Lacto-Fermented Bell Peppers – Simple Recipe & Guide

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Learn how to lacto-ferment bell peppers at home. This quick guide will walk you through the simple fermentation process, how to use your fermented peppers, and more. Whether you grow your own or use store-bought, you’ll be on your way to making healthy, fermented peppers in no time.

Last year, we had our most abundant pepper harvest ever. We live on a 1/8 acre in the suburbs, yet we had so many bell peppers from our three pepper plants that we didn’t know what to do with them.

That’s when I learned about lacto-fermentation as a form of food preservation—and I haven’t looked back. Now, lacto-fermented veggies are one of my favorite foods and a staple ingredient for our meals.

I love to throw them on a grilled cheese or quesadilla. And they are great in any recipe that calls for sliced bell peppers.

Though this recipe emphasizes green peppers, it can be used for any type of pepper, including hot peppers, such as chili peppers, jalapeno peppers, poblano peppers, and more!

Video: How To Ferment Peppers

Why I Love Fermented Peppers

Small-batch food preservation

We don’t have a homestead pantry or a cellar. We live at sea level—just a few feet above 0—in the suburbs, so we don’t have space for a full pantry of preserved food. With freeze-dried strawberries, for example, I usually end up with larger batches of food to store.

Fermentation is perfect because I prepare just a few jars and stick them in the fridge. In fact, I usually ferment just one small jar.

Easy and fast

During food preservation season, I rely on various methods to preserve food I have grown or that I buy from local farmers. Canning, freeze-drying, and dehydrating are some of my go-to methods.

But fermenting is by far the easiest. It is literally as easy as pouring a salt brine over the peppers and waiting. It’s quick and requires almost no hands-on time or cleanup.

A REAL Probiotic Food

Homemade fermented foods contain probiotics that are beneficial for overall gut health. However, store-bought fermented foods often contain little to no probiotics or beneficial bacteria. Sometimes, this is because they are not truly fermented foods. Other times, it is because they have to be pasteurized for shelf stability.

But when you ferment peppers at home, you cultivate all of the healthy bacteria and probiotics that contribute to a happy gut. And interestingly, your home lacto-fermented peppers contain more nutrients after you ferment them than before they were fermented.

How Does Lacto-Fermentation Work?

For something as delicious as fermented peppers, it seems weird that the magic is actually in the bacteria. Bad bacteria cannot withstand the salt brine. Call it good luck or science, but thankfully, the good bacteria can survive in the brine. Specifically, during the fermenting process, the bacteria Lactobacillus converts the natural sugars in the peppers into lactic acid. The lactic acid, then, suppresses unwanted pathogens from forming.

Health Benefits of Fermented Foods

It’s believed that lacto-fermented foods may provide health benefits such as anti-oxidant, anti-microbial, anti-fungal, and anti-inflammatory activity (source). Additionally, it is widely suggested that fermented foods contribute to overall gut health.

In my anecdotal experience, I feel better when I eat fermented foods. My digestion is improved, and my overall energy is better. Still, it is important to note that I am not a nutritionist or medical professional, so I always recommend checking with your healthcare provider about the proper nutrition for your unique needs.

Choosing Peppers for Lacto-Fermentation

• Check for blemishes – As with any food preservation method, remove any bruises or blemishes when fermenting peppers.
• Skip the bagged peppers – Avoid the pre-washed bagged peppers from the store. Often, they lack the bacteria needed for proper fermentation. However, regular store-bought peppers are fine to use.
• Color – Pick fresh peppers that are ripe and rich in color. Keep in mind that some peppers change color as they ripen, so it’s okay if there is some variety in coloring.
• Pick your pepper variety – This recipe is for bell peppers but will work for any pepper. So pick your favorite type.

Tips for Fermenting Peppers

• Keep the peppers submerged – For proper and safe fermentation, completely submerge the peppers in the brine.
• Use weights – I like to use a glass fermentation weight to keep the peppers under the brine. But a folded cabbage leaf will also work if you don’t have one.
• Use a fermentation lid or burp your jar – As the peppers ferment, they will produce and release gas, which needs to escape. The easiest way to manage this is with a fermentation lid. But you can also burp the mason jar daily to release the pressure.
• Use leftover brine – If you have any, use some of the leftover brine from other fermented veggies to give your peppers a boost of good bacteria.

How Much Salt Do You Need?

The amount of salt needed for fermentation depends on the vegetable and your preference. For instance, most recipes call for around a 3%-5% salt brine for soft vegetables like peppers.

To keep things easy, when it comes to fermenting peppers, I recommend using 1 tablespoon of salt per 2 cups of water.

How To Tell If Your Peppers Are Fermenting?

Sight: In the early stages of fermentation, the peppers will turn a dark, vibrant green. They will eventually fade into a dull green as they undergo the fermentation process. You may also notice bubbles in the jar. If you see mold, unfortunately, you will need to pitch this batch.

Smell: Early in the fermenting process, peppers can smell like sulfur. This is normal and indicates they need to ferment longer. But when they are ready, they will smell like…peppers.

Taste: Let your taste buds do the work! If your peppers look and smell okay, you can taste them. In fact, one of the easiest ways to determine if your peppers are ready is by trying one. They should taste tangy, crunchy, and good. Sometimes, they can even have a bubbly texture. If they aren’t tangy, give them a few more days.

The longer the peppers ferment, the more flavor they will develop. So as you experiment and taste test them, you can determine if you like more or less tang.

How Long Do Fermented Peppers Last?

Assuming they were fermented properly, fermented peppers can last 3-6 months in the fridge. Last year, I fermented my last pepper harvest in early November, and we ate them in March. They were delicious!

