Using only filtered water, beets, ginger, turmeric and salt you can easily make a batch of this beet kvass at home.
Have you ever tried beet kvass? Sour and sweet, with a salty earthiness, it’s a unique fermented beverage you can make right at home.
Fermenting foods is of course an old tradition. By now we’ve all heard about yogurt and kefir, but there’s a whole world of fermentation beyond dairy. From sauerkraut in Germany, to kimchee in Korea, and kvass in Russia, we’ve been making and consuming fermented foods of all kinds for centuries.
Fermentation literally transforms food, preserving it and enhancing the bioavailability of certain nutrients. It’s also a great way to easily get lots of gut-friendly bacteria into your diet. (I like to consume a small serving with each meal to help with digestion.)
How do you make beet kvass?
The idea of fermenting at home can be a little overwhelming at first but it’s pretty simple for the most part. Using only filtered water, beets, ginger, turmeric and salt you can make a batch of this beet kvass at home in a matter of minutes. It contains all of the anti-inflammatory power of ginger and turmeric and is loaded with beneficial bacteria. The most time-consuming part is waiting for the bacteria to do their thing and transform the mixture into a probiotic-filled tonic which can take anywhere from 3 day to a week depending on how warm your home is and how strong you like it.
I’ve recently discovered Mortier Pilon’s fermentation crocks which I’m really impressed with. The Montreal based company makes a line of vegetable fermentation crocks and Kombucha jars that make fermenting super simple and accessible. They’ve rethought the traditional fermentation crock and come up with a line of modern jars that are a ⅓ of the price and a ⅓ of the weight of old fashioned stoneware ones.
Why do you need a fermentation jar?
The glass jars let you see how your ferment is progressing and won’t absorb odors while the gutter style water barrier in the lid creates an airlock that allows fermentation gases to escape while preventing mold and unwanted bacteria from getting in. Each jar comes with a ceramic weight to keep vegetables submerged in brine and a clever chalkboard ring around the top of jar where you can jot down the date you started a new batch.
Their kombucha brewing jar comes with a spigot at the bottom and a fine mesh top so you can have a continuous brew going at all times. Just drain the jar when you are ready to drink it, leaving about a third of the kombucha behind to act as a starter for your next batch.
Golden Beet Kvass
Using only filtered water, beets, ginger, turmeric and salt you can make a batch of this beet kvass at home in a matter of minutes.
Ingredients
- 5-6 medium-sized golden beets, scrubbed, peeled and roughly chopped
- 2 inch piece of ginger, peeled and thinly sliced
- 2 inch piece of fresh turmeric, peeled and thinly sliced
- 4 teaspoons /22g unrefined sea salt or Himalayan salt
- Filtered or spring water
- Equipment:
- 1 2L fermentation jar with airlock
Instructions
- Clean and sanitize your fermentation jar.
- Place chopped beets, ginger and turmeric in a 2L fermentation jar along with the salt and filtered or spring water to cover. Stir thoroughly to dissolve the salt then fill up with water to 1” from the top.
- Fill the airlock with water and cover.
- Place in a location away from direct sunlight for at least 3 days or up to 2 weeks, refilling the water in the airlock as necessary.
- Pour off the beet kvass into bottles and refrigerate.
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Nutrition Information:
Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 26Carbohydrates: 6gProtein: 1g
Sylvie Shirazi is the recipe developer and food photographer behind Gourmande in the Kitchen. For the last 10 years she's been making eating more healthfully easy and accessible with gluten-free, grain-free, paleo and vegan recipes that are free from processed ingredients.
Allison Swain says
I have never tried home fermentation before. I would like to for the health benefits though!
Thanks for the chance to win
Rose says
This is so interesting! I have never heard of kvass. I wish I had the continuous brew kombucha jar when I was brewing my own. I'll keep it in mind for the future.
Jordan says
I am beyond excited for this!! I had no idea a contraption like this even existed! I have desperately wanted to make my own kombucha for so long. My bank account is not able to balance with my kombucha love. But I'm so scared! I grew up with a germaphobe mother so you can see where that goes.. But this? This I can handle!! Fingers crossed!