questions I get from beginners.
I hope you find it useful.
Is it OK to eat fermented salsa?
Not only it’s ok to eat fermented salsa, but it is very healthy to do so! And that is on top of this fermented green tomato salsa recipe being extra delicious!
Do you remove skin from green tomatoes for salsa?
Although you will find tens of articles that tell you to peel and core tomatoes to make salsa, you don’t have to waste your time on this tedious chore.
In order to make fermented tomato salsa you only need to roughly chop the tomatoes.
On the other hand, fermented tomatoes are used whole.
That’s all!
How long can you keep fermented salsa? How long is green salsa good for? Does green salsa go bad?
Just like any type of food, even preserved foods can go bad.
This is why it’s very important you familiarise yourself with safety guidelines when attempting any type of food preservation.
When it comes to fermenting, the salt present in the food will quick start the production of good bacteria, while killing off the bad ones. However, once your ferment is ready, you need to store it in the fridge.
How long does fermented salsa last in the fridge?
Different fermented foods will have different shelf lives. For the recipes I provided above, you can keep them in the fridge in a closed glass jar:
- Fermented tomatoes: max 2 months;
- Fermented tomato salsa: max 6 months.
How do you know when salsa is bad?
The most common signs to look for are:
- A bad smell;
- Mould growth (or any other organic growth);
- A sour taste.
If you notice any of the above signs, immediately discard the entire content of the jar!
How do you increase the shelf life of homemade salsa? Can fermented salsa be frozen?
I personally have never frozen any of the fermented foods I’ve prepared through the years. They simply don’t last that long!
However, according to this article, you can freeze ferments.
Can you get food poisoning from homemade salsa? Can you get botulism from salsa?
As already mentioned, you certainly can get sick if fermented (or canned) food is not prepared and stored safely.
I strongly encourage you to read this article and understand the safety guidelines you need to know before attempting any type of food preservation.
Never take risks!
THE BEST FERMENTED GREEN TOMATO SALSA RECIPE: CONCLUSIONS
I hope you enjoyed this post.
If you are a total beginner you can certainly start by fermenting tomatoes: it’s so easy and quick and the result is delicious!
Fermented foods are good food, and they make for a happy gut!
Healthy eating should not be considered something difficult and expensive to do!
Please let me know if you try these recipes or if you ferment other foods. Leave a message in the comment section cause I’d love to hear from you.
Till next time, Dee.
4-Pack Fermentation Glass Weights with Easy Grip Grooved Handles Heavy Fermenting Lids Fermentation Kit for Any Wide Mouth Mason Jars
IF YOU WANT TO HAVE A GO AT MAKING FRESH SALSA, YOU COULD CHECK THIS POST FROM SHANNON TORRENS:
Hi, I’m Dee!
Mom of three; printables creator, natural solutions, simple living and homemade food enthusiast; “Outlander” fanatic.
When I’m not busy writing and designing, you can always find me covered in a cloud of flour in the kitchen, playing and crafting with my children, or making up some blends with my Essential Oils. Also I’m practically obsessed with Crystals and reading during my spare time.
Come along on our crazy journey as a family living in the countryside of Ireland!