If you choose to keep them in the pantry, the shelf life will be shorter. Either way, before eating fermented peppers, make sure they look and smell good. There should be no foul orders or signs of mold.

Tools You Will Need

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• Mason jar – I usually use a quart-sized mason jar for my fermentation vessel. You can use any size jar as long as you can pack it full of peppers. Size up or down depending on how many peppers you have.
• Fermentation lid – I really like Masontops Pickle Pipes. Technically, you don’t need a fermentation lid. However, using one is much easier because you don’t have to worry about burping the jar. If you don’t have one, you must burp the jar daily to release the pressure.
• Fermentation weights – The peppers must be submerged in the brine, so you will need a fermentation weight to hold them under.
• Measuring spoon – You will need to measure a few tablespoons of salt.
• Knife – Of course, you’ll need this to slice up your peppers.
• Cutting board – I prefer using an end-grain cutting board. But any cutting board will do.
• Bowl or large measuring cup – I use a 4-cup Pyrex measuring cup for the salt water.
• Whisk – Make sure all of the salt is dissolved in the water. I whisk it until I cannot see any salt granules in it.

Ingredients

• 4-6 Bell peppers, sliced – You can grow your own peppers, get them from the farmers market, or buy them from the grocery store. It doesn’t matter as long as you use fresh peppers. The number of peppers depends on their size, how you slice them, and how tightly you pack them. You will need enough peppers to fill a mason jar tightly. Also, this recipe works for all peppers, so choose any variety of sweet peppers or hot peppers!
• 2 tablespoons salt – Do not use iodized or table salt for fermenting. Pickling, kosher, and sea salts are good choices.
• 4 cups water – I prefer using filtered water for fermenting. Because I live at the beach and our water is funky, I don’t use tap water for lacto-fermentation.

How To Make Fermented Bell Peppers

1. Mix the salt and water in a large bowl or measuring cup. Whisk or stir vigorously until the salt is completely dissolved. Set aside.
2. Add the peppers to a clean jar. Make sure they are packed in tightly. I like to take a spoon and press them down.
3. Pour enough brine to cover the peppers with about an inch of headspace (a little more or less is fine).
4. Place a weight on the peppers to ensure they are submerged and cannot float to the top. If any seeds or stragglers float to the top, either remove them or reposition the weight so they are under the brine.
5. Put a fermentation lid on the jar (a regular lid will work if you don’t have one, but you must burp it daily).
6. Allow the peppers to ferment at room temperature for 3-5 days. Around day 5, you can taste a pepper to see if it is fermented to your liking. If so, replace the fermentation lid with a regular lid and store in the fridge. If not, continue fermenting, checking daily, until they have reached your desired flavor.

How To Store Fermented Peppers

Unlike freeze-dried eggs, for example, fermented veggies are unsuitable for long-term storage. However, if you put them in cold storage, such as a refrigerator, you can extend the shelf life.

Cool temperatures slow down the rate of fermentation. So once they have reached your desired flavor, you can pop them in the fridge. They will continue to ferment in the fridge, but the process is much slower.

You can also store fermented veggies in a cool place like a cellar, but keep in mind that they will continue to ferment more quickly this way. Also, make sure your fermented peppers are out of direct sunlight.

What Temperature Should You Store Fermented Peppers?

While the peppers are undergoing the fermentation process, store them at room temperature. When they are finished, store them in the refrigerator. When kept cold, they will last 3-5 months (sometimes longer).

How Long Should I Ferment Peppers?

How long you ferment peppers depends on your preference. In the beginning, they will need about 5 days to ferment. For some, the flavor developed over the course of 5 days is perfect. If you prefer a more fermented flavor, like I do, you can let them ferment longer until they reach your desired tanginess.

After Day 5, I recommend tasting them daily to check the fermentation rate.

Is a White Film on the Surface Normal?

If you notice a white film on the surface of your fermented peppers, don’t worry. It’s just kahm yeast. This can happen when the temperature is too high or if there isn’t enough salt content.

Kahm yeast is offputting, but it isn’t harmful. It may alter the texture and taste of your peppers, but you can still use them with a few extra steps:

1. Scoop off the kahm yeast.
2. Sprinkle a little salt on the surface.
3. Stick your jar in a cooler spot (under 70°F) or in the fridge for the remainder of the fermentation process.

How To Use Fermented Peppers

What I love the most about fermented peppers is that they can be used just as you would use any other pepper. Really, the possibilities are endless. But here are some of my favorite ways to use them:

• Stuffed pepper casserole – Check out this vlog on my YouTube channel for instructions on how to make stuffed pepper casserole. In short, you just brown ground beef, then mix in lacto-fermented bell peppers, and all of your favorite ingredients for stuffed peppers.
• Grilled cheese or quesadilla – If you’ve been following moon + magnolia for a while, you are probably tired of hearing me say this, but fermented peppers are delicious on a grilled cheese sandwich or quesadilla.
• Salads – I love topping salad with fermented peppers. It adds a little tang to each bite.
• Savory crepes – I like filling my savory sourdough crepes with fermented peppers, veggies, fresh herbs, and sour cream.
• Any recipe! – Use fermented peppers in any recipe that calls for bell peppers. They are great in a garden vegetable soup or beef and broccoli.
• Homemade hot sauce – You can make your own hot sauce by swapping out the bell peppers for hot peppers. In fact, siracha is a lacto-fermented hot sauce!

A little salt goes a long way. Fermented peppers already have salt in them, so when you toss them to recipes and other dishes, you will likely need less added salt.

More Posts To Learn From

• Can You Freeze Sourdough Starter? Yes, Here Is How.
• How to Stretch and Fold Sourdough – Sourdough Basics
• Brod & Taylor Proofer – Review
• How To Do the Windowpane Test for Dough

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