Pickles are a staple on many backyard picnic tables, but many are made with vinegar. Fermented pickles have an amazing advantage over vinegar-soaked pickles because they are packed with gut-supporting digestive enzymes and beneficial bacteria. Additionally, there’s no need to heat up the kitchen with canning equipment!
If you’re a lover of pickles, you probably like to keep a collection of fermented pickle recipes on the ready. Lucky for you, we’ve scoured the internet and found a few favorites for you to try.
Ready to get started? Enjoy these lacto-fermented pickle recipes that deserve a spot on your picnic table all season.
The Best Fermented Pickle Recipes Around
Old Time Country Store Pickle Barrel Pickles
This recipe is reminiscent of the pickles many of us enjoyed at our local country store as kids and is simple to make at home. These pickles are a great way to use up those giant cucumbers you find in the garden. (Even though you’re sure you picked all of the cucumbers the day before!) They’re tangy, dilly, and delicious, and worth the small effort.
Ingredients:
- Pickling cucumbers
- Garlic
- Dill (weed and seed)
- Mustard seed
- Coriander seed
- Peppercorns
- salt
Everyday Fermented Pickle Spears
These everyday pickles are exactly what you expect – a perfect pickle for lunchtime sandwiches, backyard BBQs and salty late-night snacks. Fermented pickles offer the added benefit of gut-supporting bacteria and digestive enzymes over their vinegar-soaked cousins. Pair these with ham, turkey or even grilled cheese sandwiches. Dice them and add them to your favorite potato salad recipe. Batter and fry these pickles for a carnival treat. The possibilities are endless!
Ingredients:
- Cucumbers
- Garlic Cloves
- Red Peppers
- Bay Leaves
- Pickling Spices
Kosher Dill Pickles
These kosher dill pickles are a simple recipe that packs a huge flavor punch. Many taste these pickles and are immediately brought back to their grandmother’s kitchen table. Yes, they are that good! This recipe relies on garlic and dill for its flavor, and it doesn’t disappoint.
Ingredients:
- Cucumbers
- Fresh dill flowers
- Garlic cloves
- Himalayan salt
- Starter culture from a successful batch of fermented pickles
Quick and Easy Garlic Ginger Pickles
Instead of dill, this recipe uses ginger for a unique and flavorful pickle variation. Like most pickle recipes, this is best used with very fresh cucumbers (right off the vine is best!). One way to be sure you can get your cucumbers pickled quickly is to keep some brine already prepared. This way you can throw the cucumbers and spices into a jar, top with brine, and start fermenting right away!
Ingredients:
- Cucumber
- Garlic
- Ginger root
- Coriander seed
- Clove
Spicy Fermented Pickles
One of the keys to great fermented pickles is adding tannins to the jar. This recipe uses bay leaves but also gives some other suggestions for ingredients that can help add tannins (and keep your pickles crunchy!). This recipe includes a few different spices that add a slightly different flavor to the pickles. When you want variety in your fermented pickles, give this one a try!
Ingredients:
- Cucumbers
- Garlic
- Bay leaves
- Mustard seed
- Celery seed
- Allspice berries
Spicy Cumin Pickles
This post includes three easy fermented pickle recipes that you can try, but today the spicy cumin pickle recipe is my favorite! While traditional dill pickles are amazing, this recipe offers something new for a refreshing taste. It’s perfect for those summers when the cucumbers just keep coming out of the garden! Pair these pickles with any dish that needs a little spicing up!
Ingredients:
- Cucumbers
- Red pepper flakes
- Peppercorns
- Cumin seed
- Garlic
Fermented Sweet Pickles
Dill and spicy pickles are wonderful, but there’s something to be said for a sweet pickle too. This recipe is a perfect combination of zesty, sweet, and salty – Perfect for a picnic, backyard BBQ, or family gathering. This recipe uses includes whey in the ingredients but it can be made without whey or starter culture with a little extra time.
Ingredients:
- Cucumbers
- Onion
- Maple syrup
- Whey
- Tumeric
- Celery Seed
- Mustard Seeds
- Red Raspberry Leaf
Why Are My Pickles Soft?
Many homemade pickles end up soft (or even mushy, yuck!). So what’s the deal? Fermented pickles have a crunch that you just can’t get with canned pickles, making fermenting an ideal preservation method for cucumbers. Follow the tips in the above article for perfect crunchy pickles.
Did you know that in addition to being delicious, that pickles pack a punch in the nutrition department? That’s right. There just happens to be at least 13 different health benefits of eating pickles. Don’t just take my word for it. Check out our post on the health benefits of pickles and see for yourself.
Mindy Wood is a writer, wife, mother, and homesteader, living in the beautiful mountains of New Hampshire. She writes at PurposefullySimple.com where she shows people how to live more self reliant and healthy lives by growing their own food and learning other homesteading skills.